Company name: Critical Tech Solutions
Headquarters: Knoxville, Tenn.
Signature Product: The Rapid All-Terrain Tower (The RATT)
Website: https://www.theratt.com/
1. Where did your company name originate from?
Since 2013, our focus has been to develop and provide mission-critical technology solutions for governments and enterprises. So our company name, Critical Tech Solutions (CTS), is a simple reflection of what we do every day.
2. What was the inspiration behind starting your company?
Time is something in life that you never get back. So, when given an opportunity to represent Motorola Solutions and spend more time developing quick-deploy technology solutions with customers, Critical Tech Solutions was born.
3. What is your signature product and how does it work?
Our signature product for fast situational awareness is The Rapid All-Terrain Tower (aka The RATT). This hitch-mounted tactical tower can be deployed on most terrains and in most weather conditions in under 10 minutes.
The RATT telescopes to 20-30’ in just minutes using any 2” hitch-equipped vehicle from your fleet. It is powered from the vehicle’s battery and can be controlled locally or remotely.
4. Why do you believe your products are essential to the police community?
When it comes to law enforcement situational awareness at public events and critical incidents, having reliable quick-deploy tools is critical. That’s why The RATT is the perfect deployable for agencies looking for a tactical tower that can be deployed fast and provide unmatched capabilities on most terrains and weather conditions day or night.
5. What has been the biggest challenge your company has faced?
Our biggest challenge was educating law enforcement agencies on The RATT during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
6. What makes your company unique?
We’re unique in many ways but primarily because we always listen, don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach and are always improving our solutions. The RATT was developed as a drone and trailer alternative to give agencies of all sizes the capability to get “eyes up” fast using two things most already have (a vehicle with a hitch and a cigarette lighter). Now, agencies can turn those vehicles into mobile command posts in under 10 minutes!
7. What do your customers like best about you and your products?
We hear that we’re super easy to work with and as for the products, customers love that they can connect The RATT to their vehicle and be en route to their event or incident in under two minutes. Beyond that, the sheer simplicity of controlling the cameras from any device anywhere in the world keeps stress levels down.
8. What is the most rewarding part of serving the first responder community?
We love simplifying technology for first responders in order to make their jobs easier and less stressful. Their mission is hard enough so whatever we can do to help, we’re proud to take part.
9. Do you support any charitable organizations within public safety or the community? Tell us more.
We’re very focused on giving back to our customer’s communities whenever we can. Earlier this year, we donated a system to a local high school to improve campus safety and security.
10. Is there any fun fact or trivia that you’d like to share about you or your company?
Feel free to drive at highway speeds with the hitch-mounted RATT fully retracted. Our team once drove over 14 hours with a camera on top while live-streaming over FirstNet.
11. What’s next for your company? Any upcoming new projects or initiatives?
We have several new product launches, one of which is a dual-purpose deployable that gives first responders the ability to get 360° situational awareness and improved P25 radio signal (RSSI) from a single device!