A Python script that parses regional 911 pager traffic in order to extract useful data such as call type, dispatched units/department, and incident location. The data is then stored in an external MongoDB database.
This script was written in order to parse the POCSAG 1200 pager traffic utilized by fire departments in King County, WA. This script is only one part of a system that was built in order to accomplish that task.
I utilize an RTL2832 dongle in conjunction with SDR# in order to monitor pager traffic on 152.0075 MHz. That signal is then routed into PDW using Virtual Audio Cable (VAC) where the pages are decoded. Each time a decoded page makes it through all filters it is passed as an argument to this Python script.
The script stores all pertinent information in a MongoDB database. Addresses extracted from pages are geocoded using the Google Maps API and the corresponding lat/lng pair are also stored in the MongoDB document for each page.
In order to create a real time feed for users to view active 911 calls in the area, I decided to use Meteor for its reactive and real time capacities. The code for the site built upon Meteor can be found in another one of my repos. To view a live version of the site, click here.