BAPCO 2014: Emergency notification technology introduced to UK
Developed by Airbus Defence and Space in the US, the Reverse 911 software has an established track record for enabling public safety responders to communicate rapidly and securely with large numbers of people in the event of an emergency incident such as a terrorist incident, widespread flooding or major disaster.
Also used during the Hurricane Katrina disaster and the wildfires of California, Reverse 911 distributes accurate event specific intelligence to relevant people in a locality including community members and multiple agencies. It can deliver voice and or text messages via every possible device, including landline/mobile phone, pager, Blackberry, hand-held radio, fax and email. It also enables authorities to send out daily notices/reports 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, business development manager for Airbus Defence and Space at this year’s BAPCO conference and exhibition in Manchester this week.
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 effectively in the UK for to ensure the public are informed in real time of a disaster and kept up to date with relevant information that could have the potential to save lives and keep communities safe.
She will be using a fictitious scenario centred on a terrorist attack that occurs in a remote location – with events rapidly unfolding and challenging the emergency service response to the hilt.
“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,” explained Ms Rice.
“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, with solutions founded on the principles of systems integration, designed with interoperability at the core, enabling the right information to get to the right people the first time.
One capability currently in service and also being showcased is SAFEcommand – a powerful integrated software solution for Public Safety organisations. It provides data management to enable frontline personnel to rapidly access up-to-date and accurate information for operational needs, the effective deployment of Command and Control to mobile resources, and digital seamless mapping for the entire operational area including location of risk premises, incidents, command and control critical locations and tracking of mobile resources.
Its comprehensive GIS (Geo information systems) data, resilient mobile communications and national Managed Services capability, makes Airbus Defence and Space an ideal partner for Public Safety projects and Homeland Security operations.
