A lot has been said about how big data can transform business, but little has been said about how it can be used in emergency situations. Think of all the rich data about patient health records and location-based information that surrounds us, and how it can be used to deliver efficient emergency response services?

Rave Mobile Safety, a software company for first responders, has launched the Smart911 Connect API, which should change how first responders deliver vital data to 911 centers.

The API connects to third-party data streams from PBXs and profile information centers to enable emergency response teams to handle a crisis more effectively.

According to Rave Mobile Safety, there are a ton of potential data sources out there that the API could connect to that would be relevant to an emergency response process. The API then logs the data for audit purposes and secures it during transfer to a 911 Center using Next Generation (NG911), and the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information System-compliant standards.

The NG911 uses end-to-end IP communication protocols which allow for secure transfer of any data type, whether text, images or video. The system has been vetted and approved for delivering data to 911 centers, according to chief product officer for Rave Mobile Safety, Todd Piett. Smart911 will provide text and images when a profile is pulled up, as well as the caller’s location.

Piett recommends that people create profiles with vital information such as allergies, medications and physical requirements before an emergency occurs.

Smart911 also has the ability to incorporate floor plans of locations such as schools or homes, how many bedrooms in a house, the number of vehicles and pets owned and how many people live there. For patients with certain conditions, the company is looking to expand into remote home monitoring where it could also relay info from medical devices such as blood glucose levels to 911 call centers.

The potential for Smart911 Connect is huge, and as big data continues to become a vital component of any business, organization or individual, we can expect to see such integrations in the very near future.