First responder communications system

A method for automatically tracking and communicating among mobile devices, comprising:

• automatically assembling a wireless network among a plurality of mobile devices and control systems in an area, wherein assembling includes adding mobile devices and control systems to the wireless network as they arrive in the area and removing mobile devices and control systems from the wireless network as they depart the area;
• automatically activating a portable processing device in response to vehicle start, wherein the portable processing device is a radio frequency base unit and the vehicle is an emergency response vehicle;
• receiving voice and data communications at the portable processing device from each of the mobile devices of the wireless network in response to the automatic activating, wherein the data communications include position and identification information of each mobile device of the wireless network relative to a position of the portable processing device;
• tracking a position and status of a mobile device using the position and identification information;
• and
• generating a map of an engagement and displaying individual positions and identifications of each mobile device of the wireless network using the position and identification information, wherein at least one area of the map can be selected in order to focus on a portion of an incident area and at least one responder team.

A portable device, comprising:

• a network system that automatically assembles a wireless network among other portable devices and control devices in a geographical area;
• an identification system that automatically reads a unique identification number from the portable communication device;
• a communication system that receives and transmits data over the wireless network via at least one of the other portable devices and control devices using at least one of High Frequency (HF) communications, Very High Frequency (VHF) communications, Super High Frequency (SHF) communications, Ultra High Frequency (UHF)/microwave communications, cellular communications, and satellite communications;
• and
• a positioning system that includes Global Positioning System (GPS) components and at least one location sensor, the positioning system automatically determining a position of the device periodically and automatically transferring the position to at least one of the control devices via the wireless network.

A method for automatically communicating among mobile devices, comprising:

• automatically assembling a wireless network among a plurality of mobile devices and control systems in an area, wherein assembling includes adding mobile devices and control systems to the wireless network as they arrive in the area and removing mobile devices and control systems from the wireless network as they depart the area;
• automatically transferring data communications among the mobile devices and the control systems, wherein the data communications include packetized data of position and identification information of each mobile device of the wireless network;
• tracking a position and status of a mobile device using the position and identification information;
• and
• generating a display that includes a map displaying individual positions, position tracks, and identifications of each mobile device using the position and identification information.