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The Challenge
Up-to-date maps are needed by crews to provide the most efficient emergency response. Engine and emergency vehicle crews must be able to obtain updates for their in-cab MCTs at any time without impacting crews 'always ready' response to life-safety emergencies.
Crews needed to load data onto their MCTs without physically removing the computers from their in-cab lockdowns.
Management was scrutinizing overhead costs for operating the department IT systems and needed to identify cost-savings opportunities.
The Case
SDDPC had the solution. SDDPC had recently completed research and planning for deploying a state-of-the-art unlicensed wireless network within the City in response to a number of City requests for enhanced mobile computing capabilities. All Fire-Rescue Department locations were already wired with high-speed data connections, and the latest wireless LAN technology was a perfect fit for extending the department's data network from its Fire Stations to its trucks and emergency vehicles, with only minor changes needed to the department's MCTs.
After reviewing SDDPC's proposal to architect and install a wireless network that met its requirements, the City Fire-Rescue Department approved the project and agreed to be the first City department user of this technology deployment in the City.
SDDPC worked closely with Fire-Rescue Department technicians and senior management to ensure all requirements were met for a 'soup-to-nuts' wireless LAN implementation. Activities included:
• Planning and scheduling the project
• Procuring and installing all equipment
• Configuring the network
• Testing and training
• Deploying the network to production operational status
SDDPC installed wireless access points at 55 Fire-Rescue Department locations around the City. The access points interface to the existing wired network switch for message transport across the City LAN or WAN. During this time, SDDPC installed and configured redundant network controllers that provided message switching, encryption/decryption, user authentication, and access control functionality to MCTs communicating with the access points. The controllers are centrally located and managed in SDDPC's 24/7 data center.
Following installation, SDDPC engineers and technicians worked closely with Fire-Rescue Department personnel in the field to test the wireless connectivity and tune the network. The system is now ready to provide production support to Fire crews, speeding up downloading of maps and potentially saving lives by getting fire/emergency crews to the scene quickly.
SDDPC has the data networking technology expertise to design, develop, deploy and support state-of-the-art applications like the Fire-Rescue Department wireless LAN.
The network infrastructure has been designed to allow additional access points to be added, supporting multiple City departments in the future. The wireless LAN solution is ideal for:
• Departments with field personnel who collect information in the field and who now are required to physically connect their field computers to the network for data upload and download.
• Departments that need to quickly and effectively obtain up-to-date information from network-resident shared data sources on their mobile computers in the field.
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