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Get SupportA High-Tech Solution to On-Site Communications
In an emergency, seconds count, and sharing information between response teams is critical. Although fire, police, and ambulance services often are on site to perform specific tasks, they also need to stay informed on the progress of the overall situation.
In many situations, communication between teams at local sites relies on low-tech solutions. With the help of tablet PCs and peer-to-peer networking software, however, the Phoenix Fire Department achieved a hi-tech solution to on-site communications.
The City of Phoenix has one of the busiest fire departments in the United States. In 2002, the Phoenix Fire Department responded to a total of 133,519 calls: 16,339 fire calls, 104,635 medical calls, 11,177 miscellaneous calls; and 500+ special operations calls. To handle the volume, Phoenix has 49 fire stations, 54 active engine companies, 13 ladder companies, and 29 rescue vehicles.
When an incident occurs, central command supplies emergency responders in the field with data, which they also gather from portable computer systems on board the trucks. Data includes what is known of the incident, the buildings or area involved, and any additional information that may be required, such as data regarding the presence of hazardous materials.
In the field, response teams commonly share this information via hand written notes, voice commands, computer disk exchange, and dry erase whiteboards. This makes sharing the same rich data available on the trucks with team members and across emergency response teams next to impossible. Rich data, such as builds schematics, can be shared with others only in person, and once the officers leave to supervise their command, the options to update or disseminate changes are limited. Further, communicating with numerous parties via voice commands requires one-to-one conversations with little opportunity to clarify confusing instructions.
To add to this predicament, the coordination among various detachments or departments at the site leaves little opportunity to share rich data with all emergency response teams. The lack of common computer infrastructure for data exchange or communications also can lead to delays.
These were some of the challenges that the Phoenix Fire Department sought to address through the application of on-site technology.
A Mobile Solution
In May 2003, the Phoenix Fire Department purchased Motion computing tablet PC's from Gateway Computers. These devices were issued to field officers to test how to better capture and transfer data, and coordinate people in the field. Each tablet computer was equipped with an 802.11b short-range wireless radio and Colligo Networks' instant networking software.
The department chose the tablet PC as a pilot device because it permits input via a digitized pen; that is, a user is able to write directly on the screen to create handwritten notes. The Microsoft XP tablet edition operating system can then either transcribe this handwriting into text or leave it as handwriting. This input method contains the immediate advantage of allowing an officer to carry the computer in one-hand while writing with the other, a task that is nearly impossible with a traditional keyboard input. The pen input also lends itself to drawing or sketching in a more natural fashion. Lastly, the operating system, along with standard Microsoft software, permits drawing directly upon files such as photos or digital schematics.
While the tablet PCs allow emergency response teams to share rich data in one-on-one conversations, the devices alone do not help teams communicate and share information across a common infrastructure. The Phoenix Fire Department added Colligo Networks' Workgroup Edition software to the Tablet PCs to support the creation of ad hoc, peer-to-peer wireless networks in the field.
The software accomplishes this by creating secure, local area networks using the Tablet PCs built-in 802.11b radio. The advantage to responders is that no other infrastructure is required. Rather, each computer communicates directly with the computers around it. This approach differs from other collaborative solutions in that no infrastructure, servers, or Internet connectivity are required.
Today, individual response members at the site of an emergency can communicate with others by sending instant messages and electronic files, holding group chat sessions including digital whiteboards, and where available, sharing a wide-area wireless connection to enable Internet connectivity for all users. Wide area wireless Internet connectivity is typically created on one device using a standard cellular Internet provider like Verizon or AT&T, and then shared locally using the short range wireless radios and software. By sharing a single Internet connection with other responders in the field, all groups can create virtual private network (VPN) tunnels to central command or other important data sources that they may need to access.
The device, combined with the instant networking software, allows all officers in the field to network together during an incident. The tablet PC's support a natural style of input, allowing responders to annotate or communicate on the go. Using the wireless networking software, they could then send messages to one another and transfer data such as digital photos. Because the 802.11b radios have a maximum range of approximately 300 feet, officers do not need to be in the immediate vicinity of each other or have line of site between the tablet PCs in order to communicate.
Training
The tablet PCs' pen input model significantly reduces the amount of training time, "Everyone understands the use of a pen to create notes on paper. The tablet PCs simply exchange physical paper for digital paper," explains Theron Kelso, lead IT specialist at the Phoenix Fire Department. "Outside of that, it's a regular PC with all the standard bells and whistles.'
The networking software also proved easy to learn. "The software's automatic network creation and intuitive interface have allowed emergency responders to use the software with little to no training," Kelso reports.
The most significant area of study, he points out, is learning how this new technology can be applied to emergency situations.
Experience to Date
As an example of the technology's impact, Kelso points to a recent large-scale chlorine leak at a chemical company in Glendale, Ariz. "Given the magnitude of the potential threat, both police and fire services were involved in coordinating our response," Kelso explains.
The tablet PCs were used to mark areas designated for evacuation, to track the path of the chlorine cloud, and to input updates throughout the incident. All this information was then immediately disseminated to team members using the software.
"As an application service specialist, the best part of this example was that I had not formally trained the responders on the technology, and as everything worked without incident, did not hear about its success until weeks later!" Kelso exclaims. "In Glendale... fire and police worked together, and the sharing of vital and time-critical information went smoothly," he adds.
With networking software on the tablet PCs, firefighters could draw on GIS maps in the departments system, plot emergency strategies, and wirelessly transfer data to other on-site officials.
Utilizing the Internet connection sharing capabilities to share a wide area wireless connection, field officers were able to create a data link between the incident team and central command.
The Future
Urban Search and Rescue Teams such as those assembled to respond to emergencies like the NYC Trade Center and Oklahoma City bombings are now evaluating this solution for deployment. In these situations, teams are rapidly formed from multiple jurisdictions that often use incompatible systems. Wireless local area networking permits these systems to "glue" together, allowing many separate teams to communicate critical data in the field.
"To some degree, we are only currently limited by imagination and time," Kelso notes. "There are many areas where responders in the field come from different detachments, departments, or service groups. Having the ability to tie them together for these moments of interaction is very powerful. I believe that over time, the application areas for technology such as this will only continue to grow."
Originally printed in Mission Critical Communications, April 2004