Personnel tracking and monitoring system and method employing protective gear including a personnel electronic monitor device

A personnel tracking and monitoring system comprising:

• a plurality of sets of monitoring devices configured to be carried by personnel, each set of monitoring devices including:
• an electronic device having a unique identifier and including a locating device configured to provide location data, a wireless communication device configured for communicating via a plurality of communication protocols, and a user interface configured to provide information to a user in human perceivable form and to receive information from a user;
• said electronic device including a processor configured to associate the unique identifier, the location data and time data and to cause the wireless communication device to transmit the unique identifier, the location data and the time data associated therewith,
• wherein the wireless communication device is configured to communicate the unique identifier, the location data and the time data associated therewith, and information provided to and received by the user interface, via a short range communication protocol thereof and/or via a longer range communication protocol thereof;
• a plurality of portable relay devices configured for being deployed at a site, each said portable relay device having a wireless communication device configured to communicate with the wireless communication devices of said plurality of sets of monitoring devices to relay the unique identifier, the location data and the time data associated therewith, and information provided to and/or received by the user interface, to one or more monitoring stations either directly or via one or more of the plurality of portable relay devices;
• wherein records describing the site and/or communication facilities at the site are received prior to arrival at the site and deployment of the portable relay devices at specific locations at the site is planned based upon the received site records, wherein the portable relay devices are configured based upon the deployment plan including defining for each portable relay device the specific location at which that portable relay device is to be deployed, and wherein each portable relay device is deployed at the specific location at the site defined therefor in accordance with the deployment plan,
• whereby each portable relay device has a specific location defined therein and is deployed substantially at that specific defined location so that location at the site can be defined with respect to each deployed portable relay device without reference to an external locating signal;
• and
• at least one monitoring station including a communication device configured to communicate directly with the plurality of electronic devices and/or indirectly therewith via the wireless communication devices of said plurality of portable relay devices to receive the unique identifier, the location data and the time data associated therewith, and the information provided to and/or received by the user interface, the at least one monitoring station further including a database for storing the received the unique identifier, the location data and the time data associated therewith, and information provided to and/or received by the user interface,
• the at least one monitoring station further including a processor configured to compare data stored in the data base with one or more predetermined criteria and when one or more of the predetermined criteria is exceeded, to generate an indication thereof and to communicate the indication to the electronic device to which such indication relates, and when there is one or more additional monitoring stations, then to each additional monitoring station.