TRAVERSE CITY -- When Russ Miller and Mike Whelan got together to form Salamander Technologies in the summer of 2001, it was like Lennon meeting McCartney.
"Mike has an outstanding background with 30 years of public safety and firefighting expertise," says Miller, who has logged about three decades of big-business background. "I'm the tech guy. We work well together."
The result is Salamander Technologies, a Traverse City firm devoted to connecting firefighters, police and EMS personnel through a common accountability system at large-scale emergencies. It allows all resources to be rapidly screened, checked-in and tracked both on-site and off-site.
Two months after Salamander launched in 2001, the tragedy of Sept. 11 put the focus on just the type of disasters the company is designed to address.
In the seven years since, Salamander Technologies has become one of the nation's leading suppliers of this type of personnel accountability systems. In 2007, the company was named among the fastest-growing private companies by Inc. Magazine. The company had a 687 percent growth rate between 2004 and 2006.
The company's TRAX systems use high-capacity barcodes, scanner-enabled pocket PCs, wireless local area networks and wide area connectivity to Web-based applications.
At its humble start, Miller and Whelan were Salamander Technologies' only employees. Now it has a staff of 25 serving clients across the country, including the U.S. Capitol Police, Dallas-Fort Worth Department of Health, Department of Defense Fire Training Academy, Redstone Arsenal, Pocono Raceway, Michigan State Police and Super Bowl Security.
"Our technology is used to track people at major catastrophes and events," Miller said. "This includes first responders, volunteers and victims, including people who are evacuees, fatalities or those who may be quarantined."
The most recent high-profile use of the company's system was in Houston when Hurricane Ike came to town. As residents evacuated the city, members of the company's Salamander Emergency Response Group (SERG) went to Houston to help the city's emergency management officials track evacuees as they moved to safety.
The team is comprised of men and women who have years of experience in public service.
"They know how to handle a large-scale incident and have managed everything from fires to the Super Bowl," said Whelan. "This group is ready and willing to head into areas where help is needed at a moment's notice."
About Salamander Technologies
Address: 122 W. State St., Traverse City
Phone: (231) 932-4397 or 1-877-430-5171
Online: www.salamandertechnologies.com
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; tech support available 24 hours a day
Employees: 25
Years in business: 7
In Business is a weekly feature on northern Michigan businesses. Next week: Fustini's Oils and Vinegars.
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