ESO Innovation Awards Recognize Customers Improving Outcomes Through Data Across the Emergency Response Lifecycle

The award program spotlights ESO customers making measurable improvements in community safety, emergency response and patient outcomes

AUSTIN, Texas, May 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ESO Solutions, Inc. (“ESO”), a leading data services and software provider for EMS, fire departments, hospitals, and government agencies, announces the winners of the company’s 2026 ESO Innovation Awards. The program commends pioneers across fire, EMS, hospital and state sectors that have demonstrated the power of data to improve community health policies and procedures, better protect the health and safety of citizens, and influence change across the emergency response ecosystem.

"ESO’s Innovation Awards recognize leaders who are demonstrating what is possible in emergency response," said Eric Beck, CEO of ESO. "Tulsa Fire Department, Global Medical Response, Tower Health and the Hawaii State Department of Health are pioneering health and safety outcome improvement, making real change right now and inspiring their peers to embrace the power of integrated data across the emergency response ecosystem."

The awards were presented at ESO's 2026 Wave conference, the company's flagship annual customer event. This year's winners include:

Tulsa Fire Department: Best Use of Fire Department Data to Improve Outcomes
The Tulsa Fire Department integrates NERIS fire reporting and EHR data into a unified system to better understand rescue‑related interventions and enhance community safety and firefighter operations. This growing dataset will help refine training, identify operational trends, and eventually connect rescue events with patient care and outcomes. Captains Bryan Beall and Tim Halowell accepted the award on behalf of the department.

“We’re still early in the rollout of NERIS, but even in these first few months we’re seeing how much more clearly we can understand the rescue situations our crews encounter,” said Michael Baker, chief of Tulsa Fire Department. “The system has already helped us record 24 rescue‑related interventions this year, and we expect that number to grow as our members become more familiar with the new reporting capabilities. This improved level of detail will guide our training, highlight trends, and ultimately help us make better decisions for both our firefighters and the community. We appreciate ESO recognizing the work we’re doing to turn data into meaningful improvements.”

Global Medical Response: Best Use of EMS Data to Improve Outcomes
Global Medical Response aims to drive system improvements as well as state and federal policy change by using the ESO Data Collaborative to reveal inconsistencies in airway management practices among EMS agencies nationwide. The research—which specifically examined using end-tidal CO₂ monitoring to confirm airway placement—was presented at the National Association of EMS Physicians meeting in January 2026. Geneva Whitmore, associate vice president of clinical quality, and Gerad Troutman, M.D., FACEP, FAEMS, associate chief medical officer, accepted the award on behalf of the organization.

“EMS is a critical part of healthcare, and what happens in the first moments of a patient’s journey will shape everything that follows,” said Troutman. “That is why quality, consistency, and continuous improvement matter. By using data to strengthen clinical performance and reduce variation, we can deliver the highest quality care possible at a moment’s notice.”

Tower Health: Best Use of Trauma and Hospital Data to Improve Outcomes
Tower Health integrated EMS and hospital data to improve internal trauma systems and optimize pre-hospital blood utilization. By connecting what happens in the field directly to their trauma registry workflows, Tower Health established a data-driven model for pre-hospital blood deployment. Brad Cosgrove, MHA, NRP, FP-C, director and chief of EMS, and Jason Drinkwater, TowerDIRECT paramedic, accepted the award on behalf of the organization.

Hawaii State Department of Health: Best Use of State Repository to Improve Outcomes
The Hawaii State Department of Health built one of the most advanced and integrated data infrastructures in emergency services. Using EMS data as the foundation, Hawaii now has a public health registry and surveillance system that gives policymakers and responders a real-time view of population health trends and emergency response patterns across the islands. Garrett Hall, MS, BSN, RN, chief of emergency medical services and injury prevention systems, Robert Lau, IT manager, and Kristy Luke, trauma system public health educator, accepted the award on behalf of the state.

The ESO Innovation Awards are presented annually at the Wave conference, ESO's national gathering for fire, EMS and hospital professionals. Finalists are nominated by ESO customers and evaluated by an ESO review panel based on demonstrated impact, quality of data utilization and contribution to improved outcomes within their communities. Recipients are selected for showing measurable results and for the potential of their work to serve as referenceable inspiration for organizations nationwide.

About ESO
ESO’s mission is to improve community health and safety outcomes through the power of data. Founded and led by emergency responders and medical professionals since 2004, ESO advances the industry by combining deep domain expertise with innovative technology, impactful research and the industry’s largest integrated emergency outcome data asset. The company delivers the world's most trusted and connected emergency ecosystem—an open, interoperable platform that unites emergency medical response, fire, hospital and government stakeholders across the full emergency continuum through real-time data exchange and embedded intelligence in frontline workflows. ESO’s solutions deliver actionable insights to decision-makers, enable smarter coordination across the emergency continuum and uphold the highest standards of data security and patient privacy. The company helps customers around the world deliver measurable improvements in clinical, operational and financial outcomes with dedicated teams in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, Czech Republic, India and Costa Rica. For more information, visit www.eso.com. 

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