Chicomm Blog

Making your community a safer place is often the top priority for those in public safety. You feel a sense of personal and professional responsibility for those that live in your city, and you take your job of protecting and serving them very seriously.

Wireless cameras essentially allow a person who is walking alone at night in a dangerous area, to not be truly alone. These cameras can be viewed remotely and police officers or other public safety officials can keep “an eye in the sky” for any potential threats, therefore making them more proactive. If you are looking to improve public safety and have your city remain vigilant, here is quick overview of wireless camera technology.

In most cases, organizations rely on wireless technology to improve things like efficiency or communication. While these things are important to a business, they are actually mission-critical to those in public safety - meaning the difference between life and death.

The public relies on police and fire departments to be there when they need them. They lean on these agencies in the case of an emergency, and in everyday life. In order to best be prepared to be there for their communities, decision makers often employ various wireless technologies like two-way radios and develop intuitive dispatch centers to improve response times. 

Over time, the technologies available to those in public safety evolve in order to best meet their needs. As decision maker, it is important to stay on top of these trends to ensure your agency is always equipped and prepared with the latest technology (which is vital in mission critical communications). 

From college campuses to K-12 classrooms, schools across the country are tasked with improving student safety and staff communication, especially in the wake of an emergency or violent situation. However, a limited budget can make these improvements seem daunting (or even impossible) for administrations to make.

Before we dive in and explore some various communications solutions for schools, here are a few insights courtesy of Motorola Solutions to help you visualize this issue.

We live and work in an era that will most likely go down as a time where we all became more connected than ever. Think about it – smartphones, tablets, and computers have completely changed the way in which we communicate with each other. Not only do we personally benefit from the ability to connect with friends and family across the globe in a matter of seconds, but we all benefit professionally, as well.

Business-critical communications have evolved over the years and are now at the point that mobile workers can connect with others regardless of their physical location or even their network. This improves the efficiency and accuracy of our work.

The technology is readily available for organizations to adopt, however, corporate infrastructure and IT spending is constantly under pressure. So, the challenge for decision makers is no longer “how do we connect our employees?” – the challenge is now “how do we most effectively and affordably connect our employees?”

Your community depends on you. Sure, this may sound a bit dramatic at times, but the truth is that for those who work in the public safety sector or public works, this dependence is a very real thing – especially when an emergency arises.

Power outages, severe weather alerts, or even an issue with the water supply are considered community-sensitive events – meaning they impact an entire population at the same time. When these events occur, it is absolutely vital for those responsible for keeping the public safe or remedying the issue that they stay in constant contact, and their communications are dependable (regardless of the environment).

Your company or organization is dynamic and it shows in your communication needs. You have many moving parts that need a means of communicating with one another. Not only is your team constantly changing and growing, but it is also mobile and actively moving.

If this sounds like your company or group, then your team may benefit from motorola mobile radios. The tough design and easy to use interface makes communicating across large spans of land a reality, allowing efficiency to exist beyond boundaries. If your mobile teams’ communication is currently restricted, you'll find that two-way radios may prove to be a great option to restore a much needed sense of productivity.

Motorola MotoTrbo mobile radios can be easily attached to the dashboard of any vehicle, instantly expanding the range of communication for your group. Despite always being on the move, your mobile teams will still be connected and in the loop.

It seems that most organizations have at least some degree of emergency preparedness ready to go. This can include an evacuation plan, alarm systems, or a detailed list of who is responsible for what. As the very nature of an emergency is that it is unexpected or unplanned, how you respond to it needs to be based off of a clear and effective plan. This all starts with being prepared.

One of the most common emergencies that can impact any and all industries, is a weather emergency. You know the kind: storms, hurricanes, high winds, blizzards, fog, etc. All of these natural events can cause delays and safety issues to some extent, and they can all impact you in a major way.

Using a digital two-way radio is pretty start forward. You go the the docking station and grab a handset. From there you turn it on and make sure that you’re on the right channel to begin or join a conversation. After double checking the volume and receiving a message, you hold the Push to Talk Button while you share your response.

The first time that you used a two-way radio, you probably didn’t need detailed instructions to operate the device. Although using this system is simple and doesn’t require any technical training, understanding the science behind the technology is slightly more intricate.

Radio Frequency

If you have a fear of technology, your worst nightmare may be coming to fruition sooner than you may have hoped thanks to the Internet of Things. Although this major up and coming telecommunication advancement raises questions about artificial intelligence, it is expected to improve efficiency across all sectors of business and matters of personal life.

What Is the Internet of Things?

The Internet of Things (IoT) will use wireless networks to connect most devices, particularly those that collect data that can be shared. These items act as sensors, detecting activity that can be transmitted to other devices in the network. For example, your smartphone will communicate with your coffee maker, your car with your smart watch, and even your laptop with your refrigerator. 

The future of 9-1-1 communications is changing. The things that worked in the past have been sufficient but thanks to innovation and technology, there are now new opportunities to enhance the dynamic between the person reporting a public safety incident and the responder mediating the conversation. Cell phones and wireless connectivity are shaping up to be great contributors to the next generation of 9-1-1 operations.

While it may not be extremely evident yet, the incorporation of these new technologies in 9-1-1 responding has been evolving as peoples’ wireless usage changes. Next Generation 911 (NG911), will be a primary contributor to the new landscape of emergency reporting and response. Next Generation 9-1-1 pushes for the incorporation of wireless communication solutions to enhance public safety operations.