An emergency notification system as used in the US to alert public safety responders during the Hudson River aircraft rescue is being showcased by Airbus Defence and Space to a UK audience at the BAPCO conference.
Developed by Airbus Defence and Space, in the US, the Reverse 911 software is for public safety responders to communicate with large numbers in the event of an emergency incident such as a terrorist incident, widespread flooding or other disaster.
Also used during the Hurricane Katrina disaster and the wildfires of California, Reverse 911 distributes event specific intelligence to relevant people in a locality including community members and multiple agencies. It can deliver voice and or text messages via devices including landline/mobile phone, pager, Blackberry, hand-held radio, fax and email. It also enables authorities to send out daily notices to communities and an automatic acknowledgement of the message is sent back once it’s received.
The potential to introduce the technology into the UK will be discussed during a workshop presentation by Eleanor Rice, pictured, Business Development Manager for Airbus Defence and Space at this year’s BAPCO conference and exhibition in Manchester.
Ms Rice will address an audience of public safety responders on the final day of the conference to outline how Reverse 911 could be used in the UK.
She will be using a fictitious scenario centred on a terrorist attack that occurs in a remote location – with events unfolding and challenging the emergency service response. She said: “The increasingly complex and unpredictable nature of today’s emergency incidents such as natural disasters or terrorist attacks means that public safety responders are required to communicate with communities and each other in ‘real’ time. Reverse 911 technology has the potential to transform the way police and other authorities respond to an emergency incident in a way we have not seen before in the UK.”
Globally, Airbus Defence and Space provides over 280 mission critical voice and data communications networks in over 74 countries for public safety, government and transport users. The company has delivered more than 3,000 control rooms.
One capability in service and also being showcased is SAFEcommand – integrated software for public safety use. It provides data management to enable frontline personnel to access information for operational needs, the deployment of Command and Control to mobile resources, and digital mapping for the entire operational area including location of risk premises, incidents, command and control critical locations and tracking of mobile resources.
What is claimed to be the smallest fully-featured Tetra handset in the world, the TH1n from Airbus Defence and Space, is being launched in the UK at the BAPCO conference. Over the last 12 months, the radio has gone through the formal evaluation process with CESG, the UK government’s national technical authority for information assurance. It has also undergone conformance tests by Airwave for its suitability to operate on the Airwave nationwide Tetra network, used by all emergency services organisations and other Airwave sharers.
The TH1n is small enough to be slipped into a pocket, attached to a belt, or carried in a handbag. It has the makers say appeal for those wearing light uniforms or in business clothing – black tie, even – because it can be carried discreetly. The TH1n also comes with features such as ‘Where are you?, which tells users through graphical information displayed on the handset how far away their closest colleagues are – in terms of distance and direction – without consuming traffic units.
The TH1n will be available through the National Airwave Framework Agreement. This multi-supplier framework is sponsored by the Metropolitan Police and is open for use by public sector bodies using the Airwave service via the Bluelight portal. The framework allows customers to benefit from the convenience, choice and value for money derived from purchasing goods and services through a single, pre-competed national framework.
According to Colin Paynter, CEO for Airbus Defence and Space UK: “Our investment in accrediting this handset is indicative of our commitment to delivering Emergency Services Network communications in the UK now, and in the future.”
About Airbus Defence and Space
Airbus Defence and Space is a division of Airbus Group formed by combining the business activities of Cassidian, Astrium and Airbus Military.
