- July 22, 2026
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When Manatee County spent $140,000 in 2024 on Peregrine software, the intent was to consolidate critical storm-related information into a “single, common, operating picture for Emergency Management.”
The software quickly proved its worth during three back-to-back hurricanes that year.
With data that can be set to refresh every two minutes, staff could see each stream gauge register a rise and fall in real time on one screen.
Instead of flipping between screens, that common operating picture was in view for all departments to see in the Emergency Operations Center.
The software was still being installed during Hurricane Debby in August 2024. By the end of September when Hurricane Helene battered the barrier islands with sand, Manatee County’s hurricane damage assessments were compiled before any other county in the state because of Peregrine's efficiency.
The software was such an instant success that the county spent another $267,500 to expand its capabilities.
Then, 2025 came and went without so much as a tropical storm, but staff members began seeking other uses for Peregrine.
Last month, temperatures soared higher than usual across the globe. According to the National Weather Service, it was the second warmest June in the 177-year record at 1.96 degrees above the average.
"The 10 warmest Junes on record have all occurred since 2015, with each of the last eight years ranking among them," the report reads.
Manatee County used Peregrine to analyze the last six years of 911 calls to determine when operators received the most heat-related calls.
Calls spiked between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoons in July and August.
Francesca Constantini, communications coordinator for Manatee County Public Safety, noted that Peregrine’s analysis also included information from county-owned weather stations and the county’s Thor Guard lightning detection system.
“By integrating multiple operational data sources into a single platform, staff can better understand how weather conditions influence emergency response and identify trends and patterns over time,” Constantini said. “While the platform first gained visibility through its use during hurricanes and other emergency events, it has matured into a Public Safety intelligence platform that supports daily operations, situational awareness, advanced analytics and data-driven decision-making.”
Insights, such as historic 911 call data, allow staff to identify emerging issues so they can be proactive instead of reactive.
On average, heat is the cause of 173 calls to 911 in July. That information, combined with record-breaking heat in June, has had Manatee County pumping out messaging about heat-related illnesses on its social media accounts for the past month.
Constantini noted that Peregrine’s usefulness can be applied to “virtually any operational question where multiple data sources can be combined to identify trends.”
“The platform transforms operational data into actionable intelligence.” she said. “The same capabilities are being applied across emergency response, EMS, 911 operations, Beach Patrol, Aquatics, Community Health and other Public Safety initiatives to improve situational awareness and support faster, better-informed decisions.”
While the software cost over $400,000 to acquire and implement, it doesn’t require additional staff to operate it. Existing Public Safety staff are continually expanding its capabilities by integrating additional data sources and applying analytics to new operations challenges.
“As the platform has matured, so has its value to the organization,” Constantini said.
