GPS Tracking

Why Run?

When one is looking for a quick way to get some needed exercise, few options are as immediate and effective as going for a good run.  While beginners may balk at the thought of running for no other reason than to run, many quickly have a change of heart once they realize the gains in cardiovascular endurance, muscle tone, and overall increased levels of energy and mood that result from a solid running schedule.  In fact, many people love the feeling of running and its effects so much that they continue to push themselves to run faster and farther, and in time running events both competitive and recreational in nature began to emerge as the demand for organized running grew.  Today, millions of runners across the globe participate in coordinated marathon events of various scales every year, and the need for an effective emergency medical vehicle fleet management strategy is extremely important.  This year, the fleet of 25 emergency response vehicles in charge of monitoring the 45,000 participating runners in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be equipped with LandAirSea SilverCloud real-time GPS tracking devices in hopes of making emergency medical fleet management as coordinated and effective as possible.

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A History of Foreign Affairs

In 1789, the United States Department of State was created.  This federal executive department is given the responsibility of handling the international relations of the United States, much like the foreign ministries of other nations.  As the main orchestrator of foreign affairs, the State Department has a voice in numerous governmental entities including the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Central Intelligence Agency just to name a few.  As stated by the Secretary of State, the head of the Department of State, the purposes of the department include protecting and assisting U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad, assisting U.S. businesses in the international marketplace, providing support for international activities of other U.S. agencies at every level, and keeping the public informed about U.S. foreign policy and relations with other countries.  By advancing the funding and breadth of integration of the State Department’s Blue Force Tracking program, these stated goals are certain to be easily reached maintained.

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There are very few service systems throughout a community that are able to withstand any trials and tribulations due to their time-tested reputation and vital services to the people they are responsible for.  Of these, a community’s fire department is surely among the top tier; local firefighters are held to the highest regard for their ability to control a disaster that very few outside the department are able to manage.  For decades, the systems of monitoring and maintenance that surround a local fire department did not see much change.  However, in recent years the widespread use of GPS tracking systems and digital diagnostic oversight implemented to keep constantly-updated information on the actions and coordination of firefighters has helped to bring this occupation well into the 21^st century.  The recent slew of unusually troublesome weather throughout the United States has shown that a GPS tracker is as valuable to a given fire or law enforcement department’s arsenal as the servicemen and women themselves.  As the intense wildfire in Arizona continues to spread, state fire departments should make sure a firm foundation of GPS tracking technologies is included in their ongoing battle with the blaze.

Wind gusts as high as 30 miles per hour threaten to fan the flames dangerously close to a main transmission line utilized by El Paso Electric Co.  This line delivers electricity to 40 percent of El Paso Electric’s customer base, roughly 371,000 homes and businesses.  By Saturday, citizens of the Arizona towns of Eagar, Springerville, Sunrise, Greer, Blue, River, Alpine, and Nutrioso were ordered to evacuate.  As families begin the relocation process, possessing a reliable GPS tracker can ensure that the position of their loved ones and personal property is always known.  The fire has already destroyed at least 29 homes and threatens 2,700 more, as well as 473 commercial properties.  With the ability of GPS tracking technology to monitor the state of personal possessions and business capital, any immediate relocation can be efficiently coordinated away from the highly volatile area surrounding the wildfire.

Firefighters have staged burnouts near the eastern edge of the blaze, which is about 8 miles away from transmission lines connecting Tucson, Arizona to two power plants.  In order to contain these burnouts and prevent them from getting as out of control as the original wildfire, firefighter groups across the area can utilize a GPS tracker to design the most accurate and logical distribution of units to maintain a controlled burn.  As the days wear on and the fire comes under control, the insight provided by current GPS tracking systems helps everybody affected by the blaze see through the smoke towards a brighter tomorrow.

Every year around this time in late May, commuters and town residents all across the nation begin to see some changes taking place in their community; the roads are more congested, the local bars and public houses are noisier and more lively than usual, and many stores begin to take down their “Now Hiring” signs from the window.  All of these events point to one source: college students are home for the summer.  While students are typically excited to reunite with all the comforts of home (e.g. home-cooked meals, never having to worry about laundry, and living with others that actually care about keeping their living space clean on a consistent basis), many campus cleaning companies are not so thrilled to be confronted with the mess these students have left behind.  As campus Realtors attempt to employ as few cleaners as possible to help cut costs, these companies are faced with more work than ever in a time when college application rates continue to rise.  By making a GPS tracker as common as Windex and paper towels in every cleaning employee’s toolset, these agencies can utilize GPS tracking technology to ensure that their cleaners are operating in the most efficient manner possible.

Roland Realty is one of the largest campus Realtors in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, home to the University of Illinois’s flagship campus.  Spanning a portfolio of over 80 properties, Roland Realty is able to serve an immense and varied number of the student population.  At the end of year leasing term, Roland Realty must conduct turnover inspections and cleanings, in which it employs the outside services of such companies as Maid to Perfection.  With a small local cleaning agency taking on the responsibility of so many apartments to clean by a set deadline, managers need to be sure that they are allocating all of their employees to the right location at the right time.  By using a GPS tracker, managers can be certain of where each employee is at all times, in addition to relocating the nearest available cleaner to a certain apartment unit should an emergency come up.  GPS tracking technology has also made it possible for managers to ensure that their cleaners are not wasting valuable time on site, which has historically been cited as a major cost in unnecessary additional compensation and failure to meet the hiring organization’s expectations.

By referencing an easy to read digital map that is accessible on most current mobile devices receiving GPS tracking data from a registered GPS tracker, a cleaning crew manager has the ability to virtually be on site in countless different apartments at the same point in time.  Although college students may leave a mess in their wake, any cleaning company utilizing the full potential of GPS tracking technology can confidently ensure that next year’s tenants will feel as if they are the first to inhabit their new abode.

When it comes to team sports, there are certain priorities that hold no matter what the scope of the competition entails; speed, coordination, and knowledge of the competitive terrain are all cited as necessary items if a player is going to serve the team and the fans in the most effective way possible.Recently, amateur and professional sports leagues have both started to incorporate modern GPS tracking systems into their training regimens.While football and rugby clubs have garnered the most attention for their advocacy of a GPS tracker in the hands of all players while on and off the field, the potential for GPS tracking technology to enhance team coordination is by no means limited to these sports, and an increasing number of less mainstream competitive associations should take a GPS tracker into consideration when looking to gain a competitive advantage.

With roots in sports entertainment, contemporary roller derby is an American-invented contact sport based on formation roller skating around an oval track by two teams.Points are scored when the designated scoring player (the “jammer”) of a given team laps members of the opposing team; offense and defense typically occur simultaneously.While the jammer’s main goal is speed, they must also rely heavily on the coordinated efforts of their teammates in defending against opposing team members.A current GPS tracker is able to be manufactured on enough of a compact scale to enable easy outfitting in the skate of any roller derby participant, allowing their every movement to be accurately clocked for speed and direction.The constantly-updating GPS tracking data allows for a team’s coach to assess the skating behavior of each individual at the same time from a single screen, a feat that would be impossible without such technological complementation.

Because a roller derby arena is oval and participants are constantly in motion, fans may have a hard time keeping track on the activity of their favorite skaters for a large proportion of every lap.With the help of a GPS tracker, a fan can consistently reference the status of their favorite player or team by accessing the graphical location interface that is used to showcase the movement of all synced GPS tracking receivers.In a sport where instant replay is virtually nonexistent, GPS tracking technology can serve as a reliable aid to roller derby referees if a disagreement ever arises.In a society that fosters competitive intelligence in as many forms as possible, attaching a GPS tracker to the boots of roller derby participants can give players and fans alike a whole new way to get in on the action.

System Provides Multiple Purposes

Safety, Communications and Monitoring Made Easy

It used to be that when one went on a vacation abroad, communications were few and far between.  Now that has all changed with the advent of the cell phone.  Additionally, once a person experiences travel with wireless communications, it seems like less of a trip since constant contact can be kept with those left behind.

There is a program, however, that is making the best use of GPS Tracking and communications options for students who take part in their global travel experiences.  The People to People Ambassador Programs is in charge of the system and uses it in important ways.

Keeping Track of the Program

The programs are designed to give students a wide range of experiences in other cultures and locations.  Because of the inherent dangers that exist in such programs, the addition of GPS devices makes a lot of sense.

Key features of the system include:

GPS enabled cell phone for the instructor in each group.  This not only allows the instructor to keep in touch with the company on the progress of the trip, but also allows them to have instant access to parents and guardians if necessary. (more…)

What do you do when a loved one has gone missing or an employee inexplicably falls behind schedule, and they aren’t answering their cell phone? As worry starts to set in, the first instinct might me to track them down with Enhanced 911. Another, and probably better strategy, would be to use a real-time GPS vehicle tracking system.

E-911 is the ability to track someone down by using their cell phone. Just about everybody carries a mobile device. All mobile phones have this basic service because it was ordered by the Federal Communications Commission after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It is supposed to provide authorities with latitude and longitude coordinates. That information should be enough to narrow down a search to a certain area.

This service normally lies dormant in a phone until it is “pinged” at the request of emergency authorities.

In many cases this does work and certainly many lives have been saved as a result of the FCC’s forward-thinking. Just recently Eric Smith of Rock Falls, IL was arrested for allegedly abducting his girlfriend’s 13-year-old daughter Joy Haahr and taking off to California with her. Police tracked the two down in Iowa using the kidnapper’s cell phone tracking system.

But there are tragic stories as well. A year ago in nearby Quincy, IL, a motorcyclist was ejected from his bike on a rural road late at night. He called 911 but did not know his location, and later he passed out. Emergency responders could only get a read on his location a swath about a mile wide. The phone lost power. The man ended up in a farm field and died before he could be found.

Here are five reasons why vehicle tracking systems are preferable to cell phone tracking: (more…)