RiskUKSeptember2017

Risk in Action
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue
Service deploys Panasonic tablets
to assist front line firefighters
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is
“transforming” working life for its
firefighters on the front line by equipping
them with Panasonic’s rugged Toughpad
tablets such that they can access vital
information during emergency episodes.
The Fire and Rescue Service is deploying
13-inch Panasonic Toughbook CF-D1 tablets
in the front cabs of its fire appliances. These
Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) are
permanently mounted in the front of the
vehicle and connected to the existing Tetra
Network. They will be used for providing vital
information on the way to a call-out, such as
sending status updates to Command and
Control, outlining risk assessment
requirements, vehicle safety data, safety
data on any chemicals stored on site and
details about the occupancy of premises and
nearby hydrant locations.
Smaller and lighter 10-inch Panasonic FZ-
G1 Toughpad tablets are being installed in
the back of the appliances for use by
firefighters inside and outside of the vehicle
when at the scene of an emergency. These
devices will be used day-to-day for the asset
management of equipment and inventory
and, in the future, for providing valuable
emergency information on site, such as
vehicle crash rescue data, as well as for
regular community duties (ie home fire
safety surveys and hydrant inspections).
John Barlow is responsible for
modernising Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue
Service’s front line communications devices.
“We’re investing to change all the existing
MDTs to a more agile device so as to allow
the crews to work more efficiently and
smartly,” explained Barlow. “The Panasonic
devices are ideal for all of the conditions in
which we work. We can read the devices in
bright sunlight and they’re built to be used
outside and in wet conditions without any
problems for our personnel.”
University of Dundee’s management
calls for assistance from Aiphone
Highly visible emergency Call Point pedestals are
being installed throughout the University of
Dundee’s campus as part of a comprehensive
range of measures configued to ensure a rapid
response to any emergency incidents.
The bespoke-designed pedestals have been
manufactured specifically for the University of
Dundee by Aiphone. They incorporate the
company’s IX IP intercom stations which enable
students and staff to instantly communicate with
security personnel within the University of
Dundee’s Control Room if they see any suspicious
activity or feel unsafe.
Aiphone’s IX intercom system features Power
over Ethernet which has minimised installation time and costs as there was no
need to provide separate power supplies for each pedestal.
Scottish Communication, one of the UK’s leading independent
communication equipment specialists, was awarded the contract to install the
emergency Call Points. The intercom stations were commissioned by
connecting them to the University of Dundee’s network infrastructure.
Each of the 1600 mm x 200 mm x 200 mm custom-built pedestals
incorporates a flush-mounted IX intercom station equipped with a large red call
button. This has two outputs to simultaneously trigger an emergency call and
to activate an external video surveillance camera.
The first phase of the project sees five emergency Call Point pedestals
deployed at carefully selected central and remote campus locations.
Managers at the University of Dundee are currently evaluating in some detail
the potential benefits of using the emergency Call Points at additional
locations (such as car parks, for example).
WPS’ ParkAdvance helps ease
the customer journey at major
Heathrow Airport hotel
WPS, the parking systems and
management specialist, has installed its
ParkAdvance Pay-on-Foot parking
technology at a major Heathrow Airport
hotel near Terminal 4 to help in delivering
the ultimate guest security experience.
The system is being used to control
access at the hotel’s guest car park (comprising more than 200 parking spaces)
and its two staff car parks. It accommodates ‘traditional’ payments (by visitors
at a pay station), web-enabled validation (at the hotel’s reception, concierge
desk, restaurant and gym) and employee ID cards.
ParkAdvance terminals employ contactless payment technology, while the
barriers are used in conjunction with ANPR to enable employees to quickly
enter the main car park before reaching the staff car park.
The hotel attracts both leisure and corporate guests, who stay from 30
minutes up to any number of weeks, and the hotel wanted the parking
experience to be positive. “We sought an intuitive, self-service payment system
combined with automatic barriers that would provide guests with a modern,
hassle-free experience,” stated a hotel spokesperson. “In what was a
competitive tender, ParkAdvance was chosen on the basis of the system’s
renowned reliability, the extensive expertise of the WPS engineering and
installation team members and the company’s after-sales proposition.”
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