Founded by lifelong first responders Dave Iannone and Chris Hebert and alongside Alex Ford, Founder of Praetorian Digital, First Arriving builds on a legacy that began more than 25 years ago with Firehouse.com and Police1.com — the earliest and most influential digital communities for first responders.
Back then, agencies lacked access to timely, connected information. Today, the challenge is the opposite: too much information, scattered across too many systems, with none of it personalized or architected for real operational use.
First Arriving solves this problem with a next-generation, department-specific information platform that connects data from 130+ systems into a unified operational view — accessible 24×7×365 across digital signage, web, tablets, and mobile apps.
First Arriving began as a marketing and communications agency for public safety organizations, quickly expanding into recruitment, video production, and digital content for leading agencies nationwide.
In 2018, the acquisition of the Public Safety Information Network (PSIN) platform marked a significant turning point — transforming First Arriving from a marketing communications company into a technology company delivering real-time operational data across stations, command centers, and mobile devices.
By 2021, with Alex Ford joining as Executive Chairman and the creation of a dedicated technology subsidiary, First Arriving accelerated development of its digital signage business into a modern SaaS information platform powered by deeper integrations, automation, and early AI capabilities — now used by 1400+ agencies across North America.
As the company continued to scale, its marketing and association services evolved into a separate brand — Responder MAX — allowing each business to focus on what it does best.
Since the age of 12, Dave has been in love with the fire service.
