IP alerting system keeps fire stations connected
Zetron has unveiled an IP-based fire station alerting system developed for municipalities that use IP links to connect a central command center to fire stations, said Laura Myhre, the company’s marketing manager.
“The real key advantage is speed and the number of stations that can be alerted,” Myhre said. “Older systems can only alert one station at a time, but our system can alert to as many as you need to set up, or up to 255 stations and 24 dispatch positions.”
The alerting system uses a client/server architecture to receive commands and direct them to the appropriate fire systems. The solution consists of several pieces of hardware and software, including an IP-based server application and an IP-console client application that tracks the current status of communications at a fire incident, such as link failures.
Myhre explained that a unit is placed in each fire station and, using the company’s IP software application, can be integrated into computer-aided dispatch and radio-dispatch consoles. Once installed, the IP server supports voice and data communications and manages such communications between individual fire stations and central command and control.
Dispatch center personnel generally are responsible for sending alarms to fire stations. Using the alerting system, personnel can transmit voice or data notifications directly to a station unit in real time or near real time, Myhre said. The alert can be sent via any IP-based communications link, or an LMR link could be used to notify multiple stations simultaneously.
There are two costs associated with the alerting system’s deployment. The units that are installed in fire stations start at $5000, and the IP dispatch piece of the suite starts at $15,000.
PSAP vendors
Astra Radio Communications • Avtec • C4i • Catalyst Communications Technologies • CODY Systems • Connect Systems • CPI Communications • CVDS • DX Radio Systems • Dynamic Instruments • EDX • EnRoute Emergency Systems • Etherstack • Evans Consoles • Eventide • Exacom • Fatpot Technologies • FDM Software • FlyteComm • Higher Ground • Hitech Systems • InterAct Public Safety Systems • Intrado • J.E.I. Communications • M/A-COM • Mentor Engineering • Midian • Modular Communications • Motorola nMultisuns Corp. • NCS-New Communication Solutions • NEC • New World Systems • NICE Systems • Nine One One • Nortel • Northrop Grumman • Omnitronics • Plant CML • Positron Public Safety Systems • Raytheon JPS Communications • Stancil • Telex • The Genesis Group • Tiburon • TriTech Software Systems • Valor Systems • Verint • Versadial • Watson Dispatch • Wright Line • XYBIX Systems • For a complete list of PSAP vendors, visit Urgent Communications’ resource guide at www.urgentcomm.com.
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FREEWAVE, ARCADIAN PARTNER ON 700 MHZ RADIO FOR UTILITIES
Energy-industry professionals now can transmit data and voice in the 700 MHz band using FreeWave Technologies’ 700 MHz wireless radio operating over Arcadian Networks’ backbone, which provides coverage in the band to more than 30 U.S. states.
The capability offers an opportunity for electric utilities to incorporate an ISM-band radio technology and wireless data solution on a 700 MHz private, licensed and secure communication platform, said Colin Lippincott, spokesperson for FreeWave. It is a board-level radio that includes a 6-30 VDC input voltage, an operational temperature range of -30°C to 70°C, and a surface-mount design with no additional radio-frequency shielding required. In addition, it uses the company’s frequency-hopping technology and can be operated at a maximum power of 2 W. It also offers 30 miles of clear, line-of-sight communications and 38.4 kb/s data throughput, he said.
Operating over the Arcadian network, the radio lets users choose 700 MHz for optimal signal propagation, and uses the licensed spectrum to deliver a converged IP network with voice and data communications for fixed and mobile applications.
“It opens up applications and opportunities for the companies that want a licensed network and don’t want to use — or cannot use — other licensed options,” Lippincott said.
It currently is in beta testing and will be available in four to six weeks, he said.
—MARY ROSE ROBERTS
www.freewave.com
MOBILE SOLUTION FOR MILITARY
DataPath unveiled MobiLink, a mobile communications solution for the military market. The solution integrates UHF/VHF land mobile radio and satellite to support the transmission of video, data and voice communications between military vehicles and users, according to the company.
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HANDHELD CHEMICAL DETECTOR
Smiths Detection partnered with Torion Technologies to develop a Bluetooth-based, next-generation portable system for the security, defense and emergency-responder markets. The handheld technology identifies chemical warfare agents as well as volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds in air and liquid samples.
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