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The following information is obtained directly from companies, usually from press releases. Google search the company name for more information. Zetron Delivers New Communication Control System for Police in Queensland, Australia Brisbane, Australia, November 15, 2009 -- Zetron’s Acom Advanced Communications System (Acom) was recently deployed for the Queensland Police Service (QPS) in Queensland, Australia, at the new North Coast Region Police Communication Centre in Maroochydore. The 35-position system provides integrated radio dispatch and emergency call-handling for the region’s rapidly growing Sunshine Coast. This is the fourth Acom system to be successfully deployed for the QPS within the last few months. The others systems were installed in QPS communication centres at Cairns, Townsville, and Rockhampton. The Queensland Police Service has used previous versions of Zetron’s Acom system for radio and telephone communications at nine of its centres for over a decade. The Queensland Police Service utilises the Acom system because it allows them to develop ever more sophisticated voice communications systems over time. “Acom offers the functionality and reliability that public safety agencies such as the Queensland Police Service require,” said Zetron President and CEO, Ellen O’Hara. “Another key strength of Acom is that it can be configured to address an agency’s unique operational needs.” "We have been proud to serve the Queensland Police as their local technology provider for many years,” added Ranjan Bhagat, Zetron Australasia's Vice President and General Manager. “They lead Australian public safety agencies in their use of advanced communications technologies such as Acom." Emergency CallWorx® Proves Interoperability with Fifteen Other Vendors at Inaugural Next Generation 9-1-1 Collaboration Event Critical Milestone Event Hosted by NENA at Texas A&M University Madison, AL, November 06, 2009 –Yesterday, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) successfully concluded a three-day event designed for vendors of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) system components to test for interoperability with applications, products and systems developed by other vendors in the NG9-1-1 arena. The first of its kind, the inaugural NG9-1-1 Industry Collaboration Event (ICE), hosted by NENA at Texas A&M University’s Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center, involved 16 leading suppliers of NG9-1-1 components. Emergency CallWorx (ECX) successfully proved its ability to send and receive NG9-1-1 calls with geolocation data as well as sending IP-based Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) spills to other CAD systems. “ECX is pleased to participate in such a critical industry test,” stated Craig Dollar, founder and CEO of Emergency CallWorx. “Proving that we interoperate, even with competitors’ systems in this NG9-1-1 arena, validates both the design of our entire suite of products and our vision of enabling any PSAP, no matter the size, to affordably and easily deploy the appropriate mix of products they require.” ICE planning was led by a steering committee with representatives from all the major stakeholder groups, including vendors, users, leading industry associations, and federal agencies that are active in NG9-1-1. NENA President Craig Whittington, ENP, highlighted the importance of this type of collaboration, observing, “The benefits of NG9- 1-1 will be realized by all organizations involved in emergency response, regardless of their size or function. NENA’s ICE activities will facilitate increased interoperability and will clearly move us towards widespread deployment of NG9-1-1; for that we appreciate the efforts of these 16 important vendors.” New Self-Registration Portal for REVERSE 911® emergency notification system now available Temecula, Calif., November 4, 2009 – PlantCML® today announced the release of its new Self-Registration Portal (SRP) for the patented REVERSE 911® emergency notification system. This company-hosted gateway offered through subsidiary Dialogic Communications Corporation (DCC) will provide public safety operations a proactive means for gathering contact information from the community-at-large, ultimately improving communications during all types of contingencies. The SRP is a simple-to-access web tool that allows local residents to sign up to receive alerts issued by local law enforcement, fire/EMS or emergency management. Once implemented, the SRP’s URL (website address) or quick link appears on an operation’s home page, forwarding visitors to DCC’s hosted portal. Here, they can complete a short form with fields for address, telephone number(s), etc., easily enlisting to receive future system-generated notifications. Through Microsoft® Bing™ Maps, the latitude and longitude of the individual’s address are calculated, with the location quickly appearing on a digital, street-level display. If the position is incorrect, perhaps due to a typographical error, he or she can simply move a pin to correct it. Participants may also update their personal contact information, physical address, etc. as often as necessary in order to keep the data current. This information is seamlessly geo-coded into the address database utilized by the REVERSE 911 emergency notification system on a scheduled basis. “With so many people transitioning from landlines to cell, wireless and VoIP phones, the collection of 9-1-1 data is growing increasingly difficult,” said Mike Adams, Director of Product Management. “For this reason, today’s public safety operations must seek assistance from the communities they serve. The SRP is just one more way they can engage local residents in order to expand the reach and overall effectiveness of their REVERSE 911 system.” The SRP features highly robust administrative capabilities, allowing municipalities to individually establish security parameters, as well as customize the interface. This includes defining the fields that can be viewed and/or completed by participants, determining the location and zoom level of map displays, tailoring email templates and selecting fonts, colors, backgrounds, etc. to match their own website. The SRP for the REVERSE 911 emergency notification system was field tested by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department (SBCSD), where it received excellent reviews for its design, adaptability and ease of use. NENA, Leading 9-1-1 Vendors Demonstrate Next Generation Capabilities at Industry Collaboration Event College Station, TX – Yesterday, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) successfully concluded a three-day event designed for vendors of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) system components to test for interoperability with applications, products, and systems produced by other vendors in the NG9-1-1 arena. The first of its kind, the inaugural NG9-1-1 Industry Collaboration Event (ICE), hosted by NENA at Texas A&M University’s Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center, involved 16 leading suppliers of NG9-1-1 components. “I was impressed by the level of openness and collaboration exhibited by the participating vendors,” said Dr. Walt Magnussen of Texas A&M. “This testing event supports the objective of public safety entities being able to buy components from vendors that will deliver the openness and interoperability envisioned in the NG9-1-1 environment.” Nate Wilcox, the CTO of microDATA and the chair of the committee that oversaw the planning and execution of the ICE, observed that, “The tests were based on draft and final standards developed by NENA’s Technical Committees, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), and other standards development organizations.” Additionally, he was quick to point out that, no proprietary vendor solutions were tested, only standardized or open interfaces were allowed.” microDATA was one of the 16 participating vendors. Ray Vilis, the VP of Solacom’s iTel Business Unit, and Bill Mertka, the Vice President of Product Management at RedSky Systems, led their companies’ participation in the ICE. Vilis was active in the development of the test scripts that were used in the event. “This was as close to a real-world deployment as we could get in a laboratory environment,” he said. “This was not a mock up for demonstration purposes. It was a real test of the systems.” Mr. Mertka, who chaired the event planning committee, added, “This is the first time we have done a full test of interoperability between components from multiple vendors, simultaneously, using the same test scripts. The results are sure to be invaluable to the participating vendors as the development of NG9-1-1 continues.” This was the first in a series of events that NENA has planned to address different aspects of NG9-1-1 development and readiness. All vendors with NG9-1-1 development efforts will be actively encouraged to participate in future events. ICE planning was led by a steering committee with representatives from all the major stakeholder groups, including vendors, users, leading industry associations, and federal agencies that are active in NG9-1-1. NENA President Craig Whittington, ENP, highlighted the importance of this type of collaboration, observing, “The benefits of NG9-1-1 will be realized by all organizations involved in emergency response, regardless of their size or function. NENA’s ICE activities will facilitate increased interoperability and will clearly move us towards widespread deployment of NG9-1-1; for that we appreciate the efforts of these 16 important vendors.” More information about Next Generation 9-1-1 and the Industry Collaboration Events, as well as a list of participants from the inaugural Industry Collaboration Event, can be found at www.nena.org. PlantCML® Next-Generation Call Processing Solution Seamlessly Secures the Allegheny County Emergency 9-1-1 Center for the G-20 Summit (TEMECULA, Calif., November 6, 2009) – Allegheny County, Pa., Emergency Services 9-1-1 Center handled a considerable increase in emergency calls without any additional public tension, despite the significant population surge at the recent G-20 Summit. Pittsburgh was host to the G-20 Summit held from September 24-25, 2009. President Obama chaired the meeting of leaders from countries around the world that represent 85 percent of the world’s economy. The PlantCML® next-generation call processing solution, Sentinel® Patriot®, enabled the counties’ call takers to manage the increased call volume effortlessly. “When we have a major international event in our backyard, such as the G-20 Summit, it is imperative that our call processing solution goes unnoticed. We can increase manpower and set up command posts, but if our system goes down, it just won’t matter how prepared we were,” said James Thompson, 9-1-1 coordinator, Allegheny County Emergency Services. “The Sentinel Patriot call processing solution from PlantCML worked as it should—without any issues. Our call takers and dispatchers were able to process their calls with the utmost professionalism and dedication to the citizens and visitors alike.” The flexibility of the Sentinel Patriot call processing solution allowed call flow routing to be easily reconfigured, aligning with the County and its respective agencies to handle the increased traffic during the G-20 Summit. The public safety organizations within the city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, in conjunction with more than 30 additional law enforcement agencies, worked together to ensure the G-20 Summit caused minimal disruption to the city, its citizens and the thousands of foreign visitors. “It’s a phenomenal feat for the Allegheny County 9-1-1 Center to conclude the event with no disturbances or interruptions within the 9-1-1 center and the emergency call taking process,” said Darrin J. Reilly, chief operating officer, PlantCML. “We all want the same outcome—to protect and serve—from day-to-day incidents to heavily scrutinized international events. The bottom line is that we’re all in it to save lives.” The Sentinel Patriot call processing solution is an IP-enabled call processing solution offering highly flexible configurations to meet the needs of small- to medium-sized call centers. It features a fully integrated PBX, improving reliability with features such as automatic hot redundancy of servers and no single point of system failure. The Sentinel Patriot solution also offers a full suite of computer telephony features including automatic call distribution, automatic number identification and automatic location identification. The Allegheny County 9-1-1 utilizes Managed Services for direct and secure connectivity with the PlantCML Service Management Center, ensuring the reliability of its solutions with the following services: monitoring & response and virus protection. Additionally, the County 9-1-1 has the ability to mobilize first responders in the case of an emergency with The Communicator!® NXT™ emergency notification system by Dialogic Communications Corporation (DCC), a PlantCML subsidiary. The Communicator! NXT emergency notification system provides full automation of list-based notification procedures, enabling immediate, multi-modal communication via telephone, cell, BlackBerry®, fax, etc. Voice and text messages convey incident-related information or instruction, situational needs and status updates. The Communicator! NXT emergency notification system assesses every contact’s skills, certifications and schedule, intelligently filling positions and capturing important feedback, such as the estimated time of arrival, in detailed reports. PowerPhone and TriTech Software Systems Announce Partnership to Improve 9-1-1 Call Processing Leading 9-1-1 Call Handling and CAD/RMS providers align to deliver a unified dispatch solution to agencies worldwide Madison, CT – November 18, 2009 – PowerPhone, Inc., a leading provider of 9-1-1 call handling technology and training, announced a marketing and development partnership with TriTech Software Systems, a leading provider of mission-critical public safety solutions. The relationship is designed to help public safety agencies streamline their call taking and dispatch functions, resulting in a more efficient overall delivery of emergency services. The details of the agreement include joint marketing and sales activities, along with development initiatives designed to provide customers with integrated solutions to address real-time situational response and communications for 9-1-1 operations and first responders. When integrated with TriTech’s VisiNet Command or Imc CAD computer-aided dispatch systems, Total Response is able to pass pre-planned and standardized dispatch recommendations to the dispatcher, as well as append call details directly to the incident record. This integration will allow 9-1-1 call takers to gather and relay scene specific information to responders prior to their arrival, helping to better ensure both victim and responder safety. PowerPhone's Total Response® Computer-Aided Call Handling (CACH) software is designed to standardize the 9-1-1 information gathering process. Appropriate Police/Fire/EMS protocols are presented dynamically to 9-1-1 call takers significantly reducing the possibility for errors. As a call progresses, incident specific lines of questioning are offered to assist victims prior to the arrival of responders. The company received its first patent in April of 2009 with additional patents pending. “The one thing responders desire most is intuitive and actionable information,” said Chris Salafia, president and CEO of PowerPhone. “The seamless integration between PowerPhone CACH and TriTech’s VisiNet Command and Imc CAD, provides unparalleled insight between the call and the dispatch. The result is a more effective and efficient emergency response.” “We are honored to work with PowerPhone and provide an integrated call taking and dispatching system for our global customer base,” says Chris Maloney, president and CEO of TriTech Software Systems. “Our solutions combine to provide a comprehensive decision support system to protect personnel and ensure public safety.” University of Pennsylvania Contacts Over 53,000 People in Record Time With MIR3's Mass Notification and Response Platform Ivy League school's Division of Public Safety conducts campus-wide test of its UPennAlert Emergency Notification System, powered by MIR3 technology, with results deemed an absolute success. SAN DIEGO, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- MIR3, Inc., the pioneering innovator of real-time universal notification and response technology for the enterprise, today announced that in the past week its platform, in use by the University of Pennsylvania for its UPennAlert Emergency Notification System, had undergone an annual campus-wide test by the University's Division of Public Safety. This safety drill was conducted to ensure that all campus constituents – some 53,000 students, faculty and staff – continue to be notified with critical, accurate information in the event of any emergency (in the case of certain emergencies, parents of students would be added to this notification list). The MIR3 system surpassed the University's stringent requirements for speed and successful delivery to all registered recipients, sending over 74,000 SMS text and email notifications to more than 53,000 people in just seven-and-a-half minutes. The drill was deemed an absolute success by the University's Division of Public Safety as a result of this performance. "As an Ivy League school, our expectations are very, very high," said Maureen S. Rush, M.S., CPP, Vice President for Public Safety at the University of Pennsylvania. "The results of this safety drill were nothing short of exceptional; by far the best results we've seen. The performance of the MIR3 notification and response platform in this drill has only heightened our confidence that in the event of a real emergency, when we push that button, we'll reach 53,000 people in approximately seven-and-a-half minutes. You really can't ask for more than that." The UPennAlert system was created in 2007 as a result of the tragic events on the Virginia Tech campus in April of that year. The loss of life that occurred in that incident dramatically highlighted the need to quickly reach a large population in just minutes during an emergency. This prompted educational institutions nationwide to swiftly implement rapid mass notification technology for their campus safety programs. Since that time, MIR3's platform has been deployed in over 100 major universities and colleges in the United States. MIR3's notification and response technology was a natural fit to fulfill this mission, having been in use for several years already by Fortune 1000 companies around the globe for their crisis management and business continuity programs. MIR3's technology was chosen as the platform for the UPennAlert system in late 2007. "We appreciate the University of Pennsylvania putting our notification and response technology through such an extensive and large-scale drill, in addition to the ongoing, smaller-scale test notifications they send weekly," said MIR3 CEO Amir Moussavian. "Our team has worked very closely with the University's Division of Public Safety over the past two years to make sure the MIR3 platform works the way they need it to, each and every time they use it. That our technology allows them to reach their university population so quickly and thoroughly, test after test, is a gratifying validation of the efforts of a lot of people at MIR3 in partnership with the safety team at the University of Pennsylvania." GeoComm tested GeoLynx Spatial Router at NG9-1-1 Industry Collaboration Event St. Cloud, MN: GeoComm recently tested their new GeoLynx Spatial Router NG9-1-1 Location Validation and Routing software at the inaugural Next Generation 9-1-1 Industry Collaboration Event (ICE) hosted by NENA at Texas A&M University’s Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center. GeoLynx Spatial Router is an IETF 5222 compliant LoST server, providing the NG9-1-1 Emergency Call Routing Function (ECRF) and Location Validation Function (LVF) NENA i3 functional elements. GeoLynx Spatial Router can be used by 9-1-1 Authorities, communications service providers, and calling devices to determine location based emergency call routing within local and regional 9-1-1 networks, as well as by LIS operators for validating location information for 9-1-1. “GeoComm is excited to have participated in this seminal event. We feel this, and other similar forums, will be invaluable in helping to establish and verify the efficacy of the technical standards that will represent the foundation of Next Generation 9-1-1. In the final analysis, open standards based technologies will best serve the interests of public safety by allowing the customer to select the various components in a fashion consistent with their unique requirements. The days of proprietary technologies dominating the technical landscape are, and rightfully should be, numbered’’. Tom Grones, President/CEO The multi-day event tested system components for interoperability across 16 leading vendors of NG9-1-1 technology, and validated emerging new standards and specifications for 9-1-1. This was the first in a series of similar events planned to address different aspects of NG9-1-1 development and readiness. To read more about GeoComm’s GeoLynx Spatial Router NG9-1-1 Validation and Routing software visit: http://www.geo-comm.com/egeolynxng.html To see a story that aired on KBTX out of College Station, TX about the Industry Collaboration Event visit: http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/69176027.html Verint Systems to Deliver Public Safety Call Recording Solution on Motorola Dimetra-IP TETRA Radio Platform Company’s Extended Relationship with Motorola to Support State-of-the-Art IP Trunked Digital Radio System Using TETRA Standard Verint Call Recording Solution to Introduce More Options for Today’s Public Safety Organizations MELVILLE, N.Y., November 10, 2009 – Verint® Systems Inc. today announced that it is extending its public safety call recording platform to include support for Motorola’s Dimetra™ IP TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) network system, part of the Motorola family of communications solutions designed to deliver mission-critical benefits through state-of-the-art trunked digital radio using the TETRA standard. Upon extending its relationship with Motorola in April, Verint joined the TETRA Application Partner Program and signed a license agreement for the Application Programming Interface to Motorola’s Dimetra system, which will enable Verint to offer recording solutions for Motorola Dimetra IP trunked radio systems. As a Motorola TETRA Application Partner, Verint will integrate its flagship Audiolog™ public safety recording software—part of the company’s broader Impact 360® for Public Safety solution—with Motorola’s scalable Dimetra IP TETRA network system. With Impact 360 for Public Safety Powered by Audiolog, Motorola Dimetra customers around the world will have the ability to choose Verint Audiolog for their TETRA recording needs. The benefit to users—those located in control rooms and emergency dispatch centers—will be access to scalable, advanced mission-critical recording capabilities that closely integrate with the widely-used TETRA standard. Verint Audiolog makes recorded voice, console screens and associated data readily accessible to call handlers, dispatchers and supervisors, for fast and effective response times. “Extending our partnership with Motorola reinforces Verint’s continued momentum in the public safety market,” says John Bourne, senior vice president, global alliances and channels, Verint Systems. “In partnering with Motorola through its TETRA Application Partner Program, we’re delighted to be working together to deliver more options in support of the mission-critical needs facing today’s emergency services and public safety operations.” About Impact 360 for Public Safety Powered by Audiolog Verint’s Impact 360® for Public Safety Powered by Audiolog™ enables public safety organizations—including police, 9-1-1, 000, 112 and transit agencies—to capture calls and related data across digital and analog telephones, trunked and conventional radio systems, telephone lines and VoIP phones. The solution brings together a unique set of functionality that when combined assists in achieving high quality and accurate call handling and dispatching, liability reduction, immediacy of incident data and efficient incident-based recording retrieval, analytics, citizen surveys and staff training. With Verint solutions, public safety answering points (PSAPs) can better achieve accuracy and completeness of records, reductions in liability, investigation support, and improved quality and employee retention—helping them accomplish more, better and faster, with limited resources. For more information, visit www.verint.com/publicsafety. The Gores Group and Tiburon, Inc. Strengthen Leadership Position in Next Generation Integrated 9-1-1 Public Safety Solutions The Gores Group, through an affiliate of Gores portfolio company Tiburon, Acquires Positron Data Applications, renamed as Positron Front Line PLEASANTON, Calif.—November 10, 2009--The Gores Group has announced its acquisition of the Positron Data Applications business through an affiliate of its portfolio company Tiburon, Inc. This acquisition strengthens Tiburon’s dedication to increasing and improving next generation technology solutions for public safety agencies, both expanding the breadth of product offerings to clients as well as increasing Tiburon’s ability to serve additional markets, including international markets. The newly acquired business is renamed as Positron Front Line. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction does not include the Positron Call Handling business. Positron Front Line intends to make significant investments in next generation integrated 9-1-1 solutions, including computer aided dispatch (CAD), records management and mobile solutions. "Tiburon’s commitment to providing industry leading solutions for public safety remains paramount to us," said Jeffrey P. Stone, president and CEO of Tiburon. "Tiburon continues to build on our core competencies in dispatch, records management, mobile and corrections solutions. We continue to invest in our current product line, organic growth in Tier 2 and with this acquisition – smaller public safety agencies, international opportunities and next generation 9-1-1." "This acquisition offers a great opportunity for Tiburon, but also provides stability, investment and focus to the Positron Front Line business. It is a significant boost for existing and potential clients and Tiburon will be a welcome partner to over 220 additional agencies that will now be served by Gores and Tiburon," said Ian Archbell, general manager of Positron Front Line. More than 60 million citizens across the U.S. rely on the services of public safety organizations that Tiburon serves and more than 375 agencies have chosen the company due to the performance, scalability, reliability and interoperability of its technology solutions. Tiburon and Positron Front Line together now serve more than 500 agencies worldwide. EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. Receives Multi-Year State-Wide Contract and a $6.1 Million Order for Mobile Radios from a State Police Force Company to provide award-winning Project 25 compliant mobile radios Irving, TX – November 12, 2009– EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: EFJI) announced today that it has received a new state-wide multi-year contract and an order valued at $6.1 million from a large state police force. The order calls for the Company to provide its award-winning ES Series of Project 25 compliant mobile radios and accessories. “Police officers in jurisdictions throughout the state will be using our mobile radios,” said Michael Jalbert, president and chief executive officer of EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. “Our ES Series of mobile radios are well suited for police due to the second-generation Enhanced (AMBE+2) Project 25 Vocoder for superior voice quality and reduction of background noise, solid construction, and compliance with military specifications for extreme temperatures, vibration, and shock. The police force will be using these radios to access city and county systems throughout the state. We are continuing to see good traction in our state and local business, and we are looking forward to helping this customer keep their citizens safe.” EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. Awarded $3.3 Million Statewide Hybrid Project 25 Trunked and Conventional First Responder Radio System Irving, TX – November 12, 2009 – EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: EFJI) announced today that it has been awarded a contract valued at $3.3 million. The Company will provide its innovative Hybrid IP25™ system, the first Project 25 compliant infrastructure system that will enable first responder two-way radio calls to roam between trunked and conventional systems. “Our Hybrid IP25 system is the first true hybrid network, in which first responders can operate and interoperate between the conventional and trunked systems,” said Michael Jalbert, president and chief executive officer of EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. “This hybrid radio system is based on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) which enables it to gracefully scale to accommodate future expansions. Our Hybrid IP25 system is the most cost-effective way to provide wide area coverage and innovative features such as roaming and mobility, which are normally only found on trunked systems that cost millions of dollars more. The Company’s award-winning ES Series P25 compliant radios and accessories are also included in the contract, Jalbert added. Key features of this hybrid system include: Seamless roaming between trunked and conventional systems, which eliminates the need for dispatchers to manually route calls Fully distributed switchless architecture that eliminates single point of failure Common network management and dispatch between trunked and conventional systems, which substantially reduces capital expenses and operating costs Jalbert noted, “Over the last few years, we have invested significant resources into our systems infrastructure with unique technology applications, user interfaces, and cost effective approaches for our customers. We are pleased to note that contract awards, like this one, which are integral to our long term strategic growth, validate the direction we have taken with this market.” Wells County agencies share data with new software system Public safety agencies look to Spillman for integrated data management Bluffton, Ind. – Nov. 13, 2009 – Law enforcement agencies in Wells County, Ind., are using newly implemented software from Spillman Technologies to share data and help identify crime trends. “The county’s law enforcement agencies have common offenders, and having the ability to share information between agencies will add a new dimension to the investigation and resolution of cases,” said Ossian Police Department Chief David L. Rigney. In coordination with the Wells County Sheriff’s Office, the Bluffton, Zanesville, and Ossian police departments, and the Bluffton 911 Dispatch Center are storing their data on a single server hosted by the Wells County Sheriff’s Office. Data stored on the server can be accessed by authorized personnel at each of the agencies. Quick access to data from around the region will help the Wells County Sheriff’s Office conduct investigations more efficiently, said Sheriff Bob Frantz. “We were spending a lot of time trying to check out local agencies’ files on information about suspects,” Frantz said. “I suspect that Spillman is going to save us man-hours there.” Utilizing a shared system will allow the departments to exchange information on names, criminal records, and incidents. The system also makes financial sense for the agencies, said Chief Tammy Schaffer of the Bluffton Police Department, because it spares each agency the expense of operating an individual database. “It makes sense to pool our resources and share the cost, as well as share the information that we all need to do our job better,” Schaffer said. Wells County is located in northeast Indiana and has a population of approximately 30,000. Wells County and its partnering agencies are among 74 agencies in Indiana and more than 800 agencies across the nation using Spillman software. The agencies went live with the system on Aug. 31. Schaffer said Spillman’s reputation influenced their purchasing decision. Spillman has been creating reliable public safety software for more than 25 years and serves nearly 50,000 public safety professionals in 35 states nationwide. “We purchased Spillman because we were looking at high quality records management systems. The Spillman name came up over and over,” Schaffer said. Nearly 50 agencies purchase Spillman software in third quarter Agencies will use Spillman to share data, access records from the field SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Nov. 16, 2009 – Seven public safety agencies purchased Spillman software for the first time in the third quarter of 2009, bringing the total number of Spillman customers to more than 800 public safety agencies in 35 states across the nation. Forty-two agencies expanded their existing Spillman systems. Many of the agencies adopted Spillman InSight, allowing them to share information with both Spillman and non-Spillman agencies in real time. Agencies like the Salt Lake City Police Department in Utah can use InSight to improve crime fighting by accessing name, vehicle, and property records gathered throughout multiple jurisdictions. Other agencies purchased Spillman’s Mobile solution, which will enable personnel to access information and work efficiently from the field. Personnel at the Mountain Village Police Department in Colorado and the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada will have the ability to access data and communicate voicelessly with dispatchers using their vehicle laptops. Several agencies also purchased Spillman’s Law Records module in the third quarter of 2009. The Law Records module consolidates agencies’ law incident records into one database and allows them to easily generate reports for crime analysis, presentation, and archiving. Spillman Technologies is a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, serving more than 800 public safety agencies across the nation. Spillman provides a full range of software solutions, including Records Management, Computer-Aided Dispatch, Mobile Communications, Corrections Management, Fire/EMS Management, Resource Management, and Data Sharing. Spillman Q3 Sales New sales:
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EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. Now Shipping Lightning™ Control Head for Award-winning Mobile Radios Innovative control head features the brightest display on a land mobile radio Irving, TX – November 17, 2009 – EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: EFJI) announced today that it has begun shipping the Lightning™ Control Head for the award-winning 5300 ES Series Mobile Radios. Lightning, the only land mobile radio with electroluminescent display technology, is the brightest, most readable control head on the market. “Our Lightning Control Head uses the same display technology found in military applications such as airborne cockpit and ground-based vehicle dashboard instrumentation,” said Michael Jalbert, president and chief executive officer of EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. “With a display resolution of 320 x 80 pixels, this control head can be clearly seen from anywhere in a vehicle. Lightning’s best-in-class off angle viewing and bright display provides first responders information at a glance, so they can stay focused on their mission. It is also durable; we designed it to stand up to punishment and extreme temperatures. Lightning’s long operating life means it will retain its brightness for decades. Customer feedback on this innovative new product has been very enthusiastic, and we are excited to be supplying our new control head to first responders.” Key features of the patent pending control head include: Crystal clear display for easy readability, expanded viewing angle, visible with a quick refresh rate at the temperature extremes. Key features of the ES Series Mobile Radio include: Project 25 trunked and conventional operation, an option for TDMA, interoperability with SMARTNET®/SmartZone®, Enhanced (AMBE+2) P25 Vocoder, over the air rekeying (OTAR) and over the air programming (OTAP), and support for up to 864 talkgroups. The advanced features of Lightning have positioned EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. to capture its fair share of the high-tier mobile radio market. The Company expects mobile product sales to increase steadily over the next twelve to eighteen months due to Lightning’s competitive advantages. InterAct Public Safety Systems Announces Record Q3 Results for 2009 Success Driven by New Product Suite Sales, Corporate M&A and Overall Demand for Emergency Dispatch Systems WINSTON SALEM, N.C. InterAct Public Safety Systems, a leading provider of safety and security software used by government agencies as well as private sector businesses, announced that its third quarter has achieved a record amount of new business. Highlights of the third quarter include the formation of the InterAct Connections Framework™; the industry’s first seamless integration of public safety software; the acquisition of the Law Enforcement Division of BIO-key; making InterAct the largest public safety software company in the world; and widespread customer wins across the country. Q3 2009 represented a new milestone for InterAct Public Safety. The company’s announcement of the InterAct Connections Framework™ is the culmination of years of work building an environment that seamlessly connects each aspect of the incident management cycle together. No other public safety vendor can claim this accomplishment. From Next Generation 9-1-1 telephony systems and peer-to-peer computer-aided dispatch to 3-D geographic information systems, store-and-forward mobile data systems, and an all-inclusive records management system, InterAct’s public safety systems work in sync, eliminating critical data gaps and errors. On the heels of this announcement, the company signaled the commencement of its M&A strategy with an announcement of its intent to acquire the Law Enforcement Division of BIO-key, consequently making InterAct the largest public safety software company in the world with more than 2,000 customers. As a result of the acquisition, the company not only gained a unique opportunity to deliver the most advanced mobile law enforcement solutions, but to introduce a new population of customers to the advantages of the InterAct Connections Framework™. “This is an exhilarating time for us,” said Andrew J. “Flip” Filipowski, CEO, InterAct Public Safety Systems. “We’ve long believed in a unique vision of how to help agencies vastly improve emergency response. Over the years we’ve gained the trust and respect of agencies across the country, and with this year’s developments have strengthened customer loyalty and sparked remarkable business growth.” The company is already realizing the fruits of its labor. During Q3 2009 alone, the company closed 66 deals, acquiring 10 new customers, including The State of Indiana and Chester County, SC. Moreover, forward-thinking public safety agencies are now looking to InterAct Public Safety for Next Generation solutions to take advantage of emerging capabilities to bring agencies unprecedented data sharing potential, remote dispatch capabilities, and tremendous cost savings. In addition, InterAct’s next generation computer aided dispatch (CAD) software was recently honored as a 2009 Hot Products winner by Public Safety Communications, an Elsevier Public Safety publication. City of Paris Texas Police Department Rolls Out New AVL System from Computer Information Systems Inc. The City of Paris Texas Police Department has successfully implemented the Automatic Vehicle Location System (AVL) from Computer Information Systems Inc. (CIS), enhancing current operations of their Mobile Computing System (MCS) also from CIS. This last phase completes Paris Police Departments’ seamless integration of CAD, Records, Mobile, and AVL including mapping and many other integrated features and functional tools like Crime Analysis. As Police Chief Bob Hundley relates, “ We started using CIS’ Computer Assisted Dispatch System and Records Management System in 2008, and followed with their Mobile Computing System shortly afterwards. We are extremely pleased to have this follow-on AVL System, which provides a real-time picture of where all on-duty vehicles actually are for both dispatchers as well as all mobile units being able to see all other units on a map in the vehicles.” The City of Paris Texas has 23 citywide vehicles equipped with CIS’ Mobile Data and AVL Systems; 10 patrol cars, 6 fire apparatus and 7 ambulances. On a normal shift, there are 6 patrol cars and 3 stations each of Fire and EMS Services being deployed. As Chief Hundley explains, “The CIS AVL System uses a GPS unit in each vehicle that reports its position to the CIS Server and displays that position on a Map in dispatch. The CIS AVL System is very accurate. “Dispatchers have said that it helps them when they get a high priority call, they can look at the Map and see who is actually closest to the call. This ability makes our dispatch more efficient. Officers also see a real-time Map of AVL in their vehicles. If there are 3 vehicles headed for a call, they can actually decide who is closest and stand down if needed.” CIS provided the AVL software to the City of Paris and officers began to use it immediately. Hundley says that there have been very few staff issues implementing the AVL System. “As in any brand-new piece of software, there are some adjustments on the part of the agency. We received a new update of the mobile system with the AVL at the same time, so we had more to get used to with many new features. Everything is working out quite well.” The CIS AVL System also provides the ability to run reports on the playback for pursuits. Chief Hundley looks forward to running those reports locally, as well as being able to have waypoint ability, to track important physical points during Incidents with CIS’ AVL System. “We are very pleased with CIS’ AVL System. The main reason that we asked for AVL was to improve our response times to high-priority calls. CIS’ AVL has done that for us. We have CIS’ Mobile System set up so that anything in the CIS Systems, records, mug shots, photos, can be accessed by officers in their vehicles. You can’t share information any better than that,” concludes Chief Hundley. Photos: #1 / #2 California State University, Fullerton Police Chooses QuickLink from 911-Inc. for Emergency Call Processing Denver, CO; November 3, 2009 – The new University Police emergency dispatch center at California State University, Fullerton, is now receiving local area 911 calls using the QuickLink call processing solution from 911-Inc. (www.911-inc.com) The installation of the communications platform allows University Police to provide superior call taking and dispatch services to the students of CSU Fullerton and surrounding areas. “When we were planning our state-of-the-art dispatch center, we needed to purchase a lot of equipment with our limited state allotment. 911-Inc had all the features and functionality that we needed, same as Plant or Positron, but for a much better price,” said Brian Barnes, CSU Fullerton Police Department Communications Project Coordinator. “Plus their customer service was much better, not only during the bidding process but afterwards as well. It couldn’t have gone any smoother.” University Police moved into their new 10,470-square-foot, state-of-the-art building in August. The new facility has twice the space of the old building which was a trailer placed on campus in 1960. “We’re excited and proud to be working in partnership with the CSU Fullerton University Police department,” said Allen Amis, CEO of 911-Inc. “College and university campuses must have the most current technology and system features to properly support the campus first responders and ensure student safety.” New Zetron P25 VoIP Systems Improve National Park Communications The National Park Service (NPS) recently installed Zetron’s VoIP Radio Dispatch Systems at two new NPS dispatch centers. The new P25 systems expand the coverage and effectiveness of park communications. They also prepare the centers to eventually provide regional dispatching. Redmond, WA-October 30, 2009 - The National Park Service (NPS) recently installed Zetron’s P25 VoIP Radio Dispatch System at two new NPS dispatch centersone at the Midwest Regional Ozark Communication Center (MROCC) in Harrison, Arkansas, and the other at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Dispatch Center, near Keystone, South Dakota. The new systems are P25 capable, support narrow banding, and improve coverage without requiring additional microwave and hard-wired connections. Tribalco of Bethesda, Maryland, served as the primary contractor for both projects. "We can communicate even with our remote areas, and we’re better able to respond to emergencies," says Louie Stoops, lead dispatcher at the MROCC. "I also like the system’s simplicity and user friendliness. If we get busy and need to add dispatchers, they can learn the console very quickly." "Both systems are working flawlessly," says Joe Snyder, radio program manager for NPS, Midwest Region. "VoIP RDS not only meets our requirements for P25 and narrow banding, but it’s so flexible that it allows us to eventually offer 24/7 dispatching to parks that don’t have their own centers." Teton Communications Standardizes on Exalt Microwave Radio Systems Licensed 6 GHz Microwave Radio Systems Improve Network Performance and Reduce Costs for Network Operator in Eastern Idaho CAMPBELL, Calif., [Please embargo until November 10, 2009] – Exalt Communications, the company that is reinventing microwave backhaul, today announced that Teton Communications, Inc., a network operator and 2-way radio systems integrator in Eastern Idaho, has standardized on Exalt microwave radio systems to support its backbone network over a 20,000 square-mile service area stretching from Pocatello to Yellowstone. The company has deployed Exalt licensed 6 GHz radio systems on several 20-mile links to date, and intends to replace the legacy gear on its remaining links over time. Teton Communications is also recommending Exalt radio systems to its customers, including public safety organizations and utilities, for their own private network upgrades and expansions. “We evaluated systems from all major microwave vendors, but Exalt offered a much better combination of features, performance, reliability and cost-effectiveness,” said Tony Hafla, president of Teton Communications. “With Exalt, we have the flexibility to scale up to full wire-speed Gigabit Ethernet through capacity aggregation, and we have reduced our capital and operational costs significantly.” The Exalt EX-6i-DS3-GigE radio systems deployed by Teton Communications currently carry up to 12 T1 lines of native TDM traffic along with 100 megabits per second of Ethernet bandwidth. Both TDM and Ethernet capacities may be expanded or interchanged in the future via remotely downloadable software. Thanks to the Exalt 1.5+0 redundancy configuration, the operator avoids the cost of deploying standby radios because Exalt technology ensures that every radio link stays in operation even if there is an internal component failure. The Exalt radio systems also reduce operating expenses; they use a small fraction of the power used by the legacy systems they are replacing, and Exalt’s web-based management system allows the technicians at Teton Communications to remotely configure and troubleshoot radios without a truck roll. “In remote areas like Eastern Idaho, wireless links are the only way to connect facilities, but that doesn’t mean network operators have to sacrifice bandwidth or reliability in order to keep costs down,” said Amir Zoufonoun, president and CEO of Exalt Communications. “As wireless service providers like Teton Communications are discovering, Exalt radio systems deliver carrier-class reliability and highly scalable bandwidth while reducing costs.” All Exalt radio systems – licensed and license-exempt – are carrier-class systems offering guaranteed link availability, guaranteed throughput and low, constant latency. Systems are available in frequencies from 2 to 40 GHz and in capacities from 10 Mbps to more than 700 Mbps per channel, providing a range of options to fit countless network applications. Designed to enable a smooth transition to IP, they offer native support for both TDM and Ethernet, and are fully software configurable and upgradeable. For easy and secure management using third-party network management systems, Exalt systems support SNMP v1, v2c and v3. Data security is provided by available FIPS 197-compliant AES 128-bit and 256-bit encryption that adds zero latency to the transmission. To simplify installation and maintenance, all Exalt systems feature an embedded manual and most include a built-in spectrum analyzer. THE FIRST EVER ‘OVER-THE-AIR’ RADIO WAVEFORM ANALYZER: IDENTIFY SICK RADIOS, SAVE TIME AND MONEY WITH DIAGNOSTX Melbourne, FL---System managers and radio maintenance personnel can now detect potential or existing problems with any mobile or portable trunked radio in the field thanks to DiagnostX, a revolutionary new technology that functions as an “over-the-air” bench technician. The brainchild of Locus Location Systems engineers, this first-of-its-kind technology enables public safety departments, governmental agencies and other emergency or first-responder organizations to monitor and diagnose the health of their radios and networks over-the-air, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from their radio service shops. Constant and consistent monitoring by DiagnostX means improved communications and confidence that radios are well maintained and performing properly at all times. DiagnostX also saves time and money by ensuring that only “sick” radios are brought in for service or repair. Current estimates indicate that 75%-80% of radios brought in for scheduled maintenance don’t require servicing. Technically speaking, DiagnostX is an advanced radio diagnostic tool that verifies and analyzes the health and performance of a radio on its respective network by capturing the radio’s waveform off the airways. It monitors factors such as RF frequency offset, RF frequency offset at start, RF frequency deviation and emission mask conformance to determine whether individual radios or the network is functioning properly and meeting FCC performance requirements. When a problem is found, radios can be scheduled for repair or maintenance. Recent Beta testing of DiagnostX in Florida with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Collier County government proves that this unique over-the-air diagnostic tool effectively and accurately identifies radios with problems and issues within their radio network. “DiagnostX performed really well for us during the Beta testing“, says John Daly, Telecommunications Manager for Collier County Government. “Using this technology we were able to track radio performance and take a look at how various departments are maintaining radios across our system. The information we received was valid and valuable. Because it’s non-intrusive, over time, we expect DiagnostX to save us man hours and dollars. The fact that we can now identify problem radios before they fail could also save lives. It’s a powerful tool,” Daly concludes. Initial response from government agencies and emergency personnel has been very positive, according to Joseph Rey, Managing Partner of Locus Location Systems, which has applied for the patent for theDiagnostX technology. “To this point, the industry has had to bring every radio into the shop, which is very costly in time and money since the majority of radios are not in need of calibration,” Rey explains. “Now they can bring in only the ones that need service, which is a tremendous step forward.” "As we've talked to public safety communications personnel during the Beta testing, they are eager for more information. Every communications organization quickly recognizes that this is a big solution to an expensive problem. It's very exciting," he adds. Trimble’s New Placer Gold GPS Receivers Available for Public Safety AVL Applications SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 30, 2009 — Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced today the availability of its Placer Gold™ receiver, a 12 channel Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver that provides reliable, fully-configurable vehicle location and reporting for mission critical Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) applications. The Placer Gold receivers are used by public safety and emergency responders to more efficiently locate and dispatch vehicles in order to significantly reduce response times and help save lives. The Placer product line includes two state-of-the-art models: the Placer Gold (APU) and Placer Gold Dead Reckoning Unit (DRU). In addition to 12 channels, the Placer Gold features indicator lights (a new feature not previously available on the Placer 450), a small form factor, and compatibility with Point to Point Protocol (PPP) data radios. The Placer Gold DRU’s on-board dead reckoning sensor outputs position data in the absence of satellite signal reception using a built-in angular rate sensor, a vehicle speed input and a reverse signal input. This solution allows dispatchers to track vehicles through obstructed areas, such as tunnels, urban canyons and mountains. “The Placer Gold offers a highly reliable GPS receiver to the public safety and utilities market for use in their AVL systems,” said Rick Beyer, vice president of Trimble’s Mobile Solutions segment. “The new product is a continuation of Trimble’s decade-long tradition of offering high performance and robust GPS solutions to the public safety community.” Trimble Placer Gold offers:
The Trimble Placer product line is currently used by more than 500 police, sheriff and fire departments nationwide. Trimble MRM solutions are designed to automate the management of mobile resources and to optimize the service delivery process for customers across a variety of industries. Trimble delivers MRM solutions on a global basis to vertical markets which include: telco, cable, construction supply, field service, utility, and transportation & distribution. Trimble MRM solutions are designed to provide a secure, scalable, upgradeable, enterprise-class platform, and are offered in on-demand software delivery, on-premise or hybrid environments that can seamlessly connect mobile workers in the field to real-time data. More information about Trimble MRM solutions can be found at: www.trimble.com/mobile_resource_management. Cherry Hill PD selects Spillman to increase efficiency, consolidate records Agency said Spillman’s reputation for customer service set it apart Cherry Hill, N.J. – Oct. 30, 2009 – In an effort to improve operational efficiency and mobile communications, the Cherry Hill Police Department has adopted software from Spillman Technologies. The agency rigorously evaluated multiple vendors in a search to replace its more than 20-year-old CAD and records management system, said Cherry Hill Police Department Lieutenant Steven Swierczynski. After speaking with other public safety agencies and conducting in-house demonstrations, the department selected Spillman. “It was clear that Spillman had not only a proven solution that would provide great efficiencies; they had a devotion to customer service that reflected a highly customer-centric organization,” said Swierczynski. “Spillman satisfied our requirements for the fully integrated public safety software solution we were looking for, but their current customers sold us on Spillman being the right solution for the Cherry Hill Police Department.” Spillman’s Automated Field Reporting module will allow officers to complete forms from the field using a laptop computer, eliminating the need to return to headquarters to file reports and allowing more time for community patrolling. The software will enable officers to increase their street-level presence, helping to reduce crime and maintain positive citizen relationships. In addition to the Automated Field Reporting module, the Cherry Hill Police Department adopted Spillman’s Records Management, Computer-Aided Dispatch, Mobile Communications, Fire/EMS Management, and Resource Management solutions. Using Spillman, the department will be able to store all data in a single database where it can be easily accessed by personnel throughout the agency. Spillman will allow the agency to eliminate the use of multiple databases and enable quick access to critical information. The Township of Cherry Hill is located five miles southeast of Philadelphia and is home to more than 70,000 residents and 4,000 businesses. When the Cherry Hill Police Department goes live with its new system on January 25, 2010, it will become one of eight agencies in New Jersey and more than 800 agencies across the country using Spillman software. GeoLynx CrimeAnalyst selected as 2009 Hot Product by Public Safety Communications Magazine St. Cloud, MN: GeoComm’s GeoLynx CrimeAnalyst has been selected by Public Safety Communications, the official magazine of the Association of Public Safety Communication Officials (APCO) International, as one of its 2009 Hot Products. GeoLynx CrimeAnalyst provides local law enforcement the tools to geographically define criminal activities in order to detect patterns, trends, and ultimately to make intelligent policing decisions based on actionable data. GeoLynx CrimeAnalyst is a must have tool for law enforcement agencies of any size. It can be easily incorporated into standard operations to aid in creating geospatial knowledge and situational awareness from a wide variety of data sources. It is an affordable and user friendly analytical tool to leverage underlying technology of ESRI’s ArcView GIS product. “GeoLynx CrimeAnalyst is very suited to the APCO hot products distinction. It brings powerful GIS analytical tools to the user. This must-have tool is a perfect extension of current crime analysis and GIS operations and provides reporting and spatial analysis value for making informed policing decisions,” said Jody Sayre, GeoComm Vice President of Client Services. This year 35 companies submitted 43 products for consideration in the Hot Products review opportunity. Of those 43 products 15 were chosen to be featured as APCO’s 2009 Hot Products in the November issue of Public Safety Communications. These products were displayed at the 75th Annual APCO Conference in Las Vegas where an anonymous editorial team roamed the exhibit hall specifically examining the products submitted for review and assessed how all of the products met mission critical needs. Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office, Va. partners with New World Systems to improve emergency response New World helps Sheriff’s Office meet urgent deadlines to successfully implement multi-jurisdictional solutions Troy, Mich. (October 27, 2009) — With grant deadlines looming, Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office, Va. and New World Systems, the leader in public sector software, successfully completed the implementation of new software that will streamline processes and enhance interoperability for law enforcement and emergency responders. Early this year with the support of Shenandoah County Sheriff Timothy C. Carter, the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors signed a contract to license New World Systems’ Aegis/MSP® Public Safety Solution on the Microsoft® platform to replace a legacy system that was no longer meeting the County’s complex, multi-jurisdictional needs. Because the County was using grant money to procure a new solution, their new software had to be approved and compliant in the State of Virginia. The Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office also needed software that could handle the multi-jurisdictional requirements of the Sheriff’s Office, five police departments and 13 fire rescue agencies that serve and protect more than 42,000 County residents. “After examining numerous solutions and vendors, we determined that New World offers the best software to meet our needs,” said Information Technology Manager Mike Downey. “Through speaking with other agencies, we learned that we could count on New World for ease-of-use, reliability, excellent support, and continuous software enhancements.” In order to meet a September 30th grant deadline, the County worked closely with New World to complete the implementation of Aegis/MSP Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records Management (RMS) software on time and on budget in only six months. “With New World’s support and encouragement, we were able to surpass our deadline flawlessly to go live with CAD and RMS on September 21, 2009,” said Downey. “We are very pleased with the training we received from New World,” said Hall. “The usability of the system combined with the willingness and knowledge of New World’s Professional Services team created an extremely positive environment for our users during implementation.” New World’s software, developed in-house using proven Microsoft® technology, industry-standard Windows® Server and SQL® Server, provides a familiar, easy-to-use Windows environment that is helping County dispatchers and first responders adapt to the new software quickly. The single database, completely integrated applications and advanced workflow have enhanced reporting for the Sheriff’s Office by improving data accuracy and availability. Completely integrated tools, including built-in mapping capabilities in New World’s CAD, are helping to streamline call-taking and dispatching to reduce response times during an emergency. The Sheriff’s Office and New World are currently working to complete the implementation of Mobile Computing and Field-Based Reporting software, which will enhance communication and increase safety by giving officers and first responders access to critical information in their vehicles. In the near future, with the help of New World’s software, Shenandoah County will also begin sharing critical public safety information with surrounding agencies in the National Capital Region through the NCRLinx data sharing network. “Working with New World has been a pleasure,” added Downey. “On site or remotely from the Company’s headquarters, we are regularly amazed by how quickly support responds to our requests.” Alert Tracking Systems, Inc. First in Nation to Implement Next Generation Emergency 911 Solution over MPLS Network BUCYRUS, OH (October 26, 2009) - Crawford County, Ohio became the first 911 Center in the United States to answer Emergency 911 calls using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system via a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network. The new technology is a true IP Based solution, making it Next Generation capable, and less expensive to implement, operate, and manage than traditional systems. More importantly, it increases the overall level of safety for Public Service Responders and the citizens of Crawford County. Consolidation is the current trend in Public Safety. It reduces operating costs and increases Data Sharing among agencies, which increases the safety of the community. Alert Tracking Systems, a leading provider of Public Safety software and systems, helped Crawford County consolidate it’s 911 operations without closing a single call center or eliminating jobs. “Working in a time of economic hardships, the Sheriff made it possible to consolidate four PSAPS into one, without closing a single PSAP in his county and without a single job being lost,” said Alert tracking System’s President, Mark Gruber . The county still operates four Dispatch Centers where they answer calls, except all four centers now run off the same Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, which is centrally located at the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, and connected over MPLS. The CAD software, also a product of Alert Tracking Systems, allows any dispatcher in the county to see additional information about a 911 call, within seconds of receiving the call. This includes information like previous incidents at a caller’s address or potential hazards such as outstanding warrants. Nationally, the current 911 Emergency Network is over 40 years old, and unable to process digital communications. It has failed to keep up with the modern technology readily found in the private sector. Sadly, this can lead to tragic consequences in an Emergency Situation. This was the true case scenario during the tragic 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech. Students in classrooms tried to text message vital information and calls for help to Emergency 911 Services, but the old analog system simply could not process those calls. Alert Tracking Systems, along with their partners Tranztec Solutions and Informer, designed Crawford County’s system to allow for the transmission of data in any form, including text messaging and video. With this design, and once the phone companies can handle the information, callers will be able to text, or send pictures and videos, instead of calling 911. This means that while it achieves the county’s goal of saving money, it also achieves the county’s ultimate goal, saving lives. CDW-G Report: Awareness of the DHS National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) is Low, but Its Promise is High Just half of public-safety communications professionals were familiar with the NECP, yet when briefed, almost all believe it could address their communications challenges VERNON HILLS, Ill. – October 26, 2009 – CDW Government, Inc. (CDW-G), a leading source of Information Technology (IT) solutions to governments and educators, today released its 2009 Emergency Communications Report: Awareness and Progress Toward the National Emergency Communications Plan. The report benchmarks progress toward meeting the goals outlined in the Department of Homeland Security National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP), identifies key challenges and highlights lessons learned. While only half of public-safety communications professionals were familiar with the NECP prior to CDW-G’s survey, once briefed on its goals, an overwhelming majority – 93 percent – said the NECP has the potential to address their communications issues. Emergency communications improvement is imperative: 28 percent said they experienced a communications challenge in the last year that hampered a response effort, and 61 percent said the ability to achieve and sustain seamless communications across jurisdictions and agencies is their No. 1 challenge to providing timely and effective emergency services. The NECP, which was published in 2008, recommends a multi-faceted approach to strengthening emergency communications capabilities nationwide, focusing on technology, coordination, governance, planning and training at all levels of government. It sets the following goals:
“The NECP has the potential to address public-safety communications problems, but to be successful, all jurisdictions and agencies must embrace the NECP goals and work to achieve them,” said CDW-G Vice President Bob Kirby. “Every day, communities across the United States are affected by communications challenges – inability to communicate across agencies, across jurisdictions, during routine events and during significant incidents. Formal plans to meet the NECP goals, backed by training, cross-agency and cross-jurisdiction collaboration, and technology infrastructure, can speed emergency response and save lives.” CDW-G’s national online survey, conducted during August 2009, collected responses from 210 state and local emergency communications professionals in 41 states. The margin of error for the total sample is ±6.76 percent at a 95 percent confidence level. For a copy of the complete CDW-G Emergency Communications Report, please visit http://www.cdwg.com/emergency. Dynamic Routing of Live Call Via Intelligent Next Generation 9-1-1 Network Demonstrated by NextGen Partners Avaya, 911- Inc., Synergem and GeoComm collaborate to deliver fully-integrated i3 solution Denver, CO; October 7, 2009 – A live call has been dynamically routed between two different public-safety answering points (PSAPs) through remote data centers using geographic information systems and next generation technology. NextGen Partners, consisting of Avaya, 911- Inc., Synergem and GeoComm, demonstrated this next generation technology for the first time at the recent North Carolina APCO/NENA conference. A 911 call was placed from a mobile device in Sunset Beach, North Carolina. This call was directed to a Fort Worth, Texas emergency services routing proxy (ESRP) where it was converted to SIP (session initiation protocol) format. The ESRP in Fort Worth queried a hosted geospatial routing server in Minneapolis to determine which PSAP to route the call to based on the location of the caller. With this information the ESRP then routed the call between two virtual PSAPs hosted at a facility in Denver, Colorado, with the final voice and data of the 911 call presented at remote call-taker workstations in Sunset Beach. Additional demonstrations will be featured at the Virginia APCO/NENA conference October 27-30. This next generation 9-1-1 solution features:
NextGen Partners combines the strengths of four companies: Avaya, 911-Inc., Synergem and GeoComm. The team mission is to develop the most advanced, feature-rich NG9-1-1 solutions for PSAPs across the county. “The network will truly be intelligent,” said Allen Amis, President and CEO of 911-Inc. “If a major accident suddenly overwhelmed the PSAP with calls, the network can identify that these calls are related and route them to designated positions, or an alternative PSAP, thus allowing unrelated emergency calls to still get through.” “One important aspect of this combined GIS and communications technology is that we can change PSAP call routing on the fly,” said Thomas Grones, President and CEO of GeoComm. “For instance, if a football game suddenly increases the population in an area by 100,000 people, we will be able to circle the stadium on the mapping system and send all 9-1-1 calls to a specific local PSAP.” “By exploiting the core competencies of each of our NextGen Partners,” said Myron Herron, President and COO of Synergem, “we are able to introduce enhanced operational capabilities that up to now have only been available commercially in huge call centers outside of public safety.” Emergency CallWorx® Awarded Contract by Brantley County, Georgia for Next Generation E9-1-1 Call Taking Solution First Georgia County to Benefit from Fault Tolerant, Easy Web Browser System Madison, AL, October 22, 2009 – Emergency CallWorx (ECX) announced today that it has been selected by Brantley County 911, in South Georgia, to provide an integrated, Next Generation (NG) E9-1-1 Call Taking solution. Brantley County will experience the highest level of system reliability for receiving and handling traditional, wireless and VoIP-based calls using Fault Tolerant servers that are built to maintain 99.999% system uptime. These servers are the backbone of the ECX call taking solution and come bundled with its NG9-1-1 CallStation® application for receiving and identifying the geographical location of traditional phone calls, wireless calls, SMS text messages, Smartphone videos and more. ECX systems utilize the latest developments in Internet Protocol (IP), Voice over IP (VoIP) and Web 2.0 architecture. The system’s completely integrated workflow simplifies tasks, enhances operator performance, efficiently presents information, delivers unlimited report access and is designed for rapid implementation. Upon availability, operators and dispatchers in Brantley County will be able to review video, pictures, text messages and other non-traditional communications sent to the 911 center. ECX’s system is also responsible for sorting and selecting the correct address from multiple address ‘sources’, such as the location of all wireless calls, as well as landlines coming from both AT&T and Brantley Telephone Company. Brantley County is purchasing the ECX CallStation solution from their distributor, ez911solutions. ez911solutions is also providing the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Mapping and local ANI database components of the complete solution, which will receive call location, or addresses, from ECX’s CallStation. “We look forward to serving our citizens through our new partnership with ez911solutions and Emergency CallWorx,” said William Lartz, director, Brantley County EMA/911. “We want only the best for our communities.” Greg Crawford, president of ez911solutions, stated, “ez911solutions is pleased to be working with ECX to provide cutting edge technology for a truly-integrated, Next Generation dispatch and telephony solution utilizing VoIP for Brantley County. We anticipate good things with the future collaboration of our two companies.” The cities and towns of Nahunta, Atkinson, Hickox, Hoboken, Hortense, Lulaton, Trudie and Waynesville make up Brantley County. The County receives approximately 15,000 calls for service yearly and responds to over 12,000 incidents. “ECX is pleased to provide a Next Generation call taking system to Brantley County and is excited to be working with our distributor ez911solutions on this project,” stated Craig Dollar, founder and CEO of Emergency CallWorx. “We look forward to sharing in the positive impacts that this partnership will bring as we roll the system out.” Harford County Division of Emergency Operations Attains Highest Accreditation First 9-1-1 Center in the United States to achieve status WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--InterAct Public Safety Systems, a leading provider of safety and security software used by government agencies as well as private sector businesses, today announced that one of its customers, the Harford County Emergency Operations Center located in Hickory, MD, has attained the highest accreditation possible, as an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) for the use of its Fire, Police and Medical protocols. The Harford County EOC is only the second center in the world to achieve all three levels of accreditation, with the first center being in Alberta, Canada. “I am extremely proud of the men and women of the Harford County Emergency Operations Center who worked hard to achieve the highest accreditation possible,” stated Harford County Executive David R. Craig. “The Harford County EOC has served the citizens of Harford County with excellence and exemplary service for many, many years. To attain this international recognition makes the accomplishment so very special for Harford County.” Ross Coates, public safety communications manager for the Harford County Division of Emergency Operations stated, “The use of InterActCAD, and its certified integration with Priority Dispatch's ProQA in all three disciplines, has given our call takers and dispatchers the necessary tools to provide outstanding service to the citizens and responders.” The National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED) ACE Program requires a detailed self-study based on the Academy’s Twenty Points. The self-study covers everything from the center’s description to procedures outlining a quality improvement plan, continuing dispatch education and compliance with life-saving emergency dispatch protocols developed. The Academy’s Board of Accreditation reviewed the Harford County EOC application, the center’s documentation and conducted an onsite visit for verification purposes. Commenting on receiving the highest level of accreditation possible, Manager Ernie Crist of the Harford County Division of Emergency Operations stated, “We delighted to be recognized for the professionalism of our staff and our commitment to excellence in Fire, Police and Medical dispatch. Harford County has some of the finest dispatchers and emergency operations personnel in the state and this award is a tribute to their outstanding work and performance,” Crist commented. The Harford County Division of Emergency Operations is responsible for the emergency dispatch of all police, fire, and EMS related calls for Harford County, and serves a population of nearly 245,000 people covering more than 450 square miles. City of Albany (Geo.) Launches New Online Initiative to Enhance Service Citizen service in southwest Georgia has taken a great leap forward with the recent launching of the City of Albany's new 311 call center and on-line initiative. Responding to requests for better service, the City team with QSend Technologies to implement a municipal CRM system and to redesign its Web site. The City initiated the process, then engaged the ougherty County government and Water, Gas & Light Commission so that all local services and information are captured in one place. Download (pdf) the full press release here. VPI Makes Advanced, Secure Call Recording Affordable to Businesses and Contact Centers of All Sizes VPI to Introduce New VPI CAPTURE ESSENTIAL Software at ACCE Conference and Expo in Las Vegas Camarillo, Calif. – September 30, 2009 – VPI, (Voice Print International, http://www.VPI-corp.com), the world’s premier provider of interactions recording, quality management and contact center workforce optimization software solutions, today announced it will introduce VPI CAPTURE ESSENTIAL for Contact Centers at the 2009 ACCE Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 7-8, 2009, booth #501. The ACCE Conference and Expo, now in its sixth year, is one of the world’s top exhibitions and conferences for contact center management, operational effectiveness, strategy and leadership, and technology. VPI CAPTURE ESSENTIAL is an affordable, ready-to-use, next-generation call recording system that installs quickly to immediately ensure compliance, manage liability and optimize workforce efficiency. Built upon the VPI EMPOWER suite’s ultra-secure and reliable enterprise architecture, VPI CAPTURE ESSENTIAL leverages 15 years of R&D investment, thousands of successful deployments and proven integrations with all major communications platforms. VPI CAPTURE ESSENTIAL is the first truly affordable call recording solution to provide organizations with the advanced functionality and capabilities crucial for survival and success in today’s harsh economic climate. “We understand that for many organizations, recording calls is absolutely essential for compliance and protection from liability issues,” said Mike Mercadante, vice president of product management and CTO at VPI. “Unfortunately, due to tight budget constraints, some companies are investing in very basic, stripped down call recording systems and, consequently, are being forced to compromise on reliability, security and ease of use. We knew we could offer a much better, more affordable product that would provide our customers with everything they need out-of-the-box and nothing they don’t – the same degree of advanced security and robust reliability for which VPI solutions have built such a solid reputation, along with the sophisticated functionality essential for optimum efficiency and performance.” Many of the so-called “budget-friendly” call recording systems available today offer very limited functionality. They provide rudimentary recording and storage capabilities, meet only the most basic security standards, offer few, if any, search or reporting tools and ultimately require total forklift upgrades – usually a costly system replacement. Unlike these other systems, VPI CAPTURE ESSENTIAL is proven reliable, with certified and compliant-tested integrations with all major platforms including Cisco, Avaya, Mitel and many more. The solution meets the highest security standards with secure, end-to-end and AES 256 file encryption, file watermarking to ensure file authenticity and detailed audit trail reporting of user activities. The solution is also PCI-DSS Compliant and provides LDAP/Active Directory Support for authentication credentials and streamlined user administration. In addition to ensuring that VPI CAPTURE ESSENTIAL provides the highest standards in security and reliability, VPI has included advanced functionality and capabilities usually only found in expensive recording software packages designed for large enterprise customers. “VPI CAPTURE ESSENTIAL comes fully loaded with a variety of superb features we consider essential for customers to fully maximize the benefits of interaction recording,” explained Mercadante. VPI CAPTURE ESSENTIAL offers Web browser-based access and administration and the convenience of automated variable retention down to the channel level, which allows users to set rules to define what types of recordings are retained and for what period of time. Users will also benefit from interactive, drill-through Heat Maps for easy identification of trends and high-value calls and personalized Web dashboards with the choice of several built-in reports. “We are confident that VPI CAPTURE ESSENTIAL offers the best value and lowest true cost of ownership available today,” said Mercadante. “This single system supports VoIP, digital and analog communications – protecting our customers’ investment as their needs evolve over time. They can also use the same Web-based interface for unified access to all of their recordings and same file formats for VoIP, digital and analog recording at single or multiple sites. Our customers can count on easy upgrades that don’t require a lot of new hardware or extensive professional services costs when new versions are introduced. They can also migrate to VPI CAPTURE or VPI CAPTURE PRO, VPI’s analytics-enhanced call recording solution, and can add additional mix-and-match modules within the VPI EMPOWER suite including screen recording, quality evaluation, performance management and eCoaching at any time, when their budget allows. This degree of flexibility makes VPI CAPTURE ESSENTIAL a long-term investment that virtually any organization can easily justify. You simply can’t afford not to have a system like this.” LINCOLN PROPERTY COMPANY INSTALLS ELECTRONIC FIRE/EMERGENCY PRE-PLAN PROGRAM IN MAJOR HIGH-RISE CommandScope Launches at 120 South LaSalle Street: All Emergency Information Available to Security Personnel and First Responders Electronically CHICAGO (Oct. 12, 2009) – Lincoln Property Company, one of the nation’s largest property management firms with offices internationally, announced they have installed RealView’s CommandScopeTM Electronic Fire Emergency Pre-Plan program at the new Private Bank Headquarters building located at 120 South LaSalle Street. CommandScope includes all of the life/safety information required by first responders – fire and police – in the event of an incident. CommandScope is installed in the management office and on a touch-screen computer at the security desk in the lobby. The program provides building construction details, evacuation plans, contact information, location of tenants with disabilities, floor plans for every floor, fire protection details, building photos, fire hydrant locations and much more. CommandScope is intuitive to use, easy to navigate, and is available 24-7. “CommandScope brings together all the critical emergency response information necessary to manage an incident from a Lincoln command center, either on-site or remotely,” said Robert Quast, Lincoln Property Company’s Vice President of Property Management. “The system also provides our emergency response teams with the capacity to initiate and manage business continuity efforts to keep our tenants in business and minimize the cost of restoration to our clients.” The staff at Lincoln Property is able to effortlessly manage and update data in CommandScope for first responders and off-site Lincoln support teams who need to access and digest information immediately in an emergency situation. This is one of the most valuable features for Lincoln Property. According to Quast, “For first responders and off-site managers who are not immediately familiar with the building, being able to find detailed, specific and accurate information is as easy as navigating a touch-screen building directory and can save crucial minutes in an emergency situation.” In addition to having data available on touch screen computers in the building, data is available to first responders on their vehicle computers even without an Internet connection. CommandScope’s smart client architecture can also provide interoperability to mutual aid responders and police departments. Updating information is simple so plans are always current in case of an emergency, an important feature that is in line with today’s Homeland Security policies and recommendations. CommandScope is used for pre-planning facilities all across the country. Most recently, Loyola University became first university in the U.S. to use CommandScope to implement a fully electronic pre-plan to help lessen property damage and prevent loss of lives as a result of campus fires. Loyola has pre-plans of more than 70 buildings on multiple campuses with CommandScope, increasing the safety of its more than 15,000 students. Property owners and managers, fire departments, universities, hotels and long-term assisted living facilities are benefiting from easy access to standardized electronic pre-plans. From North Charleston to North Aurora, thousands of buildings have improved their safety, compliance and achieved accreditation. Volunteers Needed for the Assessment of Future Spectrum and Technology Working Group In 1996, the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee (PSWAC) published its report on public safety's needs through the year 2010. That groundbreaking report eventually led to public safety spectrum assignments in the 700 MHz and 4.9 GHz bands. The 15 member associations of the NPSTC are partnering with the Department of Homeland Security, Science & Technology Directorate, Command, Control & Interoperability Division (DHS/S&T/CCI), their technical support organization at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Department of Commerce Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) program to investigate the operational needs of public safety through the year 2020 and the technology and spectrum impacts of those needs. The Technology Committee is looking for volunteers to participate with the Public Safety Spectrum Requirements: Assessment of Future Spectrum and Technology (AFST) Working Group, formed to assess public safety's spectrum and technology needs through the year 2020. This new report will provide a foundation for public safety's long-term requirements and will help communicate with policymakers. It's critical that we get this right and accurately capture the unmet and future needs of public safety, and therefore, we need volunteers ranging from public safety practitioners to technologists to build the case for our desired future. Several hundred professionals participated in the PSWAC report and we anticipate needing similar participation for this report. We need volunteers from each public safety discipline (law enforcement, fire, EMS, transportation, health, etc.) to ensure that we're properly capturing the operational requirements. We need technology experts for the various systems public safety uses (land mobile radio, broadband, microwave, satellite, etc.) to translate those requirements into technical implementations or technical requirements that will help drive the public safety needs through 2020. Finally, we need spectrum experts who can develop the models that can translate the requirements into meaningful spectrum needs and develop a plan for meeting the operational needs through 2020. If you'd like to participate in the Assessment of Future Spectrum and Technology Working Group and provide input that will benefit the public safety and public service communities, please use the form below to volunteer. You will be contacted with the information for the next meeting and additional information regarding the AFST Working Group. Volunteer Form If you have any questions, please call Toll Free (866) 807-4755 or email NPSTC at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it APCO-TRAINED COMMUNICATIONS CENTER OPENS IN MIDDLE EAST October 7, 2009, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia – APCO Institute celebrated the opening of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) on September 23. The University includes Security Command and Control’s 911 Communications Center, staffed with APCO Institute-trained personnel and using APCO Institute support software, an all-inclusive program launched in April and administered by APCO Institute Adjunct Instructor Mark Boudreaux, director of Terrebonne 911 District in Louisiana. KAUST is an international, graduate-level research university dedicated to inspiring a new age of scientific achievement in the Kingdom that will also benefit the region and the world. Its core campus occupies more than 36 million square meters on the Red Sea and sits approximately 80 kilometers north of Saudi Arabia's second largest city, Jeddah. King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud hosted the Inauguration Ceremony, which included 3,000 guests from over 64 countries and 20 universities from around the world. During the ceremony, Security Command and Control’s 911 Communications Center staff performed the duties they learned over the past five months, taking 911 calls, dispatching emergency services and administering emergency medical dispatch (EMD). “The duties of KAUST’s APCO trained and certified telecommunicators proceeded with perfection,” Boudreaux said. “The months of APCO telecommunicator structured classroom training, followed by intense scenario simulations, proved to define a world changing moment.” Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Uses Harris Corporation Technology for Public Safety Communications Backbone During G-20 Summit VIDA(R) and OpenSky(R) Network Technology Provide Seamless Communications Interoperability BOSTON, Oct. 7 -- Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS), an international communications and information technology company, announced its VIDA® network and OpenSky® technology were used successfully as the communications backbone for the recent G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Built with proven Harris technology, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's STARNet system allowed federal agencies, state and local police - along with Allegheny County, the city of Pittsburgh and emergency medical personnel - to work together, using a single communications tool. Charlie Brennan, deputy secretary for the Pennsylvania Office of Public Safety Radio Services, said: "The G-20 Summit was the kind of event where the PA-STARNet system provided the critical ability for federal, state and local officials to communicate in order to maintain public safety. PA-STARNet is a robust statewide network and our G-20 experience demonstrated the system's tremendous capability." The PA-STARNet system processed more than 100,000 calls during the G-20 Summit, according to the Pennsylvania Office of Public Safety Radio Services. The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Department was the largest user of the system, relying on the network to coordinate communications between police on the ground and PSP helicopters and airplanes. "Pennsylvania's vision for integrated and interoperable public safety communications was put to the test during the G-20 Summit, which brought thousands of people to the Pittsburgh area," said Chuck Dougherty, president of Harris Public Safety and Professional Communications. "Our VIDA and OpenSky technology, which is the heart of the PA-STARNet system, met the challenge." Harris Public Safety and Professional Communications is a leading supplier of assured communications® systems and equipment for public safety, federal, utility, commercial and transportation markets. Its products range from the most advanced IP voice and data network, to industry-leading multiband, multimode radios to public safety-grade broadband video and data solutions. With more than 80 years of experience, Harris supports more than 500 systems around the world. Harris RF Communications is also the leading global supplier of secure radio communications and embedded high-grade encryption solutions for military, government and commercial organizations. Pima County, Arizona Contracts with Motorola to Provide Project 25 Phase 2 TDMA Motorola reinforces commitment to Project 25 Phase 2 TDMA Standard SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – 7 October, 2009 – Pima County, AZ and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) announced the signing of a contract to provide Project 25 Phase 2 TDMA technology to address the County’s regional communications needs. This implementation allows the Pima County Wireless Integrated Network (PCWIN) to achieve the highest level of interoperability for a public safety agency and increases coverage and capabilities that enhance officer safety. PCWIN is the result of over five years of development by Pima County and public safety jurisdictions in the County. In May of 2004, voters approved bond funding for the development of a regional communications system, capable of supporting all public safety agencies in Pima County. Supplemental funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is also contributing to the project. “This has been a long process to reach this milestone and I am pleased at the level of cooperation and determination shown by everyone involved. I believe the citizens of Pima County will benefit greatly from this endeavor,” said Oro Valley Police Chief Daniel Sharp. ”Pima County’s selection of a Motorola Project 25 Phase 2 voice radio system will provide a modern regional, technically advanced communications solution to meet the requirements specified by our police and fire first responders for the foreseeable future,” said Clarence Dupnik, Pima County Sheriff. “The PCWIN system will provide on-demand interagency interoperability for improved coordination of public safety services and first responder safety. It will enhance Pima County’s public safety service capabilities for many years to come.” "As partners in the PCWIN project, the City of Tucson Police and Fire Departments look forward to continuing our long-standing working relationship with Motorola. The implementation of Project 25 Phase 2 TDMA technology provides the framework for enhanced interoperable emergency communications among the PCWIN partners and will greatly enhance our ability to continue providing excellent service to the City of Tucson and the surrounding communities in Pima County," say Tucson Chief of Police Roberto Villaseñor and Fire Chief Patrick Kelly. Project 25 Phase 2 is the new phase of the Project 25 standard and addresses spectrum by employing TDMA multiplexing technology, which fits more talkpaths into the same number of radio channels. In addition to PCWIN, Motorola has entered into six definitive contracts to deliver the Project 25 Phase 2 TDMA technology. These contracts, representing over $250m in customer investments over the next several years, indicates the commitment to the new interoperability standard and the near completion of the advanced technology. Customers range from large regional to single site systems including: City of Houston 700 MHz, Woodbridge, NJ UHF, and Apopka, FL 800 MHz. The technology is applicable across multiple frequency bands, which sets the stage for the FCC’s goal of 6.25 kHz efficiency. “Pima County and our other customers represent the early adopters and they will realize the immediate and long-term benefits that this technology delivers,” said Brenda Herold, Corporate Vice President, Motorola. “Motorola is fully committed to the Project 25 Phase 2 TDMA Standard and we look forward to working with these customers, as well as customers we are working with on pre-phase 2 TDMA systems.” “Given the ever-changing technology available in the land mobile marketplace, it is exciting to see that the new Project 25 suite of 2-slots in 12.5 kHz channels TDMA standards will provide our constituents and public safety and public protection agencies throughout the world the most technically advanced TDMA standards and associated technologies available,” said Craig Jorgensen, Chair Project 25 Steering Committee. Motorola is the leading provider of Project 25 equipment with Motorola ASTRO® 25 products. Motorola has over 200 Project 25 trunked systems worldwide and supports future standards development. Kane County, Ill. 911 Center Completes Flawless Move to New Center to Improve Safety and Operations County relied on infrastructure improvements and New World Systems’ Computer Aided Dispatch during the relocation Troy, Mich. (October 6, 2009) — New World Systems, the nation’s leader in public sector software, congratulates Kane County, Ill. on the successful relocation and technology upgrade of their 911 Center on time and under budget. The 911 Center’s move from the old Sheriff’s Office to the Kane County Government Center Complex is just one of many projects Kane County has undergone in recent years to improve public safety and service to the County’s large and growing population of nearly 500,000 residents. In July, 2009, the Kane County 911 Emergency Communications Center completed a successful implementation of New World Systems’ Aegis/MSP® Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) software to improve emergency response and prepare for the move to the new facility. The County replaced an aging legacy system with new technology and completely integrated solutions from New World to better manage the County’s call volume and multi-jurisdictional needs. Because 16 public safety agencies in Kane County depend on the 911 Center, it was critical that the move to the new building not interrupt 911 services. With the help of Kane County’s advanced infrastructure, fiber network, and New World Systems’ CAD, the Kane County 911 Center successfully completed the transfer to the new facility in two and a half days, August 10-13. “During the move, we ran New World’s CAD concurrently in four different locations out of a data center located in a separate building,” explained Roger Fahnestock, Executive Director of Information Technology. “With the dedicated redundant fiber ring, we had CAD running in two separate locations, two miles from the Government Complex, six miles away at neighboring Tri-Com 911 Central Dispatch, and on a mobile laptop. As we built out consoles in the new facility we would bring CAD live on them as well.” “The move would not have been as successful if we had not had New World’s CAD,” said 911 Director Jennifer Baustian. “We were most impressed with the number of locations flawlessly running CAD during the migration. Our goal in a relocation of this magnitude was to keep it completely undetectable to citizens and users, and we were able to accomplish this thanks to New World Systems and the technology we had in place.” The 911 Center moved from the basement of the old Sheriff’s Office to a building remodeled for the specific safety and functional needs of a dispatch center. Kane County’s new 911 Center offers dispatchers a safe and healthy environment with updated backup power systems. Kane County was able to save a substantial amount of money during this project by renovating an existing building instead of constructing a new one. In addition to operating in a better equipped environment, the implementation of New World’s software has drastically improved efficiency for Kane County dispatchers. “As a dispatcher, everything is time sensitive,” said Baustian. “The interoperability and ease of use of New World’s software has eliminated redundant data entry and has improved organization for our dispatchers, especially during mutual aid responses. We now have much more information available for officer safety and assistance in coordinating a faster response during an emergency than we ever had before.” Additional public safety enhancements for Kane County in the past few years have included the construction of a new Sheriff’s Office and correctional facility and the implementation of New World Systems’ Aegis/MSP CAD, Records Management, Mobile Computing and Corrections software. “We made sure to make an investment where the investment was needed without getting extravagant, which is a particularly good achievement in these times,” said Kane County Board Chair Karen McConnaughay. “We needed to physically relocate some of our facilities to make them safer and more efficient, but the integration of technology through New World’s software has really been a critical component to the long-term increased efficiency of our entire public safety organization.” Catawba County 9-1-1 Center Promotes Interoperability with PlantCML® Next-Generation Call Processing Solution (TEMECULA, Calif., October 6, 2009) – North Carolina’s Catawba County 9-1-1 Center continues to save lives and improve interoperability with the PlantCML® next-generation call processing solution, Sentinel® Patriot®, and a comprehensive suite of Managed Services. The 9-1-1 Center now has a call processing solution that enables call takers and dispatchers to utilize the latest technologies to better serve Catawba County. “Answering emergency calls from the more than 155,600 Catawba County citizens and dispatching first responders from a majority of the county’s agencies can be overwhelming, yet an outstanding opportunity for our call center,” said Jerry Boggs, communications administrator, Catawba County 9-1-1 Center. “When the opportunity arose for our center to deploy a more regionalized configuration with the Sentinel Patriot call processing solution, allowing the county to benefit from one centralized call center, we quickly determined the funding source and moved forward.” Statistics show that Catawba County 9-1-1 Center handles more than 85,000 emergency calls and 206,000 administrative calls annually. The 9-1-1 Center provides emergency and first responder dispatch services for 45 agencies and departments in Catawba County, including the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, five police departments (Catawba, Claremont, Conover, Longview and Maiden), 25 fire stations, six rescue squads, seven EMS stations and Catawba County Emergency Management. “The approach Catawba County 9-1-1 Center took when deploying the Sentinel Patriot call processing solution—taking into consideration the future direction of the 9-1-1 industry and its positive impact on the smaller, more rural areas of their county—is the next-generation approach more emergency call centers should take,” said Carlos Avila, vice president of sales, PlantCML. “Jerry [Boggs] understands the need for historically underfunded agencies to band together to implement an interoperable emergency call center.”
The Sentinel Patriot call processing solution is an IP-enabled call processing solution offering highly flexible configurations to meet the needs of small- to medium-sized call centers. It features a fully integrated PBX, improving reliability with features such as automatic hot redundancy of servers and no single point of system failure. The Sentinel Patriot solution also offers a full suite of computer telephony features: Automatic Call Distribution (ACD), Automatic Number Identification (ANI) and Automatic Location Identification (ALI). With the inclusive suite of Managed Services, Catawba County 9-1-1 Center gains round-the-clock direct and secure connectivity with PlantCML’s Service Management Center (SMC), ensuring the integrity and reliability of its solutions with the following services: These services are specifically designed to protect today’s 9-1-1 call centers from vulnerabilities. Coupled with PlantCML’s robust portfolio, the commitment to provide market-leading Managed Services demonstrates the PlantCML leadership in delivering end-to-end public safety solutions. Intergraph® Unveils Public Safety Interoperability Framework for Multi-Agency, Multi-Jurisdictional Data-Sharing to Increase Situational Awareness New framework selected as one of the APCO Conference & Expo’s Hot Products for 2009 HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Oct. 5, 2009 – Intergraph®, the world leader in public safety and security incident response management solutions, advances multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional data sharing with the introduction of its Interoperability Framework, an interoperability platform which supports industry standard information exchanges, such as the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM). The Interoperability Framework, based on Microsoft’s integration and connectivity server platform, Microsoft BizTalk® Server, is featured in Intergraph’s latest-generation computer-aided dispatch (CAD) offering, Intergraph I/CAD version 9.0. The Interoperability Framework enables public safety agencies to transfer CAD information using industry-standard formats, allowing for the easy multi-point exchange of information across software applications. At the recent International APCO Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas, Nevada, Intergraph demonstrated the Interoperability Framework supporting NIEM information exchange package documentation (IEPDs) for Amber Alerts, E9-1-1 CAD to CAD, and event notifications to an external portal. Intergraph’s Interoperability Framework was selected as one of the top 15 leading new products of the year introduced at the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International annual conference in Las Vegas in August. The 2009 Hot Products were chosen by representatives from APCO’s Editorial Advisory Committee and staff after reviewing more than 40 nominations. This is the second year that an Intergraph public safety solution has been selected for this prestigious award. Last year, the selection committee recognized Intergraph’s Business Intelligence solution for generating reports, performing ad hoc data analysis, and turning information into actionable intelligence. “In any emergency situation, the presence or absence of critical information can mean the difference between life and death,” said Chris Colyer, director, alliances & channel strategy, Worldwide Enterprise & Partner Group, Microsoft. “Today’s Interoperability Framework announcement is an excellent example of how Microsoft’s long-standing alliance with Intergraph enables the resilient, high-velocity communications networks needed to improve the response to public safety and security emergencies. Intergraph’s Interoperability Framework, based on Microsoft BizTalk®, promotes multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional data-sharing by providing a platform for interfacing with other systems to improve incident planning, response, and resolution.” “To meet the ever-increasing demands of the citizens they serve, complete interoperability is key for public safety agencies,” said John K. Graham, president, Intergraph Security, Government & Infrastructure. “Intergraph’s multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency Interoperability Framework allows public safety agencies to move information across multiple applications with ease, reducing both data errors as well as overall emergency response times.” Salt Lake City, Utah—Oct. 1, 2009—Priority Dispatch Corp. (PDC) is pleased to announce a new version of its fire dispatching line of products, training, and services. This version update includes the gold standard ProQA® dispatching software, cardset, and support products. All of the updated products and training incorporate the newly released National Academies of Emergency Dispatch® (NAED™) v5 Fire Priority Dispatch System™ (FPDS™) protocol. This protocol represents the most up-to-date, thorough, and essential fire dispatching protocol available and teamed up with PDC products and training is a huge leap forward for 9-1-1 communications centers. FPDS v5 products will ship immediately to all current FPDS Extended Service Plan users and are available to new clients. FPDS v5 protocol highlights include:
“As the Academy completed its fire protocol revisions, PDC was there to rapidly incorporate the changes into the version 5 release of cardsets, ProQA software, and training and support products,” said Jay Dornseif, PDC fire consultant. “This new version incorporates faster dispatch points, new Pre-Arrival Instructions, and new protocols with more than 40 new descriptors, allowing agencies to continue dispatching the right resources at the right time. The wait for this phenomenal product is over.” “FPDS v5 is by far the most extensive revision to our fire protocol in the last six years,” said NAED Technical Editor Benjamin H. Rose. “A huge effort has been made to speed up dispatch, increase safety, and make the protocol more user-friendly. NAED member users in 300 centers worldwide submitted more than 200 proposals for change and many of these changes represent significant improvements to this new version of the fire protocol. It’s exciting to watch as the NAED responds to changing fire standards, research, and technology, and to be part of the process that creates meaningful change for fire dispatch services and the public they serve.” For more information or to watch an online streaming demonstration of FPDS ProQA software, visit www.prioritydispatch.net or call (800) 363-9127. To learn more about the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch, visit www.emergencydispatch.org or call (800) 960-6236. Oct. 5, 2009 -- The National Academies of Emergency Dispatch ® (NAED™) announces the release of version 5 of the Fire Priority Dispatch System® (FPDS™). The release features the most thorough fire revision yet from the Academy in response to changing fire standards, research, and technology. Over 200 official Proposals for Change submissions were considered. New features and modifications in FPDS v5.0 increase the effectiveness and efficiency of call processing. It handles more types of incidents than ever before, with 25 Determinant Descriptors. The protocols added were placed in numerical sequence, rather than inserted in alphabetical order, to maintain the historical integrity of data collection Notable advances include adding a protocol to address bomb threats/suspicious packages and dividing Protocol 70 (train/rail incident) into two separate protocols. Protocol 53 (citizen assist/service call) gives agencies the opportunity to add locally defined service calls. Other highlights include:
Mark Braswell, member of the NAED Fire Standards Committee, said the revisions represent a significant amount of work, conducted over a two-year period, and incorporating Proposals for Change submitted from multiple users. The result, he said, is a fire protocol “one-step closer to perfection.” “Protocol is a living breathing animal,” said Braswell, of the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department in Houston, Texas. “We’re very happy with version 5 but this, too, will evolve along with fire standards and technology.” For more information or to watch an online streaming demonstration of FPDS ProQA software, visit www.prioritydispatch.net or call (800) 363-9127. To learn more about the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch, visit www.emergencydispatch.org or call (800) 960-6236. The FPDS is part of the growing family of emergency response protocols developed and maintained by the NAED and found in communications centers around the world for the past 30 years. Nearly 300 centers currently utilize the FPDS worldwide. Westminster, Colorado, Communications Center Upgrades to PlantCML® Next Generation Call Processing Solution (TEMECULA, Calif., October 5, 2009) – Westminster Police and Fire Communications Center, a PlantCML® customer since 1999, recently collaborated with Qwest Communications to upgrade their call processing system to PlantCML’s Sentinel® Patriot® call processing solution. With nine call taking positions servicing a city population of over 109,000, the emergency call center will benefit from this IP-enabled computer telephony integration solution. “When we started looking to upgrade our existing system, we wanted to position our communications center as a leader in next-generation 9-1-1 technology by migrating from our existing platform to one that is IP-ready,” said Karin Marquez, communications supervisor, Westminster Police and Fire Communications Center. “The flexibility of the Sentinel Patriot call processing solution and seamless integration with other applications provided us with the customized solution we were looking for.” The upgrade also included the installation of the PlantCML Management Information System (MIS) solution, Aurora™ and Managed Services. The Aurora MIS solution for call center management offers a number of features for enhancing management’s ability to gather, organize, data-mine and report on call center metrics. It includes advanced reporting options that are easily customizable to fit specific needs and ad hoc reporting capabilities. It also helps the agency analyze data, generate alerts and identify trends as incidents develop, allowing timely decision making for crisis management. PlantCML’s industry-leading Managed Services are designed to protect today’s 9-1-1 call centers from vulnerabilities. Westminster PFD Communications Center now has direct and secure connectivity with the PlantCML Service Management Center (SMC), ensuring the integrity and reliability of its solutions with virus protection, patch management and monitoring and response. “To retain Westminster Police and Fire Communications Center during their recent upgrade is a great accomplishment for PlantCML. We push ourselves to be the leader in providing integrated mission-critical call center solutions, which allows our customers to provide their communities and first responders with the highest level of public safety,” said Carlos Avila, vice president of sales, PlantCML. The Communications Center is the primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for all 9-1-1 emergency calls in the City of Westminster. In 2008, the communications center received nearly 42,000 emergency calls and more than 147,000 administrative calls. Offering a full suite of computer telephony features, including Automatic Call Distribution (ACD), Automatic Number Identification (ANI) and Automatic Location Identification (ALI), the Sentinel® Patriot® call processing solution offers flexible call handling and maximum redundancy as a robust standards-based software solution. Its ACD capabilities, including overflow handling and a variety of call management schemes, bring efficiency and balance to the communications center. The ANI/ALI functionality immediately provides call takers pertinent information, dramatically improving operational response. EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. to Highlight New Products at the APCO Canada Conference Company to demonstrate Project 25 compliant two-way radios with an optional TDMA migration solution for first responders Irving, TX – October 2, 2009 – EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: EFJI) today announced that it will highlight its award-winning ES Series of Project 25 radios and new products including the Lightning™ Control Head for the 5300 ES Series Mobile Radio at the 2009 Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Canada Annual Conference October 5-6 at the Evraz Place in Regina, Saskatchewan. “We are deploying a Project 25 compliant first responder communication system in the Yukon Territory, and our products are an excellent fit for public safety users throughout Canada,” said Michael Jalbert, president and chief executive officer of EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. “Our award-winning ES Series radios are ideal for public safety due to the second-generation Enhanced (AMBE+2) Project 25 Vocoder for superior voice quality and reduction of background noise, solid construction, and compliance with military specifications for extreme temperatures. Our new Lightning Control Head has the brightest and clearest display on the market, and can be clearly seen from anywhere in a vehicle. We recently announced a TDMA option for these radios, which will enable customers to gracefully migrate to the new standards when their systems are ready and will provide investment protection that is unmatched in the industry.” The 2009 APCO Canada Annual Conference is an educational and networking event, attended by Public Safety decision-makers and operations personnel across Canada. Cabell County E9-1-1 Chooses the PlantCML® Next Generation Call Processing Solution for New State-of-the-Art Facility (TEMECULA, Calif., September 30, 2009) – Cabell County, W. Va., E9-1-1 Communications Center is now next-generation ready with the PlantCML® VESTA® M-1 call processing solution and the MagIC™ Management Information System (MIS) solution. The installation of these industry-leading mission-critical communication platforms allows Cabell County E9-1-1 to provide superior call taking operations to the county’s citizens. “When we began planning the construction of our new, state-of-the-art communications center, we knew we wanted to begin operations on day one with the latest technologies to improve efficiency, service delivery and emergency communications capabilities—and PlantCML was able to help us do just that,” said Mike Davis, director, Cabell County E9-1-1 Communications Center. “Implementing a new call processing solution enables us to respond to 9-1-1 calls and dispatch first responders to the scene of an emergency more rapidly.” In 2008, Cabell County E9-1-1 received 301,266 administrative and 9-1-1 calls, 128,435 of which were emergency calls. Call handlers dispatched 100,202 of them for service to one or more of the four law enforcement agencies, eight fire departments and county EMS agency in Cabell County. “Cabell County E9-1-1 is a key success for PlantCML, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to work with such a progressive agency. They have taken the next step to ensure public safety with our industry-renowned VESTA M-1 solution,” said Carlos Avila, vice president of sales, PlantCML. “They have the right systems in place now and have the ability to expand their call-taking capabilities in the future.” The VESTA M-1 call processing solution is a server-based, full-featured IP/IP Hybrid PBX specifically designed for high-tech, high-volume operations. The VESTA M-1 solution combines the PlantCML proven Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) solution, VESTA®, with Nortel’s Meridian 1 PBX, providing seamlessly integrated voice and data communications. The MagIC™ MIS solution allows the user to filter call data based on agent and console activity, date and time, Automatic Number Identification (ANI), Automatic Location Identification (ALI), TTY, notes and other call-related characteristics. Filtered data can be viewed, printed, or presented in standard reports. Cabell County E9-1-1 is located in Huntington, W. Va., on the border of Kentucky and Ohio. With a population of more than 100,000 and a land mass of 288 square miles, emergency personnel in the County are responsible for a large constituency of citizens and visitors. Emergency Technologies, Inc. Appoints New Director of Software Development Raleigh, North Carolina, September 24, 2009 -- Emergency Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of Fire and EMS software solutions, proudly announces the appointment of Tim Pannell as Director of Software Development of Emergency Technologies, Inc. (ETI). As Director of Software Development, for Emergency Technologies, Inc., Mr. Pannell is responsible for the architecture and engineering of all ETI software applications and technologies. Mr. Pannell directs his team through the entire engineering process including requirements, design, research & development, testing, support, beta cycle, releases, and service packs. He is accountable to deliver and support software with the highest quality end customer experience in the industry while achieving compliance to business and technical requirements. Mr. Pannell stays abreast of latest industry practices and regularly collaborates with the Management Team on strategic planning and business direction. “Mr. Pannell brings a tremendous amount of experience and industry knowledge to ETI,” said Kyle Breischaft, President & CEO of Emergency Technologies, Inc. (ETI). Breischaft continued to say that “Mr. Pannell will complement our executive management team and will be critical asset as we execute our growth strategy.” Prior to his tenure at ETI, Mr. Pannell held the position of Program Manager and directed engineering of the ZOLL FireRMS product. He held a Senior Software Engineer/Tech Lead role at InvestLink Technologies, and a programmer position at Admit Computer Services where he managed development of the IMPACT Municipal Clerk System. Mr. Pannell studied Computer Science at the State University of New York in Stony Brook and performed multiple tasks in the US Navy as an Operations Specialist, including surveillance, dissemination of tactical combat data, electronic warfare, extraction, and search & rescue. ETI provides a comprehensive suite of public safety software solutions exclusively for medium and large Fire Departments and EMS Agencies. Visual Fire, ETI’s flagship product, is an enterprise-class Fire and EMS Records Management System (FRMS) which allows Fire Departments and EMS Agencies to automate many of their operations, including submitting required incident reports to state and federal authorities. |
