Transitioning from one standard to another can be a timely and expensive process for any industry that has come to rely on a critical piece of technology. This is the same for Land Mobile Radio (LMR) and its use within Public Safety institutions such as Police, Fire, EMS and others within North America. Legacy systems that have worked well for so long are normally met with the classic assertion, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. When the difference between “Shoot” and “Don’t shoot!” has such dire implications, public safety decision-makers want to rely fully on their equipment’s ability to get that message across clearly, within the appropriate response time. The above example helps explain LMR’s ability to dominate the Public Safety Command and Control space, as it has a long, clear history of ensuring that in times of emergency, the right message is dispersed and clear enough to the boots on the ground. Much has changed since the adoption of LMR which will allow dispatchers to have access to more relevant information in an emergency situation. With all this in mind, it is critical for agencies to constantly look forward to the future and prepare for the possible (R)evolution that may change the landscape of Public Safety software and communications. This revolution is coming for all, if not already here for some. The inflection point is undeniable, deployments require more information to make the appropriate call, Public Safety / mission critical grade software such as Enlite™ is here to assist!
BRIDGING LMR TO LTE
It cannot be overstated the importance that relevant data can have on an emergency situation such as a forest fire, robbery or ongoing terrorism event. While LMR has allowed for important information to be shared exclusively over voice communication to a dispatch deployment, agencies are starting to understand the benefit that data-enabled systems can have in the control room. An example of this can be the dispatcher’s ability to track an ongoing emergency through tools such as advanced AI social media monitoring, live feed cameras and gunshot tracking software. In order for dispatch deployments to fully utilize this relatively available information, they must be able to rely on their legacy system components while embracing their data-enabled present and future. This is where public safety software such as the InterTalk Enlite™ dispatch console can assist.
This public-safety grade radio and telephone dispatch console system empowers dispatchers by bridging traditional radio (LMR), digital radio protocols (DMR, P25) and telephone call-taking capabilities to their fingertips. With a growing wealth of available data integrations such as social media, mapping, weather, and video, the right information is always available. Enlite enables you to coordinate radio and telephony communication and enhance situational awareness from wherever the action takes you – from your desk to the field, ensuring operational continuity.
The industry is at a crossroads in the supporting technology that allows for its function. When deciding on possible options for your next dispatch deployment, it is critical to seek out options that can provide the features that are needed now, while also allowing for an evergreen approach to the future. Perhaps your deployment would benefit from the mobility that a hosted, cloud-networked option could provide, or a hybrid deployment that merges the best of on-premise and hosted options together. The options available for public safety software have likely expanded since the last time you updated your command center. Is it time to consider all possibilities?
EXPANDING YOUR REACH TO SOLVE REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS
The last three years have brought many challenges to our way of life, both personally and professionally. In the mission critical dispatch world, one such challenge has come in the form of maintaining and training sufficient staff. These issues can be minimized by choosing public safety software that can allow for the mobility the modern world demands. SaaS-based public safety software has the ability to run on anything such as a mobile phone, tablet, laptop or desktop workstation from anywhere in the world. SaaS software such as Enlite could allow your PSAP locational flexibility.
FOCUSED TO FILTER THE “NOISE”
Dispatchers need access to timely, reliable situational information, yet they can be overwhelmed with too much information from too many sources. While considering public safety software, the layout should be fully configurable (even in real-time) based on situational requirements. Dispatchers should be able to use screens to display the combination of information sources in the layout most advantageous to help them with the specific areas and activities they are focused on. While using radio and telephony core tools, users should be able to utilize internet-based web applications directly in the console environment such as meteorology platforms, weather maps, IP-based cameras, and more.
NATIVE INTEGRATION
Your public safety software of choice should be able to natively integrate existing digital radio protocols such as DMR, TRBO and P25 in conjunction with telephone dispatching with connections to VoIP or analog-based telephone infrastructures.
BE SECURE
When lives are on the line, ensuring your deployment is secure and not open to outside attacks is crucial. Public safety software should adhere to the latest encryption guidelines from NIST and OWASP for securing real-time communications over the public Internet and for storing sensitive data at rest utilizing encrypted VPN links.
CONCLUSION
Expectations and requirements in the critical communications and public safety worlds are rapidly changing. . SaaS products such as Enlite, have the ability to bridge LMR with data-enabled broadband / 5G applications ensuring your deployment grows with the quickly changing world of mission-critical communications.
Thinking about upgrading your dispatch deployment? Ensure InterTalk Enlite is on your list of systems to investigate moving forward!
