Resilience in Action: Highlights from the 2024 Mid-Atlantic Technology Summit
On Wednesday, October 9th, 2024, members of the first responder community gathered for Equipped's Mid-Atlantic Technology Summit at the World Trade Center in Baltimore, Maryland. This one-day conference, generously supported by ASSUREd Safe, Tekniam, and Red Hat, focused on enhancing practical field knowledge for emergency response professionals.
Attendees gained insights into the technological and operational responses to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and the resilience of Maryland's first responders. The event featured educational sessions, strategic networking opportunities, and live demonstrations from our partners, showcasing the latest in emerging technologies and cutting-edge trends in public safety.
Chief James Wallace, Baltimore City Fire Department
The opening session, "Heartbreak at Key Bridge: A Community Shaken," was led by Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace, who shared a poignant presentation highlighting the response of first responders to the bridge collapse. He detailed the challenges of the search and recovery operations, and the coordination between city, state, and local officials. Utilizing advanced sonar equipment, their swift and precise efforts led to the dramatic rescue of two construction workers from the water.
Michael Hardee, Red Hat; Casey Rogers, ASSUREd SAFE; Michael Murphy, Tekniam
Following that compelling presentation, our sponsors—ASSUREd Safe, Tekniam, and Red Hat—took the stage with live demonstrations, presenting cutting-edge technology solutions designed to ease everyday challenges for first responders and streamline their efforts to protect and safeguard our communities.
Michael Shields, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University's Whiting School of Engineering
In the afternoon session, attendees heard from Michael Shields, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University's Whiting School of Engineering, who presented on the Study of Ship Collisions: Risk for Major U.S. Bridges. He assessed the likelihood of incidents, like those involving the Key Bridge, which was built before modern bridge impact standards. With the size of shipping vessels growing tenfold, Shields highlighted how unprepared we are for the rising risks ahead.
Christopher Dews, Vice President of Cornerstone; Delegate Mark Edelson, District 46; Senator Johnny Ray Salling, District 6; Delegate Ric Metzgar, District 6
Professor Shield's presentation transitioned to our esteemed panel discussion, "Economic Impact and Recovery Plan off Key Bridge Collapse" featuring Senator Jonny Ray Salling - District 6, Delegate Ric Metzgar – District 6, Delegate Mark Edelson – District 46, and moderated by Christopher Dews, Vice President of Cornerstone.
The panel discussed how the initial estimate of the timeline for reopening the Port of Baltimore was 11 months, and with joint efforts the reopening turned into 11 weeks. The contributing factors for the quick turnaround include the collaboration between government officials and cooperation between agencies and entities. Panelists concluded the session with admiration for the first responders.
Councilwoman Phylicia Porter
Finally, Councilwoman Phylicia Porter shared an inspiring presentation on "Moving Beyond: The Future of the Port." Councilwoman Porter emphasized the importance of community and the role of advocacy. She discussed the strong connection between first responders and their communities.
"First responders are on the front lines, but they often lack the technology needed to do their jobs efficiently. It's the job of the government to do better."
As we look forward to future events, we remain committed to supporting our heroes in the public safety community.
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