East Harris County Emergency Communication Center Relies on Telex Console Management System

Efficient CMS makes it easier to update and modify alias IDs for the radios in real time.

Located in Channelview on the east side of Houston, Texas, the East Harris County Emergency Communications Center (ECOM) provides regional call handling and dispatch for Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services agencies throughout the county. The third-largest call center in Harris County, they now handle 60,000 calls a year with the help of the Telex Console Management System (CMS). 

 “We have six consoles at our location and another six at our other site,” explains Joshua Sparks, communications director with ECOM. “I’ve been using Telex products for as long as I can remember. As a matter of fact, I collaborated with them on this very product. I had been looking for something like this for the last ten years. They listened and delivered. We couldn’t be happier with the system.” 

Hosted on a centralized web server, the Telex CMS gives system administrators and users a greatly improved configuration, management and operational experience – all while adding enhanced security to their dispatch system. 

“Life is so much easier when everything can be coordinated from one spot,” adds Sparks. “We can update alias IDs for the radios in real-time and add/modify IDs in the console just as quickly. It’s a tremendous time-saver and extremely efficient.” 

Sparks continues, “When the system was in beta, I had the opportunity to not only put it through its paces but also make suggestions for features that would make the system as efficient as possible for the industry. Ease-of-use and real-time updates make a huge difference when dealing with emergency services.”

The Telex CMS includes CryptoSync management, contact management, console design management, an IoT gateway (MQTT) and a packet forwarder. The user can manage system modules remotely via a web server, while the centralized platform offers expanded functionality with simplicity and security. The single-point configuration creates a seamless user experience, while security is enhanced with individual login, encryption and embedded software licensing. High-availability failover and database redundancy complete the package. 

In addition to their successful implementation of CMS, ECOM is also testing the new Remote Dispatch Client (RDC) from Telex: “It’s a secure app that allows users to use their cell phones as remote consoles and ties directly into the radio system,” explains Sparks. “For example, the fire chief wanted to listen to our radio channels while away from the office, so I loaded the app on his phone and assigned the channels he wanted. He could talk or listen from anywhere with an internet connection – he was in Mexico. It worked great. These products are game changers for us.”