For first responders and key infrastructure personnel, information sharing and situational awareness are essential to operational effectiveness and safety. The Team Awareness Kit (TAK) was originally developed for military special operators and has demonstrated its value in a wide range of public safety environments where real-time coordination and tracking of critical assets in the field is paramount. TAK can function as a powerful command center and is now available without cost for civilian use.

However, TAK traditionally relies on cellular (LTE) service, but this is no longer a requirement. Agencies can now use TAK even when they do not have cellular coverage by pairing their smartphone or tablet with a conventional land mobile radio (LMR). For many operations, such as wildland firefighting or remote search and rescue efforts, this significantly expands TAK's utility.

Leveraging LMR for TAK works because TAK can function effectively across low-bandwidth connections by sending the most important information – personnel location and texts. This is vastly superior to using LMR for just voice communication, especially during large-scale critical incidents. This concept has already been proven in a large remote area under the control of the Bureau of Land Management.

This workshop will provide attendees with actionable information on how to gain access to TAK and how LMR can effectively augment LTE in remote areas. Attendees will also hear how the same approach can be utilized with satellite radio to extend TAK-informed command and control across great distances. Actual TAK use cases will be shared.