The Team Awareness Kit (TAK) is a set of mobile and computer apps that provide real-time location information on a variety of maps, improving the situational awareness of first responders, soldiers, and other government and civilian user groups. The TAK software is owned by the US Federal Government and is freely available.
TAK consists of apps including ATAK (Android), iTAK (iOS), WinTAK (Windows), and a TAK Server, which connects app users to each other when cell service or an internet connection is available. A variety of radio and satellite systems integrate with TAK to extend the app's functionality into areas lacking internet connectivity.
The Colorado Team Awareness Kit (COTAK) is a program which deploys the technology of the TAK apps with first responders at all levels of government in the State of Colorado to improve their situational awareness.
TAK has been under continuous development by the US Department of Defense and other US federal government agencies since 2010. TAK was originally developed by the US Air Force Research Laboratory to provide improved situational awareness to US Special Forces, and is now used throughout the US military, allied armed forces, and the federal government.
An intergovernmental group known as the TAK Product Center develops and maintains the core TAK apps, and provides community members the ability to develop on TAK through plugins and integrations.
The Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting (CoE) is the research and development branch of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, located in the Colorado Department of Public Safety. The CoE has piloted TAK with public safety agencies in Colorado since 2018 on wildfires, search and rescue missions, large public festivals, and other public safety incidents.
In 2022 the CoE was directed (C.R.S. 24-33.5-1228(2.5)(b)(V)) to develop an enterprise-scale server and associated tools enabling first responders to use TAK at operational scale across the State. This capability, known as COTAK, utilizes the US Government-developed TAK apps, and a State managed website and server to connect first responders across the state, enabling the use of TAK to support daily operations for public safety as well as coordination of large disasters requiring multiple agency response.
As of March 2024, COTAK is in beta status and is being tested by over 75 public safety agencies and organizations. The number of users is anticipated to grow into the tens of thousands as system development is completed in 2024. Access to COTAK is provided free of charge to all Colorado first responders and includes the ability to see the locations of first responders using the TAK apps, as well as a website (cotak.gov) containing training materials, user management, and administrative tools. The COTAK project team can be contacted at support@cotak.gov for further information.
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