Firetide (www.firetide.com) and Safety Vision, L.P. (www.safetyvision.com) are joining forces to provide wireless surveillance and security applications for mass transit, law enforcement, and student transportation fleets
“Our alliance aims to provide a mobile wireless surveillance solution that has widespread applications in the transportation sector, for both public and eventually commercial fleets,” says Bo Larsson, Firetide's CEO.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the fifth busiest transit system in the U.S. transporting nearly 1.2 million passengers daily, has announced that will be among the first deploying the new jointly developed integrated wireless surveillance system. The $1.4 million project, partially funded by a Dept. of Homeland Security grant, calls for installation of onboard surveillance systems on 155 new buses.
The system transmits live video feeds to laptops in MBTA police officers' networked vehicles, allowing first responders to view an onboard incident as it unfolds in real time. Consequently, responders can plan and execute tactics faster and smarter - enhancing the safety and security of passengers, officers, and transit personnel alike, according to Larsson.
Firetide provides the wireless video network portion of the project, operating in the 4.9 GHz spectrum, which is designated by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) for public safety. Safety vision supplies the onboard cameras and video recorders, as well as the video management application.