RescueGIS: A Mission Born from Tragedy, Built for Protection

A Father’s Motivation and a Personal Loss
In the late 2010s, school shootings had become tragically frequent. Chad Ahrens’ mission became deeply personal when his daughter, a high school junior, came home and asked, “Dad, what do I do if something like that happens at my school?

The question hit hard. Ahrens had lost a close friend to campus violence years earlier, and now his own daughter was confronting the same terrifying reality. He knew he had to act. This wasn’t just an idea—it was a responsibility.

A Tragedy That Ignited Action
The 2018 Parkland shooting was a turning point. The image of Coach Aaron Feis shielding students, knowing he wouldn’t survive, stuck with Ahrens. What if he had some type of mobile protection?

A Life-Saving Solution
Ahrens saw the brutal reality: walls, glass, desks, and doors provide very little if any protection—leaving nowhere safe to hide. He thought back to old desk calendars—readily accessible and disguised. Could a similar design provide instant protection and provide safety without looking unsafe?

Using his aviation background, he researched materials and found military grade supplier of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene—thin, lightweight, yet capable of stopping multiple bullets. That was the breakthrough. A portable, easily accessible shield could save lives.

Beyond Protection: A Smarter Response
As Ahrens and his team developed the shield, they realized something else: wherever the shield moved, the threat moved too. What if real-time tracking could help responders act faster?

Advancements in IoT (Internet of Things) technology made it possible. What if shields weren’t just protection but part of an intelligent emergency response system? If a shield was raised toward a threat, it could pinpoint the attacker’s location.
This vision led to RescueGIS, a Geospatial Intelligence System that integrates real-time data, AI, and geospatial awareness to respond instantly and save lives.

A Future Where Immediate Intelligence Saves Lives
RescueGIS started as a tool for school safety. But as it evolved, it became something bigger—a rescue system that empowers people with real-time intelligence and response tools. 

It’s a system designed to help people react faster and even prevent tragedies before they unfold—not just in schools, but in homes, cities, and communities.

People often need just a little help, whether it’s guidance during an emergency or full-scale resources in life-threatening situations. RescueGIS delivers all of these capabilities within a single global system—something no one else offers.

As Ahrens watches his kids grow, he thinks of his friend’s son, who lost his father too soon. Every time he hears about another act of violence or a medical crisis, he’s reminded of the countless moments, big and small, that impact families every day.

That’s why RescueGIS exists—because immediate help saves lives, reduces harm, and ensures no one has to stand unprotected in the face of danger.

We can’t prevent every tragedy. But we can give for our protectors, our responders, and our guardians of life the tools to help those in need. That’s the mission of RescueGIS.