Reports Guide Tech Choices for Emergency Response

Emergency response agencies often use robotic technology to enhance their capabilities and improve response efficiency in hazardous environments and situations. Two new publications, developed in collaboration between the National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), are now available on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responder (SAVER) website and highlight technology available to assist this task:

• Multifunctional Unmanned Ground Vehicles for Emergency Response: Market Survey Report
• Multifunctional Unmanned Ground Vehicles for Emergency Response: Focus Group Report

These reports provide emergency response agencies with critical insights into commercially available unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) used for hazardous materials response, surveillance, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and payload transport. The market survey identifies 22 products, with detailed comparisons of technical specifications, capabilities, and use cases. The focus group report captures feedback from responders across the United States to establish procurement criteria and assessment priorities.

“In today’s world, first responders face more complex and dangerous situations than ever—whether it’s fentanyl exposure, active shooter incidents, or navigating unstable buildings. That’s where UGVs come in. These tools are designed to go straight into high-risk environments so responders don’t have to—scouting ahead, delivering supplies, detecting hazards, and supporting search and rescue operations,” said Jacob Ellis, PNNL electrical engineer and coauthor of the reports.

Both publications are intended to inform technology acquisition and deployment decisions tailored to the unique operational environments of first responders. PNNL coauthors include Ellis, Jeff Doty, Sasha Smith, Rachel Bartholomew, and Samuel Ortega.

“With rapidly evolving technology like this, we owe it to our first responders to put it to work. These reports aim to give agencies the information they need to make smart decisions about tools that can truly save lives—not just the lives of those in need, but the lives of the brave people who step in to help,” said Ellis.

The reports and additional resources are available on the DHS SAVER website. Future publications will reflect efforts to take UGV technology into the field and gather real-world insights—both qualitative and quantitative—from first responders.

Since 2004, SAVER focus groups and assessment activities have been yielding SAVER reports to help meet the operational needs of the responder community. PNNL has supported several efforts covering a range of technologies and capabilities, including respiratory protection technologies, physiological monitoring systems, Raman spectrometers, and fentanyl detection equipment. The NUSTL-PNNL team was also awarded the DHS S&T Science and Engineering Award for their contributions to improving the operational readiness and safety posture of the firefighter community by conducting a rigorous evaluation of commercially available self-contained breathing apparatuses.

To learn more about PNNL partnerships and opportunities advancing first responder technology, visit https://www.pnnl.gov/projects/nwrtc.