Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

This project will bring together municipalities, first responders, emergency management staff and volunteers toexplore the use of an innovate emergency interoperability system in disaster and emergency communications.ePACT manages organizational and family emergency preparedness and response with one online solution. Itstores secure real time employee and family data and provides mass notification through three-way text, emailand app communications giving greater support for all in a crisis. This funding will support research that willbring subject matter experts, practitioners and key stakeholder groups within the municipal emergencymanagement arena together to identify best practices in municipal emergency communications and developrecommendations for the adaptation of ePACT to meet this emerging need. The project will help ePACTidentify future research and product development needs for both system and user growth opportunities whichare critical to the long-term success of the company. The research will lead to the development of functionaland technical specifications of ePACT to meet municipal needs. In addition, the project will create a workingrelationship between ePACT and the JIBC in support of the future development and implementation of the newsystem. The project will: Directly contribute to the expansion of this innovative emergency interoperabilitytechnology to other municipalities and emergency organizations across Canada; increase company growth andrevenue both critical to organization long term growth, increase employment opportunities during the projectand beyond as ePACT accesses larger markets in other provinces across Canada; and directly supportopportunities for both vertical and horizontal growth of the system.