Denver fire inspectors use tablet PC to speed up inspections
General Dynamics Itronix announced that Denver Fire Department fire inspectors are using its Duo-Touch II tablet PC during fire, building and hazmat code enforcement. Denver fire crew members now can view complete inspection history remotely and then generate forms or citations that can be signed on site by the occupancy manager, said Patrick White, the company’s vice president of strategic marketing.
“By automating the safety inspection process, department fire crews can remain productive, regardless of the environment or remote location in which they work,” White said.
The Duo-Touch II PC is a 4-pound, fully rugged tablet that has an 8.4-inch DynaVue touch-screen display with an electronic keyboard operated by touch or via a stylus. White said the tablet can survive 4-foot drops as well as meets MIL-STD 810F for harsh environments and IP-54 for dust and moisture. It also provides wireless connectivity through embedded wireless LAN 802.11a/b/g/Draft-n, Bluetooth v2.0 and GPS, he said.
White said the tablet comes loaded with Windows XP and includes several security features, including TPM 1.2 Network Security, fingerprint scanner, PCMCIA card reader, security lock slot, stealth mode and multiple levels of password protection. Users can access Microsoft Windows, but it is up to each fire department to work with a third-party vendor to install specific inspection applications, he said.
“We work with providers to provide end-to-end solutions,” White said. “We provide Windows XP, and then we work with independent software developers to make sure our devices are certified with their software.”
The tablet starts at $3,500, White said.
