Page 29 - PCPA Fall 2025 Bulletin Magazine

REDUCING RESPONSE TIME THROUGH SIMPLICITY
Reducing Variability Through
Collaborative Tools
The white paper explains that variabil-
ity—the differences between how a
process should occur and how it ac-
tually plays out—is a hidden obstacle
in most responses. Variability comes
from many sources: differences in
training, equipment, terminology, and
even local knowledge of a site.
CRG’s patented Collaborative Re-
sponse Graphics (CRGs) are designed
to cut through that variability. These
visual tools give every responder,
whether a local patrol officer or a mu-
tual aid partner arriving from miles
away, the same common operating
picture. They use standardized sym-
bols layered onto site-specific layouts,
eliminating the wasted time of clarify-
ing entrances, hallways, or dispatch
directions over the radio .
The principle is simple: when everyone
speaks the same visual language, op-
erations move faster and more delib-
erately. That speed translates directly
into lives saved.
The Medical Parallel:
Time Equals Survival
The white paper draws on decades
of research from trauma medicine to
illustrate why simplicity is not a con-
venience but a necessity. Dr. R. Ad-
ams Cowley’s concept of the “Golden
Hour” revolutionized both military
and civilian trauma response. While
later evidence showed the exact hour
threshold is flexible, the core principle
remains clear: faster access to care
dramatically increases survivability .
This is particularly urgent when con-
sidering that the average time for an
individual to bleed out after a gunshot
wound is just three to five minutes.
Compare that with DHS data showing
that the average first responder arrival
time is seven to ten minutes. That
gap represents the most dangerous
window in any mass-casualty scenario
.
National campaigns such as STOP
THE BLEED® aim to address this by
training bystanders and embedding
tactical medical providers in response
teams. But even the best-trained re-
sponder loses precious moments if
they are disoriented on arrival. CRGs
directly attack that delay by making
sure the entire team—dispatch, patrol,
tactical, and EMS—shares a universal,
instantly understandable map of the
site.
Relevance for Pennsylvania Chiefs
For Pennsylvania law enforcement,
these findings are not theoretical.
Our Commonwealth’s policing envi-
ronment is defined by diversity: rural
townships supported by state police
barracks, dense urban centers with
layered jurisdictions, and hundreds
of school districts and private institu-
tions, each with unique facility layouts.
When a call comes in, there is a strong
chance that at least some of the re-
sponding officers will be unfamiliar
with the site. That lack of shared un-
derstanding introduces dangerous
variability. CRGs bridge that gap, giv-
ing chiefs confidence that every officer
on the scene is working from the same
frame of reference.
In Pennsylvania, where chiefs regu-
larly collaborate through regional task
forces and countywide mutual aid
agreements, that interoperability is
vital. CRGs are designed to integrate
seamlessly with the systems agen-
cies already use—from CAD to tacti-
cal platforms—without imposing ad-
ditional costs or barriers.
Lessons From the Data
The white paper highlights two reali-
ties every chief should weigh:
•  Response times are better—but
not enough. Even at seven min-
utes, today’s average response is
too slow to stop uncontrolled bleed-
ing, the leading cause of prevent-
able trauma death.
•  Complexity costs time. Confusion
over access points or victim loca-
tions delays action. CRGs eliminate
that uncertainty with a common op-
erating picture all responders can
use instantly.
The takeaway is clear: chiefs must fo-
cus not just on how fast officers arrive,
but how fast they can act once there.
The Path Forward
CRG’s mission is to shorten the “criti-
cal path” of response—the decisions
and actions between threat suppres-
sion and victim care. By reducing
complexity and variability, CRGs give
officers the clarity they need to save
lives. For Pennsylvania chiefs, that
means choosing tools that make coor-
dination simpler, faster, and universally
accessible. Learn More
This article only scratches the surface of
Reducing Response Time Through Sim-
plicity. Download the full white paper to
explore the data and practical steps for
Pennsylvania law enforcement:
https://www.crgplans.com/reducing-
response-time-through-simplicity-
white-paper/
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FALL 2025 BULLETIN