Case Study: GoTAK and Allen Texas CERT - Enhancing Operational Efficiency and Safety with TAKOS and Beartooth Mesh Radios
Client Overview:
Allen Texas Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) supports the Allen Fire Department and Police Department during large events and critical incidents, providing medical response, traffic control, damage assessments, and search and rescue operations.
Challenge:
Allen High School hosts the largest graduation event in the United States, with over 1,700 students graduating and approximately 11,000 friends and family members attending. Such events significantly strain cellular networks including FirstNet, T-Mobile, and Verizon due to heavy use from streaming videos, photos, and calls. This severely impacts CERT’s digital communication capabilities, critical for responding rapidly to incidents such as heat exhaustion among attendees.
GoTAK Solution:
During the 2025 Allen High School graduation, Allen Texas CERT tested Beartooth radios integrated with ATAK (Android Team Awareness Kit) and iTAK end-user devices provided by GoTAK. The Beartooth radios established an off-grid mesh network, functioning effectively without dependence on cellular towers, which were heavily overloaded during the event.
John Maria from Allen CERT shared his experience: “We tested Beartooth radios during the 2025 Allen High School graduation, the largest graduation event in the country, on a hot Friday evening. Using Beartooth-connected ATAK and iTAK devices, a responder located a heat-stressed woman, tagged her location on ATAK, and broadcast a message using Beartooth's PTT feature. We observed from our elevated operations center as responders quickly moved in and rendered aid. At two other critical moments when cellular service was severely compromised, I personally used my Beartooth-connected tablet to guide professional paramedics to a distressed individual and showed a police sergeant the precise locations of our team members to coordinate a search for a missing six-year-old.”
Results:
GoTAK's solution enabled CERT responders to efficiently locate and assist individuals experiencing medical emergencies, significantly improving response times despite cellular network congestion. The successful use of Beartooth radios and ATAK technology ensured effective coordination and operational accuracy.
Conclusion:
The implementation of GoTAK’s integrated solution substantially improved communication capabilities for Allen Texas CERT. The Beartooth radios paired with ATAK provided reliable, timely communication essential for effective emergency response at major public events, enhancing public safety outcomes considerably.