Pierce County’s FirstToSee project has received an award for being among the best new tech sites and mobile apps in the Northwest. FirstToSee leverages the latest technology so the public and first responders can quickly share information in a disaster.

The Society of Technical Communications (STC) presented www.firsttosee.org with a merit award for excellence in graphic design, layout and technical writing. Judges also praised the FirstToSee mobile app for excellent design and functionality. The project team is being honored alongside professionals from major Northwest companies like Microsoft, Amazon and Boeing.

“Aiding in emergencies is one of those basic responsibilities that we have to do well every time,” said Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy. “That’s why I’m so proud of our FirstToSee program, because it truly embodies the best of what citizens expect from county governance.”

About FirstToSee

The award-winning FirstToSee system gives the public and emergency experts the power to see, share and help. The free mobile app allows users to send reports and photos from the scene of an emergency. Meanwhile, emergency professionals can use the back-end system to quickly filter incoming reports as well as view them on a map. Additionally, the system can search and collect key information from social media sites and news reports. Several western Washington agencies successfully used FirstToSee during the Oso landslide and the Washington National Guard is currently considering adopting the system.

FirstToSee was made possible through a federal grant and a partnership between Pierce County and the Pacific Northwest Economic Region.

About the award

The STC is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of technical communication. Each year, the Puget Sound Chapter of the STC invites Northwest tech professionals to submit websites, tutorials, brochures, and other media for competition. For an entry to receive an award it must be thorough, accurate and well executed.