CRG and "I Love U Guys" Foundation Joining Forces to Advance Tools and Protocols that Enhance Emergency Response and Reunification Efforts During a Crisis

EWING, N.J., Nov. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Critical Response Group, Inc. (CRG) announced it has strategically partnered with the "I Love U Guys" Foundation to enhance standard response and reunification protocols during large scale, complex, and multi-disciplinary events.

Public safety professionals are routinely called to service while facing complex variables in unstable locations. The chaos that commonly accompanies an emergency at a school makes the task of navigating buildings and reuniting loved ones difficult for administrators and first responders. Critical Response Group, Inc. and the "I Love U Guys" Foundation have teamed their experiences to combine clear and simple tools and standard protocols that allow for a more effective response when time is of the essence.

"Understanding the true nature of an emergency response, we knew that partnering together with the Foundation was a natural fit for our company," said Phil Coyne, President of CRG. "We are excited because both companies bring a passion and shared interest to solve long standing complications experienced during an emergency response."    

Often schools have antiquated floor plans and ingress or egress challenges that impede movement through buildings and complicate the reunification of parents and children during a crisis. An incident may be a large-scale mass casualty event with a multi-jurisdictional response of first responders. School and safety officials know that different facilities use different types of building footprints or floor plans, and reunification difficulties can be exacerbated because most first responders will be unfamiliar with the location. Raising situational awareness at complex events is challenging, so clear guidance and simple solutions to reduce complexity and simplify communication at a scene are critical to successful outcomes.

"The 'I Love U Guys' Foundation has never gone it alone," shared John-Michael Keyes, Executive Director. "We achieve our mission with the help of others, and we are thrilled to partner with the team at Critical Response Group. Together we're a powerful conduit that unites this important work preparing first responders for more effective command between diverse organizations when responding to unfamiliar schools and campuses."

Leveraging Strengths

Collaborative Response Graphics® (CRGs®) are standardized, site-specific and geo-rectified common operating pictures that combine facility floor plans, high resolution imagery and a gridded overlay together. CRGs are commonly used to navigate buildings and enhance reunification plans. The Foundation's Standard Response Protocols (SRP) provide uniform, flexible and action-based approaches to tactical responses at schools, and the Standard Reunification Method (SRM) provides proven methods for achieving successful reunifications. Together these solutions become a compelling solution to a fundamental need during a crisis. CRGs can be uploaded into public safety software platforms, integrate easily into third-party systems and can be printed in a variety of sizes for use in command posts or vehicles, incident management can easily operate off the same map. When combined with certain tracking applications, first responders can be tracked on the graphics for even more enhanced command and control.
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About Critical Response Group, Inc.

United States Military Special Operations Force (USSOF) faced the challenge of operating and communicating about unfamiliar locations with diverse groups and nationalities while under stress during counter-terrorism missions. To solve that problem, USSOF developed a visual communication tool, called a Gridded Reference Graphic (GRG), that combined a grid overlay with high-resolution overhead imagery so mission participants could communicate from a site-specific common operating picture. The principles of a GRG were expanded and pivoted for domestic use as a Collaborative Response Graphic, or CRG.

CRGs are built for schools, places of worship, hospitals, airports, government buildings, prisons, parks, corporate facilities, theme parks, and other critical infrastructure, and are used for reunification efforts, and pre-planned or emerging events.

Critical Response Group's team is a mix of decorated and combat-tested USSOF officers and senior public safety executives committed to providing non-theoretical perspectives and emergency response solutions.

About "I Love U Guys" Foundation

The "I Love U Guys" Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to school and community safety, and family reunification following a crisis. Its data-driven programs provide a clear, common and shared language between first responders, students and staff. The foundation's programs have been implemented in more than 30,000 schools, agencies, municipalities and government organizations across the United States and Canada as well as within Department of Defense International American Schools around the world.

The "I Love U Guys Foundation" was started in 2006 by John-Michael and Ellen Keyes following a school shooting that took the life of their daughter, Emily. Today, the organization is led by survivors, family members, first responders and community members with a vested interest in safety, preparedness and reunification in schools. The organization's name reflects the last text the Keyes family received from their daughter, Emily.

For Additional Information:
https://iloveuguys.org/programs/
https://www.crgplans.com/

Media Contact

Keith A. Germain, Critical Response Group, Inc., 732-779-4393, [email protected]

SOURCE Critical Response Group, Inc.