Helping Save Lives: Using Technology for Faster Emergency Responses
Solution: Netcloud Solution Package | Industry: Public Safety | Use Case: Location-Based LTE Technologies
TECH NEEDS
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATIONS REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS
RELIABLE IN-VEHICLE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY
WITHSTAND EXTREME TEMPERATURES
REAL-TIME GPS CAPABILITIES
SUPPORT MULTIPLE SIMULTANEOUS
WI-FI NETWORKS
LONG EQUIPMENT LIFECYCLE
VPN-CAPABLE + REMOTE MONITORING / MANAGEMENT
MEET THE PARTNER
COLUMBIA COUNTY FIRE RESCUE
Columbia County, Georgia is about 120 miles east of Atlanta with a population of just over 150,000. It is one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, and CCFR serves:
- The majority of the county’s 290 square miles
- Urban, suburban and rural settings
- Industry, manufacturing, businesses, residences, farmland, and wilderness
- A 40-mile stretch of Interstate 20
- Portions of the 71,000-acre Clarks Hill Lake and the Savannah River
"With the system enhancements and uptimes in the one hundredth percentile I have such peace of mind now. I sleep better at night knowing that 99.98 percent of the time the system is going to be up and functioning optimally."
Lt. Austin Reid, CCFR, Safety and Technology Administrator
PARTNER'S CHALLENGES
EQUIPMENT QUALITY
They were using consumer-grade, battery-powered mobile hotspots and GPS “pucks” to exchange critical data between the E911 center and the department’s CAD-enabled, in-field units.
MISMATCHED TECH
Over the years, in an effort to stay abreast of technology, the department had accumulated a mismatched collection of air cards, hotspots, and internal broadband laptops.
SOUTHERN HEAT
During the summer months, temperatures in Georgia can regularly top 100 degrees, and the extreme heat would disrupt hotspot reliability causing downtime with the units’ mobile data computers (MDCs). The hotspot batteries would swell and MDCs often required multiple reboots per shift.
- In 2018, CCFR received nearly 6,400 Emergency calls.
- Fire testing conducted by UL has found a home with mostly synthetic-based furnishings can be entirely engulfed in less than 4 minutes.
- If CCFR’s new communication technology allowed them to respond 30 seconds faster per call, Columbia county residents would get emergency help 3,200 minutes sooner over the course of a year.
IMPACTFUL RESULTS
TIME-SAVING REMOTE MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE CLOUD
The department’s IT administrator now has the ability to remotely manage and monitor all 29 CCFR units in real-time with customer-defined alerts for temperature thresholds and connection status.
BONUS: CCFR’s IT Administrator is now proactively notified of potential concerns before the crews in the field are aware.
IMPROVED INTERNET CONNECTIVITY, GPS RELIABILITY, AND UPTIME
Since RCN Technologies deployed Cradlepoint, CCFR has realized significantly improved uptimes. Device-health reports show the system with an overall availability average of 99.98%. GPS reliability has dramatically improved, leading to enhanced unit-tracking accuracy and allowing the department’s E911 center to send the closest available vehicles to local emergencies with confidence and precision.
IMPACT: How many lives and homes will be saved with faster responses?
IMPROVED INTERNET CONNECTIVITY, GPS RELIABILITY, AND UPTIME
Since RCN Technologies deployed Cradlepoint, CCFR has realized significantly improved uptimes. Device-health reports show the system with an overall availability average of 99.98%. GPS reliability has dramatically improved, leading to enhanced unit-tracking accuracy and allowing the department’s E911 center to send the closest available vehicles to local emergencies with confidence and precision.
IMPACT: How many lives and homes will be saved with faster responses?
"The reliability gains and the capability to manage all of our units remotely through the NetCloud app have led to tremendous effiviency improvements, and that's freed me up to focus on other projects and handle other responsibilities."
Lt. Austin Reid, CCFR, Safety and Technology Administrator
SOLUTION
Following a comprehensive, year-long pilot project, RCN Technologies integrated 28 additional Cradlepoint IBR900 routers to CCFR’s fleet.
The IBR900 is a rugged LTE networking router that delivers persistent connectivity across a wide range of in-vehicle applications:
- Available gigait-class LTE Advanced Pro Modem
- Second modem and an optional Extensibility Dock available with Cradlepoint’s platform extensibility
- Active GPS for easy integration into CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch)
- Wave 2 dual-band-concurrent gigabit WiFi for multiple device connectivity
RCN Technologies Can Help with Wireless Solutions
RCN Technologies has spent years developing a user friendly experience that has the right product priced value engineering for your business. Our goal is to keep our solutions simple for your business needs. We work with you to make sure that your business has the right products to keep you ready for tomorrow. Call 865.293.0350 today to see what we can do for you!
Have a question or want more information? Complete the form below to get in touch with a Qualified Sales Representative!
Join the Tribe. Get the Guide.
Our I.T. Insider’s Guide is a practical newsletter for subscribers with valuable tips and resources, important news, real company success stories, special offers, and more. You can get all this for free by joining our tribe below.
