The fireground is chaotic. Lives are on the line. Incident commanders juggle dozens of variables while tracking crews moving through smoke, heat, and danger. For incident commanders in the heat of the moment, one of the most important questions is also one of the hardest to answer: where are my people, and how are they doing?
Ascent Integrated Tech has spent five years working on that question- not with more complexity but simplicity. Our solution, WearTAK, is software on a standalone Samsung smartwatch that delivers real-time insight on first responder location and well-being. It’s easy to deploy, scalable for departments of all sizes and built for the gritty realities of frontline response.
After years of development and hands-on trials, one thing became clear: First Responders don’t need high-maintenance gear with many bells and whistles. They require tools that work every time, without distraction. Simplicity is key.
In our early days, we explored advanced tracking systems offering sub-meter accuracy using cameras, sensors, and inertial navigation. They looked great in a lab but didn’t hold up once deployed in real smoke, heat and grime.
Devices needed calibration, required a phone, or demanded ideal lighting, none of which aligned with reality during incident response.
Kevin Sofen
So, we pivoted. Instead of pushing precision that wouldn’t scale, we focused on practical insight that would. That led us to build WearTAK—a tool that runs on Samsung Galaxy smartwatches, many of which first responders already use in their personal lives. However, these watches are configured to deliver mission-critical information instead of counting steps or displaying texts.
Once powered on, they immediately begin broadcasting the wearer’s location and heart rate to the command platform. No phone. No pairing. No passwords. Just signal in, signal out. It just works anywhere in the world if both devices have internet access.
WearTAK gives incident commanders a live map of the evolving scene, showing each user’s location and physiological status in real time. This enhanced situational awareness answers two critical questions- “where is my team?” and “are they okay?”
All data is seamlessly integrated into TAK (Team Awareness Kit), a trusted, government-off-the-shelf platform developed by the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) and widely used across military and public safety sectors.
During joint exercises between the Army and Air Force Fire and Emergency Services, Security Forces leadership used the system to confirm whether personnel had cleared a runway before aircraft operations. In another case, a traumatic brain injury sustained during a night jump was quickly located, thanks to a downed watch alert. Medics could pinpoint the location, mark it and direct recovery- all in minutes, without radio chaos.
One example would be how WearTAK can be utilized during joint exercises at an Air Force installation, using location tracking capabilities for greater situational awareness around a dropzone.
Kevin Sofen
Data, like heart rate and location, updates automatically- giving command a silent stream of situational awareness that doesn’t interrupt ongoing operations. This can help reduce unnecessary radio traffic while maintaining a continuous accountability check on personnel.
WearTAK also triggers auto alerts when key thresholds- like elevated or dangerously low heart rate- are detected. These alerts are pushed directly to incident command, enabling faster, better-informed decisions to keep responders safe and supported in the moment.
For users, WearTAK offers an intuitive watch interface designed for quick, direct interaction- ideal for moments when gloves are off and precision matters. With a simple tap, they can mark their location or send an SOS, ensuring fast, effective communication even in high-stress, low-visibility conditions. When every second counts, clarity and simplicity save lives.
The user experience on the watch was designed together with firefighters. We didn’t build this in a vacuum, we sat with crews, rode along and watched how they interacted with their gear in real-world situations. Gloves on, hands full, adrenaline pumping- simplicity wasn’t optional; it was essential.
What came out of those sessions was an interface where every interaction is intentional. There’s no clutter, no swipe-through menus. Just a few well-placed buttons designed to do what matters: send help, mark a point or broadcast vitals. These actions can be life-saving in environments where seconds count, radios are tied up and visibility is poor.
At the same time, the command staff get a clearer picture of what’s happening across the scene without requesting constant verbal updates.
In effect, WearTAK adds a new layer of passive communication, filling in the gaps without overloading the system. It’s like adding a second set of eyes to every responder, keeping watch while they do their job.
Kevin Sofen
Just as important as what the system does, is what it doesn’t do. It doesn’t require pairing with a phone. It doesn’t need calibration or any button pushing and it doesn’t track names or identities. Heart rate data is tied to self-declared callsigns (typically riding positions for civilian structural fire)- not individuals- so personal privacy is protected. Users can also opt out of physiological monitoring entirely directly on the watch interface.
From a deployment perspective, the system is plug-and-play through a trusted mobile device management (MDM) system by Samsung’s military grade Knox MDM. Watches are pre-configured and arrive ready to go. Once powered on and connected to any internet, they begin transmitting. Updates are pushed remotely. If a device fails, it’s covered under warranty. Support is built in, not just in the hardware but in how we treat our customers. We designed the system so battalion chiefs and IT staff wouldn’t have to babysit it.
WearTAK doesn’t compete with your radios, command boards or accountability checks. It complements them. It offers a quiet, persistent layer of information to help decision-makers respond faster, plan better and reduce uncertainty on the scene.
It doesn’t try to lock departments into a single system. WearTAK can be used on any Android, iOS, Windows, (any device with a screen connected to the internet in any way anywhere in the world) and is interoperable with the TAK ecosystem: ATAK, CloudTAK, iTAK, TAKAware, WebTAK and WinTAK.
Ultimately, you’re not buying a watch. You’re not buying software. You’re buying a more informed incident command. You’re buying a solution that helps reduce radio congestion, shortens response times and improves safety outcomes. Most importantly, you’re buying peace of mind.
Because when things get chaotic, when seconds matter and lives hang in the balance, it shouldn’t be hard to answer the most important question on the scene: where are my people, and how are they doing?
