Tracking location data

MicahL

Newbie
Joined
Jul 26, 2023
Messages
1
Location
Thornton,CO
I’m looking to see if there is a way to legally retrieve location data for EMS calls. I know a lot of the ones in my area transmit call location to devices in the ambulance. I work in a hospital and it would be nice to see what they are responding to in our area.
 

ladn

Explorer of the Frequency Spectrum
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Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Messages
1,433
Location
Southern California and sometimes Owens Valley
I’m looking to see if there is a way to legally retrieve location data for EMS calls. I know a lot of the ones in my area transmit call location to devices in the ambulance. I work in a hospital and it would be nice to see what they are responding to in our area.
I don't have specific knowledge of your radio landscape, or how EMS calls are dispatched, but one idea that comes to mind is to have your hospital work out an MOU with the agency that handles EMS to allow a data link to your hospital ED from the dispatch center that would allow the ED to monitor the EMS CAD system or MDT's.
 

BC_Scan

Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2006
Messages
727
Location
Vancouver BC
I’m looking to see if there is a way to legally retrieve location data for EMS calls. I know a lot of the ones in my area transmit call location to devices in the ambulance. I work in a hospital and it would be nice to see what they are responding to in our area.
Pulse Point app , not served by all jurisdictions
 

RaleighGuy

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Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 15, 2014
Messages
14,371
Location
Raleigh, NC
I’m looking to see if there is a way to legally retrieve location data for EMS calls. I know a lot of the ones in my area transmit call location to devices in the ambulance. I work in a hospital and it would be nice to see what they are responding to in our area.

This data is encrypted and usually sent via some sort of computer (MDT) you can sometimes monitor it but the data won't display correctly. Both @ladn and @BC_Scan (if Pulse Point (an app for your phone) is active in your area) have good suggestions.
 

mmckenna

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Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
24,912
Location
United States
I’m looking to see if there is a way to legally retrieve location data for EMS calls. I know a lot of the ones in my area transmit call location to devices in the ambulance. I work in a hospital and it would be nice to see what they are responding to in our area.

"Back in the day", these MDT messages were usually sent over a specific data channel. Our county had an 800MHz channel countywide that would send/receive messages to the fire department. It wasn't encrypted, but it was a specific system that you had to know how to work with. It was also very, very slow speed data, like 9600baud. Only good for short text/address info.

That system has long since been shut down and everyone is using cellular for cellular data. More bandwidth, more coverage, and cheaper to maintain. Some big cities have their own networks, but most are just running on one of the existing cellular networks.

You won't be able to listen in on it. The LTE data is encrypted for all users, not just public safety.

The only way to get that data, legally or otherwise, is to have the agency hook you up with a connection to their system. If you are one of the hospitals they work with, that should be an easy question to ask.
 
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