SYSTEM FOR MONITORING, TRACKING AND RECORDING THE LOCATION OF PERSONNEL

1 . A monitoring system including:

monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device includes a transceiver and a position sensor for identifying and storing position data of the monitoring device;

a remote computing unit for receiving proximity signals and position data, wherein the remote computing unit receives said proximity signals from the monitoring device at a predetermined interval, wherein the remote computing unit also receives position data from the monitoring device; and

a central monitoring computer system for position data collection, wherein the remote computing unit sends proximity signals and position data to the central monitoring computer system at a predetermined interval.

2 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device communicates wirelessly with the remote computing unit.

3 . The monitoring system of claim 2 , wherein the monitoring device communicates using 2.4 gHz wireless communication technology.

4 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , further including a data cable;

wherein the data cable electrically connects the monitoring device to the remote computing unit; and

wherein the position data is transmitted from the monitoring device to the remote computing unit through the data cable.

5 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity signals are radiofrequency transmissions.

6 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity signals are Bluetooth transmissions.

7 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the remote computing unit sends an alarm signal to said central monitoring computer system upon a failure to receive the proximity signals.

8 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the remote computing unit sends an acknowledgement of the proximity signals to the monitoring device.

9 . The monitoring system of claim 8 , wherein the monitoring device further includes an alarm, wherein the monitoring device activates the alarm upon failure to receive the acknowledgement signal.

10 . The monitoring system of claim 9 , wherein the alarm is a speaker, wherein the speaker emits a sound in response to activation.

11 . The monitoring system of claim 9 , wherein the alarm is a vibration motor, wherein the vibration motor vibrates in response to activation.

12 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device further includes a retention strap and a tamper circuit, wherein a tamper alert transmission is sent to the remote computing unit in response to a disruption in the retention strip, wherein the remote computing unit sends a tamper alert transmission to the central computing unit in response to receiving the tamper alert transmission.

13 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device further includes a rechargeable battery.

14 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device further includes memory for storage of position data.

15 . A method of monitoring and recording the location of a participant, said method including:

attaching a monitoring device to a participant; wherein the monitoring unit has a position sensor and a transceiver;

transmitting a proximity signal to a remote computing device from the monitoring device at a predetermined interval;

detecting position data on the position sensor;

storing the position data in the monitoring device;

transmitting the position data from the monitoring device to the remote computing unit; and

transmitting the position data to a central monitoring computer system.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the monitoring device has a retention strap and a tamper circuit; further including;

transmitting a tamper signal from the monitoring device to the remote computing device in response to tampering of the retention strap; and

transmitting said tamper signal from the remote computing unit to the central monitoring computer system.

17 . The method of claim 15 further including:

sending an acknowledgement signal from the remote computing unit to the monitoring device in response to receiving a proximity signal;

activating the position sensor in response to not receiving the acknowledgement signal.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the monitoring device includes an alarm, further including;

activating the alarm in response to the monitoring device not receiving the acknowledgement signal from the remote computing unit.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the monitoring device includes an alarm, further including;

activating the alarm in response to a disruption to the tamper circuit.