INNOVATION
New technology can improve public-safety communication
Wisconsin Public Television and its partners recently tested new digital TV technology that has the potential to help protect the lives of emergency victims and responders through improved communication. Photo by Jim Gill
A fire officer arrives at the scene of a fire and transmits live video to other emergency responders in vehicles en route so they can be better prepared when they arrive on this scene. Systems to support this kind of improved response to emergencies were demonstrated in October by Wisconsin Public Television (WPT).
Promising new technology
WPT coordinated the staging of two scenarios to demonstrate the potential of new digital TV technologies in supporting emergency response and homeland security. In the second scenario, emergency responders at a car cash were able to both receive information (a map) and send video from the scene to other responders and from an ambulance on its way to the emergency room.
Widespread collaboration
The demonstrations were set up to allow WPT and its partners to document the performance of this unique combination of technologies. "This demonstrates the potential for new digital services to improve public-safety communication," says Diane Kostecke, manager of digital innovations for WPT. "The scenarios succeeded not only technically, but in showing how public agencies and private technology companies can work together."
To accomplish October's mock emergencies, WPT worked with national technology companies as well as Madison Area Technical College, police and fire departments, county government and state agencies. — Michael Bridgeman
For more information: WPT Digital Project Manager Tina Hauser, hauser@wpt.org, (608) 262-2496