Mutualink, Sonim, Oceus deploy FirstNet-related Enhanced System on Wheels
At the recent 2014 Urban Shield preparedness exercise in Oakland, CA, Mutualink, Sonim and Oceus participated in a FirstNet-related deployment of an Enhanced System on Wheels (ESOW).
The exercise was designed to give public safety officials in northern California the opportunity to prepare for a coordinated, multi-agency, emergency response using advanced collaboration across LTE Band 14.
During the Urban Shield exercise, officials from the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC), Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), and other agencies communicated and collaborated with onsite SWAT teams during a simulated emergency incident involving a terrorist boarding a public transit vehicle. The ESOW enables all parties to share real-time video, images and voice communications using mobile phones and tablets on the scene. An ESOW provides secure local, multimedia multiparty collaboration capability between user equipment and legacy devices, such as video cameras and land mobile radios (LMRs).
Mike Sena, Director of the NCRIC, commented, "When we first explored options for interoperability between agencies, we found Mutualink was the only platform that allowed agencies to share audio, video and digital files over a secure network. We currently use the technology at various agencies within the San Francisco Bay area, and our goal is to continue the growth of the network within the region. A key feature of the system is that we can include first responders as well as other public and private entities for community-wide coordination."
“This exercise at Urban Shield is another proof-point of FirstNet’s mission for delivering nationwide broadband capability for public safety, and further evidence that the future is now when it comes to next-generation technologies for first responders and emergency personnel,” said Dr. Mike Wengrovitz, Mutualink’s vice president of innovation.
“First responders and mission-critical personnel need the ability to access relevant information quickly to help assess a situation and become more efficient in making time-critical decisions. This exercise showcases technology that addresses these needs today,” said Bob Escalle, Senior Director of Public Safety and Defense for Sonim.
