Reducing response times through smarter navigation and data-sharing

Getting to the scene quickly and safely is becoming harder as cities grow more complex and congested. For control rooms and responders alike, having a clear, shared picture of what’s happening in real time can make all the difference.

At The Emergency Services Show, Safety Consulting & Technology (SafetyCT) shared how its integrated software tools are helping emergency services across Europe cut response times and improve coordination, from control room to crew on the ground.

Real-time tools built for emergency responders

For more than 25 years, SafetyCT has worked with fire, ambulance and police services to streamline operations and decision-making. Its team combines experience from software development, control room consultancy and operational service, ensuring that every system is grounded in how responders actually work.

“Our tools are made to fit the way emergency services work, not to change how they do their jobs.”

Onno Stumphius, Director, SafetyCT.

SafetyCT’s software suite, SafetyNerve, SafetyMaps Next Gen and Dynamic Alarming, connects control rooms with the information crews need en-route and on scene. Navigation operates on a ‘no-touch’ principle: routes are projected automatically on in-vehicle screens, including emergency-only roads or bus lanes where available.

Onno explains the system is designed to minimise distractions and get crews to the scene faster.

Smarter use of available resources

Dynamic Alarming identifies the most suitable vehicle for a job, not just those based at stations, but any units already nearby and available.

“If a crew is finishing a call or training and can respond faster, the system redeploys them immediately,” explained Co-director, Dennis Coppens. “It’s about using what’s already out there, more intelligently.”

He gave the example of an ambulance diverted mid-journey to a cardiac arrest, with another vehicle reassigned to the lower-priority call.

Before crews arrive, SafetyMaps Next Gen provides instant access to hydrant locations, access points, building layouts and known risks. If a fire is near a care home, for example, those details help set priorities early.

On arrival, incident commanders can mark hazards or safe zones directly on a live map and send updates to incoming units. “Everyone’s looking at the same information,” said Onno. “That coordination is critical in fast-moving incidents.”

Future-facing design

Built to run across multiple operating systems, the software integrates with both mobile tablets and built-in vehicle screens. The company is also testing hybrid mapping that combines commercial and open-source data to improve accuracy in dense city environments.

And while AI features are on the horizon, Dennis stressed that the focus remains on assisting, not automating, decisions. “Technology should support experienced people, not replace them,” he said.

SafetyCT is expanding its work with emergency services in Denmark, Belgium and the UK, focusing on interoperability and real-time data integration between agencies.

As Onno summed up: “Saving even two or three minutes can make an enormous difference. Our job is to make that possible – safely, and without distraction.”

Watch the full interview below.

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