- San Diego Police Department Builds Regional Emergency Services Network
- princeton, nj-The SkyScraper Emergency Services Network (ESN) solution from Triveni Digital, a subsidiary of LG Electronics, is being used by the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) within its new Regional Emergency Services Network (RESN). The network, established in partnership with public TV broadcaster KPBS, will enable more flexible training across San Diego's police departments and offer a low-cost distribution system for readily accessible emergency information to a broad range of agencies during large-scale disasters.
A screenshot of the Triveni Digital SkyScraper ESN solution.
"The Triveni Digital SkyScraper ESN solution, the basis of our RESN, leverages existing infrastructures at our facilities and at KPBS to deliver valuable training and emergency information to regional agencies," said Officer Sandi Lehan, special projects manager with the SDPD. "Because it's a cost-effective, easy-to-access system, we feel RESN is a very good fit for this region."
The RESN will complement the interoperable "Command Control Communications" (3Cs) microwave-communications-based emergency response initiative under development by the SDPD, San Diego Sheriff's Department, California Fire (formerly California Department of Forestry), and San Diego Fire-Rescue. Once the RESN is in place, local agencies unable to tie into the regional 3Cs network-whether for financial, logistical, or other reasons-can still gain access to critical emergency information on demand via data broadcasting transmitted from SDPD offices. In emergency situations, outside agencies coming in to assist will also have access to RESN briefings and video from their command posts using fully equipped "suitcases" provided by the SDPD.
Additionally, RESN will play a key role in police training by allowing officers to download specific training via video on demand. With this on-site training capability, SDPD stations can avoid jumping squads or changing officers' hours for the sake of standardized regional training. With flexible access to training from specific police stations, or even other emergency response agencies, officers can prepare themselves for work in the field with those groups.
Information distributed via the SkyScraper ESN-based system may include emergency alerts, information bulletins, Homeland Security threat information, video from the scene, and event and shift assignment calendars, along with a library containing training materials such as video presentations, audio recordings, slideshows, documents, and any other type of digital content. This information is broadcast to SDPD sites in the form of files, and stored on-site for instant display and access as needed. The system supports broadcast of live video and playout of stored videos from playlists in digital signage style. Users access all this information via a TV-style remote control or wireless keyboard and mouse.
"San Diego has been singled out as a leader in developing interoperable emergency communications capability, and we're pleased to be working with the SDPD to enhance this capability using resources already in place," said Ralph Bachofen, director of product management and marketing, Triveni Digital. "The Department has demonstrated a practical and comprehensive approach to emergency response, and SkyScraper ESN suits this strategy by giving geographically distributed users fast and simple access to the information they need, when they need it."
