Subject: [NEXTEL-1] D.C. police, EMS to get broadband

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 15:35:01 -0500

D.C. police, EMS to get broadband
Thu Feb 12, 7:24 AM ET

By Robert Davis, USA TODAY

Washington, D.C., is launching the nation's first broadband data network for
emergency crews, an important step toward arming rescuers with the latest
communication technology.

The many benefits of the proposed high-speed wireless network include allowing
emergency room doctors to see live video of a patient still in the ambulance, or
police helicopters to stream live video to patrol cars.

The system's Internet-like technology would enable all rescuers to cross
departmental lines and talk directly to one another.
A USA TODAY investigation published in July found that about 1,800 lives are
lost each year because of inefficiencies in the emergency medical systems in the
nation's 50 largest cities. Washington, in particular, has struggled to
accurately gauge the performance of its EMS crews, a measurement considered key
to making improvements and saving more lives.
In response to USA TODAY's probe, Mayor Anthony Williams vowed to improve the
system.

"Delays in D.C. radio communications have led to three firefighters being killed
in two fires," says Rich Duffy of the International Association of Fire
Fighters. "I'm glad they're moving forward with it."

The $2.7 million communications network - part of a national trend toward using
wireless communication tools in emergencies - will be built by Motorola and
Flarion Technologies and tested in a part of the nation's airwaves now used by
television stations. It will take at least 18 months to install and test the
system.

Communications companies are racing to build similar wireless networks across
the nation for commercial use.
Public-safety officials must vie for slices of those networks to use the latest
technology.

The wireless network is in addition to $40 million worth of improvements to
Washington's emergency preparedness, says Suzanne Peck, the city's chief
technology officer. The city is also working to be able to pinpoint cell phones
that call 911 and to make rescue radios work in subway tunnels.

Washington is trying to join other big cities such as Oklahoma City, Tulsa and
Fort Worth, among others, that are using wireless communication (without live
video capabilities) to monitor emergency medical services.

Most big city emergency crews lack the kind of high-tech tools that help other
industries monitor and measure performance - for example, the way courier
companies track packages.

The USA TODAY investigation found that city leaders who sought to know what is
happening on the front lines saved the most lives.
Peck says Williams wants to take Washington "from worst to first."

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=676&u=/usatoday/20040212/ts_usatoday/dcpoliceemstogetbroadband&printer=1

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