Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure and Frequentis Upgrade South Tyrol’s Command and Control Centre

Civil Protection Agency expands integrated communications and dispatching system

The South Tyrolean Civil Protection Agency has gone live with a system upgrade and expansion to its integrated command and control center. A Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure customer since 1999, the agency worked with Hexagon and Frequentis to upgrade and integrate its Frequentis 3020 LifeX communications platform with Hexagon’s Intergraph Computer-Aided Dispatch (I/CAD) system.

The upgrade and extension of the core system features state-of-the-art IP technology that supports, for example, existing capabilities for emergency calls and analog radio communication, while also exploiting the full potential of digital radio. A modern, intuitive user interface enables staff in the command and control center to operate all communication channels via a touch screen or through the integrated dispatching system. The voice recording takes place within Frequentis’ DIVOS 3 log solution. The bilingual user interface permits dispatchers to work in either German or Italian. The entire range of fully integrated software from Hexagon and Frequentis is implemented on a virtual platform to reduce hardware requirements and optimally support all business-related functions.

Commenting on the project’s success and the capabilities of the integrated system, Markus Rauch, project manager of the Regional Department of Fire and Civil Protection at the Civil Protection Agency, said, “The new solution’s innovative operation facilitates easier handling of emergency calls and radio communications, simplifying and enhancing coordination and cooperation between three organizations. Systems security and availability are particularly important to us, constituting the fundamental requirement for our day-to-day responsibilities in the safety-critical area.”

Located in the provincial capital, Bolzano, the command and control center supports the three departments of the Civil Protection Agency: Professional Fire Brigade of Bolzano, Traffic Information Center and Regional Emergency Call Center. The new solution equips the province’s emergency services with the tools needed to face future challenges. By following the TETRA standard using Frequentis’ Unified Radio Gateway, the solution will allow personnel to take full advantage of digital trunked radio following the launch of TETRA operations in the summer of 2017. In addition, the common European 112 emergency number is currently being adopted as a national standard throughout Italy. The systems are also flexible and extensible to adapt to operational changes within the command centre.

Maximilian Weber, senior vice president for EMEA at Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure, states, “We are excited to have our long-standing customer, the Autonomous Province of South Tyrol, joining us in our endeavors to enhance and shape the future. Along with Frequentis, Hexagon’s state-of-the-art technologies are optimising the command center’s communications and operational management – to the great benefit of the local citizens and millions of tourists in South Tyrol.”

The global leader in public safety and security, Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure helps protect 1 in 12 people worldwide. Hexagon’s public safety and security solutions improve the quality, accuracy and availability of critical information, increasing performance and productivity, while reducing the total cost of ownership for mission-critical IT investments.