2026 Agenda

This panel presents a case study of the Kerrville, TX flood response—highlighting the operational challenges, the multi-agency coordination required, and the lessons learned from managing a fast-moving emergency in a dynamic environment. Practitioners will share how responders established a real-time common operating picture under pressure, the human factors that shaped decision-making, and the importance of maintaining clear situational awareness across jurisdictions. The discussion will also address how communications resilience—enabled by FirstNet's broadband and priority services—proved critical for keeping data flowing and teams synchronized. While technologies such as the Team Awareness Kit (TAK), SARCOP, and CALTopo played supporting roles, the session emphasizes the workflows, coordination strategies, and interoperability takeaways that emerged from Kerrville's experience. The panel will conclude with a forward-looking discussion on strengthening resilience through device-to-satellite connectivity, exploring potential applications, operational trade-offs, and what responders would want to see in future capabilities.

Takeaway

* Learn how TAK, SARCOP, and CALTopo were successfully deployed and synchronized during the Kerrville, TX flood response to create a real-time common operating picture
* Understand the practical workflows, data formats, and exchange methods used to connect multiple mapping and tracking platforms
* Explore lessons learned around interoperability and the human challenges of managing multiple systems in dynamic emergency environments