"This is a must-have service ... we must have interoperability among radio communications systems for all police, law enforcement, fire and government agencies," said Dallas First Assistant Chief of Police David Brown. "This is a potentially life-saving technology."
The service being used in Dallas leverages CoCo Communications' software protocol which rides on top of existing network infrastructures. The protocol dramatically extends the return on investment in legacy devices and networks, said the company in a release, while eliminating communication breakdowns created by systems that simply do not 'talk' with each other because of differing frequencies or operating systems. This makes two-way radios compatible with other radios and commonly deployed devices including cellular phones, laptops and PDAs by creating a common interface that can be shared by all available resources. The result is a comprehensive, secure interoperable network that is easy and affordable to implement and expand as needed.
"It is important that I have ability to communicate not only with my firefighters but also with other agencies -- we are the first line of defense when it comes to manmade and natural disasters," said Dallas Fire Chief Eddie Burns Sr. "Having the capability to communicate with other cities, departments and agencies will enhance the capabilities of all first responders."
Police officers, firefighters and aviation department personnel can also securely access the service from end-user device interfaces, such as laptops or PDAs, with the ability to view video feeds and a customized information "ticker". The service integrates with wireless carriers, extending access to the service and enabling mobile devices to communicate voice, video or data across the network. The result is that users are able to converse with their colleagues as well as other federal, state and local agencies on the network to share critical information during emergency situations or for normal day-to-day activities.
"With today's increased focus on airport security and emergency preparedness, it is invaluable to have the kind of coordinated communications system that we now benefit from at Dallas Love Field," said Terry Mitchell, assistant director of aviation for the city of Dallas. "We are fortunate to be one of the first users of the service and proud that, in the field of emergency communications, Dallas is once again assuming a leadership role."
