News Briefs – Tuesday, May 30, 2006
APCO remembers firefighter, representative
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International will dedicate its “Walk of Heroes” to Kurt Kruger at a ceremony held at the organization’s Daytona Beach, Fla., headquarters on June 26. Kruger, who died in October 2005, was an APCO Wisconsin Chapter Executive Council representative and a fire instructor at Madison Area Technical College.
Free Wi-Fi trial begins in Hood River, Ore.
EMBARQ will partner with the city of Hood River, Ore., for a Wi-Fi trial. The 90-day trial will let city employees, residents, visitors and public-safety officials have free access to Wi-Fi services, according to the company.
EarthLink to build citywide Wi-Fi network in New Orleans
The New Orleans City Council approved an ordinance letting EarthLink build a Wi-Fi network throughout the city. The mesh network will provide affordable, high-speed Internet access to residents, business and visitors. Users will have a choice between a free-service tier and paid-service tier, the company said.
Active RFID tag offers location capability
RFID tag-provider Axcess International announced the Dual Activator, an active tag for automatic tracking of personnel, assets and vehicles. The device connects directly to two transmit antennas that send a radio frequency signal that “awakens the tags as they pass through each antenna field,” according to the company. It then writes its own ID to the tag, which is then retransmitted, along with the tag’s unique ID, to provide the tag’s location and direction at time of activation, the company said.