Reporter’s Notebook: Integraph automates transmission of security alarm directly into CAD
Integraph automates transmission of security alarm directly into CAD
Richmond, Va., officials worked with Integraph to automate the transmission of security alarm alerts directly to the appropriate public safety answering point’s (PSAP) computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system and reduce response time by at least two to three minutes, according to the company. Richmond’s two-year pilot External Alarm Interface Exchange project incorporated Intergraph public-safety incident management and reporting solutions. By using an XML-based approach that conforms to the National Information Exchange Model to facilitate the electronic transmission of critical data from alarm monitoring companies to PSAPs, 9-1-1 call taker staff’s time was no longer needed to manually gather and input alarm alert information. Instead, the new alarm event data is processed by the CAD system as a call-for-service that appears in the radio operator’s dispatch queue for assignment to first responders. It eliminated approximately 6,000 telephone calls from residential and commercial security companies. The program’s success has made it an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard now recognized by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO) and the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA).
BAE Systems lands $33.6 million from Navy
BAE Systems has been awarded a $33.6 million low-rate initial production contract for the ALE-55. The AN/ALE-55 is part of the U.S. Navy’s Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) system that provides fighter aircraft with electronic defense against radar guided missiles. The ALE-55 consists of an onboard electronic frequency converter (EFC) and a fiber-optic towed device (FOTD). The EFC converts radio frequencies to light that is transferred over a fiber-optic cable to a transmitter in the FOTD that jams missile threats to the aircraft. BAE Systems began low-rate initial production of the AN/ALE-55 Lot IV in June 2008 and is expected to complete production of Lot V in September 2011. When combined with the previous Lot IV award, this Lot V production award increases the total FOTD deliveries to 473 and the total contract value to $65.6 million, according to the company.
STI-CO announces plug and play antenna
STI-CO announced their new plug and play antenna for public safety and covert vehicles. The antenna is a magnet mount antenna that works with any portable antenna whip with a flush SP connector, according to the company. It adapts to the user’s specific frequency and is available in base alone or with an optional whip, according to the company.
AtHoc system interoperates with Cisco system
AtHoc announced it has fully tested interoperability between the company’s IWSAlerts and Cisco’s Internet Protocol Interoperability and Collaboration System. The integration lets the AtHoc system trigger emergency notifications through the Cisco platform to reach people on land mobile radios, IP phones, landline telephones and mobile telephones. The integration expands the number of devices and systems AtHoc can notify through its unified console for emergency alerting, which already supports notification to computers, telephones, sirens, public address systems, AM/FM radios, television and other emergency alert systems, according to the company.
