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'Tactical Wayfinding'; New emergency response program being used in southern Indiana schools

A mixture of digital maps and training is intended to reduce response times in a crisis.

FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. — "X" marks the spot on hallway pillars, designating various zones throughout Community Montessori's campus.

The Floyd County charter school is 26 years old, but on Thursday the school made some major new additions. 

Those physical signs marked around the building are mirrored in a computer software called "Tactical Wayfinding." The X's divide the building into zones so first responders know the best way to navigate the area in the event of an emergency.

Jim Sprigler's son has a very rare medical condition and attends Community Montessori. He's the one who handled the technology's programming. 

Credit: Ian Hardwitt, WHAS11
These X's will later be replaced by permanent signage.

"It's hugely important," he said. "There's a potential where he needs medical services to show up if he's having some sort of medical emergency."

When a call comes to 911, dispatchers can flag any building with the Tactical Wayfinding program with a "flare." 

First responders see that flare, using computers in ambulances, fire trucks and squad cars, which they use to figure out where an emergency is in a school or big building—and how to get there.

Regional SWAT commander Troy McDaniel co-founded the service because he saw a need for more organization in crisis response. In the programs idea-phase, he posed a question to the programmer: "If everyone's going to show up at the front door, but there's 29 entrances to this building, what if we get them to the right door?" Sprigler recalled. 

School Director Barbara Burkefondren knows, getting first responders to the right door could save precious seconds. 

"To know even as a staff that we have the issue in Zone D, and we can all stay away from there, is really helpful too," she said, "but if we have someone that we're supporting with an AED, and they're in Zone A, emergency services can get to them as quick as they possibly can."

Despite humble beginnings programming on a second-hand Apple II as a child, Sprigler figured this is "probably the most important project" he's worked on. 

"Tactical Wayfinding" goes live in Floyd County on March 1. McDaniel said EMS used it twice at schools in Scott County, Indiana, already.

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