LONGMONT, Colo.? Intrado Inc., a subsidiary of West Corporation and a leading provider of 9-1-1 technology solutions, has entered into an agreement with the Bexar Metro 9-1-1 Network District (Bexar Metro) in San Antonio, Texas, for the Intrado THOR Shield program. The agreement provides the district with multi-agency access to THOR Shield, Intrado?s mobile 9-1-1 emergency communications program. THOR Shield provides these agencies with on-demand operational continuity, tailored to meet their specific call-taking, mapping, dispatch and radio communications needs. The heart of the THOR Shield program is a two-story, 40-ton, 80-foot-long vehicle equipped with next generation 9-1-1 technology that can be rapidly deployed in support of planned and unplanned events.
?We looked at several options to ensure the continuity of our 9-1-1 operation during large-scale emergency events,? said Bill Buchholtz, Executive Director, Bexar Metro 9-1-1 Network District.? ?We considered a fixed back-up facility, but the expense and timing of building, staffing, and sustaining such a facility is a challenge; THOR Shield is an excellent adjunct to our existing fixed back-up capability.?
In March, Bexar Metro partnered with Intrado to perform a multi-agency, live field trial to demonstrate the extensive THOR Shield emergency communications processes, people and technologies. Police, Fire and EMS agencies independently participated in the field exercise. During the field test, all live 9-1-1 calls terminating in the participating entities? communication centers were seamlessly re-routed to the THOR Shield mobile unit and processed by the same personnel with virtually no change to their operating processes or procedures.
?With the THOR Shield program, we get the capability we need, quickly and cost-effectively, should we ever have to augment or replace our 9-1-1 facilities during a large-scale emergency event,? said Buchholtz. ?Adding the THOR Shield program is an important asset to us and will significantly enhance our survivability with increased capacity and flexibility.?
?This partnership is a testament to the forward-thinking approach of Bexar Metro when it comes to operational continuity planning,? said Brian Davenport, vice president?Intrado. ?By incorporating the Intrado THOR Shield program into their emergency management planning, Bexar Metro has demonstrated their commitment to public safety communications by moving beyond the traditional fixed-facility plan. Bexar Metro can be confident that they have the ability to maintain 9-1-1 emergency communications no matter what the circumstance may be.?
About Bexar Metro 9-1-1 Network District
Bexar Metro is one of 24 independent emergency communication districts in the state of Texas. The district?s mission is to deploy and maintain a state-of-the-art 9 1 1 emergency communication system that enables citizens in distress to quickly communicate their request for police, fire, or emergency medical assistance; and to ensure member jurisdictions have the appropriate 9 1 1 tools necessary to efficiently and accurately receive and process those requests. They and the municipalities they support are responsible for the safety of nearly two million people in the three counties (Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe) which make up the District. The 25 public safety answering points (PSAPs), consisting of 152 call-taking positions, serve 37 jurisdictions and process nearly 1.6 million emergency calls per year. In addition, they operate a back-up fixed location, the Regional Emergency Operations Center, which includes 20 call-taking and dispatch positions. Their network is fully redundant and uses MPLS technology to enhance survivability during a crisis.
About Intrado
In business for more than 30 years, Intrado, a subsidiary of West Corporation, has maintained a focus and passion for saving lives and supporting the needs of public safety. Agencies and telecommunication services providers throughout the world depend on Intrado for emergency communication services and technology. Intrado?s dedicated focus on emergency communications technology allows the company to continue pioneering network innovations that improve emergency response. For more information, visit www.intrado.com, or follow Intrado on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news.
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