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San Francisco to use RapidSOS data to improve 911 location accuracy
Summary
The city's 911 system is beginning automated use of RapidSOS location data from Apple and Google to get dispatchable locations for callers; officials said the change has already helped locate people in emergencies and will be required in upcoming CAD procurements.
San Francisco officials told the Disaster Council they are beginning to use RapidSOS data — supplied by Apple and Google — to obtain more precise, dispatchable locations for 911 calls, a change they say dramatically improves the ability to find callers in dense urban terrain.
Rob Smuts said current cell-phone location data provided through carriers often lacks sufficient precision, and that "if you call from a cell phone, less than 50% of calls do we receive information within 50 meters," a threshold he said is typically required for effective emergency response. He described two field examples where RapidSOS provided precise locations that the carrier-provided data did not: a medical rescue near Turk Street and a sailboat that ran aground at Alcatraz Island.
City staff said they started accessing RapidSOS data in September and expect to have automated queries integrated in the coming months so that the 911 dispatcher will receive location information immediately when a mobile call comes in. Smuts said CAD vendors are beginning to add this capability and the city's RFP for a next-generation CAD system will require integration.
Why it matters: Officials said usable, dispatchable location data can reduce response time and improve outcomes. Smuts cited an external study and local experience showing usable-location accuracy under 50 meters improving from roughly 45% to about 97% in test areas using the technology.
What’s next: The department will include RapidSOS integration requirements in its CAD procurement and monitor new capabilities such as vertical (z-axis) location to identify floors in tall buildings.
