An influx of new residents to an area is a great sign that it's a vibrant and desirable place to live - but that can put a strain on the region's public safety agencies.

A greater population to protect means a greater need for increased police, fire and EMS presence, but sometimes the budget needed for increased staffing just isn't available. This situation recently reared its head in Phoenix, Arizona, with a 5 percent population increase met by a declining police force.

When it comes to emergency medical response times, every minute counts. In communities that are too large or understaffed to dispatch paramedics in acceptable times, volunteers can fill a vital role, stepping in when people need help.

When emergency personnel respond to a call, they need to grasp the situation at once to formulate a response. New software is helping them get the data they need in a hurry.

Departments around the country have taken on pre-plan programs that use touchscreen interfaces to give police, fire and EMS personnel information such as floor plans and notices about residents who may require special attention during a rescue. This data takes some of the guesswork out of emergency response, and shaves precious minutes off of response time.

When it comes to skills such as making high-risk traffic stops or pursuing a suspect's vehicle in hazardous driving conditions, police officers need training to feel as close to the real thing as possible.

Training sessions that accurately reflect extreme conditions can help officers react effectively. To this end, agencies have a variety of options at their disposal, including driving practice in cars that simulate dangerous weather, as well as scenarios that combine driving and shoot-out elements.