BluePoint Aims To Bring Life-Safety Mind-Set To Police Pull Stations

Published Sep 20, 2018 15:43 PM

Fire alarm pull stations are commonplace but police ones are not.

A self-funded startup, BluePoint Alert Solutions is aiming to make police pull stations commonplace, changing not only the way the alarms are deployed but also the way people think about them. A September 2018 story in the Chicago Tribune featured BluePoint's solution ("Worried about gun violence, more than 20 Illinois schools install blue emergency boxes that notify police of an active shooter").

To better understand what they are doing, we spoke with BluePoint's Co-Founder, examining inside: 

  • What Their Solution Is
  • Why Pull Stations
  • Who Is Using It
  • How Does It Come To Market
  • Who BluePoint Is
  • What They Hope To Accomplish
  • Potential Problems With The Approach

What *** ******** **

********* ***** ** *** **** *****-****, pull ******** ** ******* *********, ****** the *********** ***** ****** *** **** under *** **** ** *** ****** manager ** **** ****** *** ******* them ************** ***** ****.

**** ***** **** ********* **-******* **** Shales [**** ** ****** *********]. ********* to ******, *** ****** ** *** BlulePoint ******** ** ***** ******** *******, called ********** & ******* ******** ********** ******, or **. ** ******* ********* ****** **** wireless ******* **** **** ********, ******** transmitter **** ** **** *** ******** interface ** *****' ********* *** ******** emergency ************ *** ***** *********** ********* and ********* ******** ***** ** *** graphic ***** *******:

  • ****** ****** *** *************: **** *** pull ******* ** *********, *** ****** sends *** * **** ******* ** predetermined ******, ********* ** *** *********
  • **** ******** ****** *****: **** **********, the ****** ****** **** ****** ***** from ******* ****** *** ********* **** station *** ******* ** *** ******* group *** ***** **********. *** ****** ***** feeds **** *** ******* **** *** C2 ******* ***** ******** ****** *** client’s ******** **** ***. *** ****** does *** ******* ******** *** *******.
  • *****-****** *************: **** *********, *** ****** can ** ********** **** ***** ******* and *** ****** ***** *******, **** bomb *******, ********* ** ******, ** medical ***********
  • ********* ******** *******: **** *********, *** system ***** ** ** ******* ** emergency ********** *************, **** ************* *****, medical ********* *********, ***.
  • ****** ***** **************: **** **********, *** system ***** ********* * *** ** the ******** **** ***** *** ********* of *******, ********* *** ********* ******
  • *-*** *************: **** *** **** ******* is ********* **** ******** ** ***. All *** ******* ******** *** **** back ** *** ******* *****, ******** them **** ****-**** *********** *********

** ******* ** *** ****** ***** Identification *** ** **** *****:

*** ***** ** ** ******* ** a *-*** **** ** ***** ******* who ******** *** ******* ********* ***** text *** ****** **** *********** ** a ******* *** ** *** ******* lot.

**** ** ** ********* ************ ****** that *** ****** ***** ***** ** be ********* ** ********* ******* **** their **** ****** **** ******** (******** with *** ******** ******** ************** ******, a ***** *-****** ******** ***********) ** their ***** ******* ***** **** ********:

"*** **** ****** ** *** **** station ** ******** ******* ****** ******," ****** **** ****. "*** **** we ***** ** ** ******* ********** to ***** ** *** *** ********. And ** *** *** **** ** it."

*** ********** ** *** **** ******** is ******** ********** ******* ********* **** make ** *** ********* ******** ************** to *********'* *********** *****. **** *****, signals *** ************ ** ***** ********** via *********'* ****** **-******, **-******** *** party ******* *******, **** ****** ***** not ****. *** ** ****** **** uses *** ******* ** ****** ******* action. *** ** ****** *** ********* of ** ********* ********** *** ********* and **** ******* ** * ***** party ******** ********* **** ********* **** wouldn't ****. *** ***** ***** ********* the ** ******** ********** ******:

**** *** **** ******* ** *********, the ** ****** ***** **** ******** to *** ************* ************. *** ****** features ***-*** *************, ** ******** ****** can ************ *********** ******* *** **** or ***** ******* *** ** ****** to *** ******* *****—********* ** ****** emergency ******** ********—** * ****** ******, the *********(*), **************, *** ****** ******** Officer (***)—*** ***** ***** **********. *** ongoing ***-*** ************* ******* * ********** developing *********** *********, ********* ****.

Why **** ********?

****** **** **** ****** ** **** the ******-****** ********* ****** ** * **** station ******* ** *** **** ******'* ubiquitous ******:

**** ***  **** ******* **’* ******** and *********... ********* ** ******** **** *** plunger ******** ** *****-***-**** ***** ****** in *** ******, **'* **** ********* to * *** ****** ** *** building. ** ********* ***** ****** **** stations ** ***** ******* ********. 

**** ********* ***** ****** ********* ********* to ****** ** *** ******* ***** fleeing *** ***** ** *** ***** of ** ****** ******* ** ***** police ***********.

Who ** ***** **

********* **** *** ********* ******** ***** now ** *** *-** ******. ****** they **** **** ******* ** ***** areas:BluePoint Co-Founder John Shales

*** ***** *** ****** ** *******, both ****** *** *******. **’** ****** inroads **** ******** *** *********, *********, churchers, ***. *** ** *** ** really ** ******** ** ******* *** to **** *** *** ***** ***** of *******.

********* ** ** ** ****** *** is *********** *** ***********. *** ******, a **** **** ** ***** *** the ***** **** ** * ******** system ** $.**-$*.**/****** **** ** ******* space. **** ******** *** ******** **************, the **** ********, *** **** ***, and ************. ****** ** ******* ** stress ********* ***** ***** **** ** estimate ** ***** ******* * ****, detailed ****** ** *** ****. ** points *** ***** *** **** ********* that ** **** ********* ** ****** quote: ****** *** **** ** *********, age, *** ************ ** *********, ****** of ******* **** ********, ****** ** wireless ********* ****** ** ******* * robust **************, ***. **** ***** ** the ********** **** **** ****** **** couldn't ********:

**** ****** ***** * *** ********* what **** ****. ****** ** ********—*** example *** ***** ******** ** *** district, ****’* *** *****. ** **** put ** *** ***** ********, ****’* another ****. ** **** *** ** all ***** ******* (*** ****’* ******** automatically, ** *** ***) **** ***** up ******* ***** ** *********. **** there’s ****** ** *********, *** ** on.

How **** ** **** ** ******

********* ** *** ******** ************. **** provide *** "***** *** ******" ** local ********** ******** *** ********* **** the ******** ** ***** *********. ****** says ******** **** **** **** ****** and *********** ** *** ******, ****** tech ******* ****** ** *** *** user *** **** **** ****** ** their ***** ********** ******** *** *******, test & *******, *** ******* & maintain. ****** **** **** **** "****, many" ********,*** * *** *** ****** ** their ****, ********* ********* ********** *********,**** **************,*******'* ***** ***** ********,*** ****** **** *** ****** ***.*** ******* ***********, ***.,**** **** ******** ********** *** **********, ***** ******.

Who ********* **

********* *** **-******* ** **** ** John ****** *** **** ******, **** also ********** ** ****** ****** ************. The *** ********* *** ********** ******** legal *** ********* ********, ********* ** shales, ****** ***** ** *****-*********** ** senior management *** **** ** *** ********* for **** ** *** ****. ****** says ***** *** **** ******* ******* his ************ ******* *** *** ******** company:

** *** *** ***** ** ******** after ***** ****. ** **** **** a ********** **********, ******. ** ***** schools, ** **'** ******** **** **** safety *** ******** *****. **’** ******** ** code ** *** **** ****** ** all ***** *******. ** ******* "*** not *** ** ********* **** **** for ******, ***?" ** ***** *** long ** *******. ** *** * **** ***** at * ****** *** **** *** a ***** ** ***** *****-***-**** ***** buttons. **** ****** **** *** ** the ** **** ***, **** ** of **** ******. **** *** * false ***** ** ********. **** **’** done ** **'** ***** *** ***** our ****** ** *** **** ************ of **** ******. *** *******, ***********, battery ******, **********, ***. ** ******* all ** *** ***** ****-****** **** requirements **** ****** *** **** ***** system ***** *** ******* ********** ** into *** ******.

What **** **** ** **********

****** ****** *** **** **** ***** pull ******** *** ******** ** **** safety ****. *** **** ******** *** necessity, ******, *** ********* ** *** devices. *******, ** **** **** ******** the *** ** *********'* **** ****** **** stations. "** ***’* **** **** ******* a ***** ********** ** *** * person********** * **** *****," ****** ****.  "If *** **** * ******** ******** **** *****," **** ***** ** BluePoint *** ******* ** *** *** drive *********** ** ******* ****** ******* pull ******** ** **** ** ****-****** code:

**’* **** ****** *****. ****’* * big ******** ** *** ****. ** have * *** *********** **** ** the ***** ***** ****’** ***** ** implement **** ** * ***** *****. We **** ** ***** ** ** a ***** ***** *****. ** ***** to ** ***** *** **** ****** and **** *******. ********* *** *********** will ***** **.

********* ***** ****, ***** *** ********* notification ******* **** ******** ***** ******* were ********* ** ******** ******** **** *******. ******* ** *** ********** ******* like ***** ******, ********** *****, *** dependable ******** ****** ************ *** ** overcome ** ***** *******. ******* ** not ***** ** ****** ******** ***** to *** *********** ****** *** **** police **** ******** ******** ** ****-****** code ******* ** ** ****.

Potential ******** **** *** ********

**** *** ******** ******, ********** *** that ** ****-****** ** *********, ** not ** ****, ********* *****, *** signal ******** *** ********. **** *********** and **** **** ***** **** * problem **** ******** **** ********* ** smoke ********* ** * ******. ********* says *** ***** ****** ** ***** supervised *** *** ******** ******* **** out *** ******* ****** **** ****** plus ** *** ** ******** ** be *********, ******, **** *** *** tradeoff ** * **** ********* ******* that ** ******' ******* ** *** worth **. 

** *** ****** ****** *** ********* to ** ********* ** *** ****** wants **. *** ******* ****** ** that **** **’** **** ** *** wireless ****, *****’* ** *********, ******* of *********** **** ** *** *** only *** ***** ** **** ** to *** ******* *******—**’** *** ** much ********** ***** **, **** ** wouldn’t ** **** *** **** *****. The **** ** **********, ****’* ****. But **** ***’** ******* ***** ** wired ****** ******** ** ****** *********.

***** ***, *** ****** ** ************* wirelessly ** *** *** *** *****, which ** **********, *** *******, ****** admits:

**'** ********* ** *** ******. ** like ** *** *** ***********. *** there’s **** * *** ** ******* in **** ****, ** **’** ******** looking ** ***** ******* ** ****.

****** ********** *** ********* ***** ***** and ******* ** ******** ***** ******. A ****** **** ************ ** ****** accessible *********-******** ***** ***** *** ****** use ** ******* ********* ***** **** likely ******** ***** ***** *** ******** dispatch. *******, ****** **** **** *******'* be * *******:

** *** ****** *** * ******* with **** ***** **** ******** ***** pulled ** *****, **** ** ***** be *** **** *** *** ****** Shooter ***. *******, ** ******* **** feed **** ******* *** **** ******* at *** ******, **** *** **** if ** *** ** ********** **********.

****** **** ****** *** **** ********* worked ** *********** **** ****** ***** conceptualizing ***** ****** *** **** ***** monitoring ****** ******** ******** **** *** premise *** *** ****** ** *** same **** **** ********** ** **** can ********* ** ** ** * false *****. *******, ***** ******** ***** have ******* ******* ********, ** ********* remain ***** *** **** ****** *********** and ******* **** ** ** ***** this.

Poll / ****

Comments (6)
Avatar
Dave Arnould
Sep 20, 2018

This sounds like the same thing Guardly was trying to do, That was a failure. 

JH
John Honovich
Sep 20, 2018
IPVM

Dave, I believe Guardly was doing a virtual / software panic button as an app, rather than these physical stations (see Security Panic Button As An App - Guardly).

I am not saying this will succeed or not, just that I think it's a different approach.

(1)
Avatar
Dave Arnould
Sep 21, 2018

Their video is showing real time communication to dispatchers via mobile. Yes this one has physical buttons and Guardly had mobile, which bluepoint looks to have some kind of wireless button as well. the mobile functionality looks to be very similar. 

Avatar
Brandon Knutson
Sep 20, 2018
IPVMU Certified

I like the idea of pull stations to report extreme violence. Better than using an active shooter mobile phone app, in my opinion.

U
Undisclosed #1
Sep 21, 2018

"remote tech support direct to the end user"

is direct support to the end user something a VAR partner would even want in a life-safety solution environment?

 

 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Jan 07, 2020

Bluepoint appears to have a few patents but I personally don't see how this particular one was awarded? Does the IPVM community see any differences between this alarm system and a standard alarm system?

US20160217679A1 - System and Methods for Providing Notification in the Event of a Security Crisis - Google Patents