Public education

CHEMTREC, the source of 24/7 call center support and information during hazardous materials incidents, partners with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to offer the CHEMTREC HELP (Hazmat Emergency Local Preparedness) Award. Through this program, two volunteer fire departments will be awarded $7,500 to help enhance their response capabilities and increase local readiness to respond to and prepare for hazardous materials incidents. Eligibility Criteria To be eligible to apply for the CHEMTREC HELP Award, departments must meet the following criteria: Department must be all-volunteer or mostly-volunteer (over 50%). Department must serve a population of 25,000 or less. Department must be located in the United States and be legally organized under state law. Department or individual applying on behalf of the department must be a member of the NVFC. Department must demonstrate their need to receive the $7,500 award and in the application essay must explain how they would use the award. The departments that receive the award must use the money to increase their department’s hazmat response capabilities and not for any other purpose. The application deadline is October 1, 2019. Award recipients will be announced by December 1.

At least 91 people were injured in kitchen fires in our region over the last year, with cooking appliances known to have caused 82 of the incidents. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) is urging people to cook safely with a new campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness of ‘the usual suspects’ for causing kitchen fires, including chip pans, distraction and carelessness. 300 kitchen fires recorded in 2018/19 Chip pans continue to be a problem and these types of fire can have the most devastating consequences"Karen Soady, Station Manager for Prevention and Education explained: “The kitchen still proves to be the most dangerous room in the house for accidental fires. We recorded nearly 300 kitchen fires during 2018/19, and that number doesn’t include smaller incidents where residents have put the fire out themselves rather than calling us. “The majority of these fires were entirely preventable, with most of them being caused by people getting distracted or being careless while cooking. Chip pans continue to be a problem and these types of fire can have the most devastating consequences. “We’ll be using our social media channels to share safety advice for homes and businesses, as well as kitchen fire case studies. We hope that this campaign will make people think twice about staying safe while cooking and understand what they need to do if a fire does start.” The campaign’s main messages are: Never leave cooking unattended. If you’re cooking with hot oil, don’t fill your pan more than one third full. If a fire does start at home, don’t throw water on it. Instead, get out, stay out and call 999. Don’t cook if you’ve had too much to drink or you’re taking medication that makes you drowsy. Never leave tea towels, oven gloves or other flammable items too close to the heat. Check that cookers are turned off when you’re not using them. Test your smoke alarms Next week, TWFRS Prevention and Education teams will be visiting shopping centres across Tyne and Wear to hand out a ‘recipe for disaster’ – top tips on what not to do in the kitchen.

Coopers Fire are excited to launch the ResQ-Window at Firex this year. The ResQ-Window is a vision panel for fire curtains and can be installed allowing building occupants and first responders to see through the curtain after it has been deployed. To find out more about this innovative product, come and see us on our stand (FX320). Coopers Fire will also be promoting their full range of fire and smoke curtains but particularly the recently launched FireMaster Cleanroom fire curtain, the world’s first fire curtain approved for use in a cleanroom environment. Coopers have a number of products due to be launched in 2019. Fire Safety Products This forms part of the ASFP Practical Workshop entitled ‘Auditing & upgrading existing protection’ Coopers Fire will be exhibiting as part of the ASFP Zone. Coopers are proud to be members of the ASFP (Association for Specialist Fire Protection) and will be presenting on the subject of ‘Fire Curtain Operation and Applications’ on day 2 (Weds 19th June 2019) between 10.30am and 11.45am. This forms part of the ASFP Practical Workshop entitled ‘Auditing & upgrading existing protection’. With the increasing focus on fire since the Grenfell disaster, it is becoming more important to ensure fire protection products are fit for purpose. Discussions around updates to Approved Document B are likely to include that all fire safety products specified and installed on construction projects will need third party approval from a reputable business like IFC Certification or Exova’s Certifire scheme. BS 8524 is the only global fire curtain standard and requires third party approval for compliancy. fire Curtain Manufacturers The standard was released in 2013 and helps to ensure that fire curtains are put through rigorous tests in order to be approved. Coopers Fire staff on the Firex stand will only be too happy to discuss our BS 8524 compliant products Coopers Fire are approved and compliant to BS 8524-1 and it is great to see a number of other fire curtain manufacturers are also successfully launching products that are compliant to BS 8524-1; overall, this ensures fire curtains are recognised as a respected fire safety product. Coopers Fire staff on the Firex stand will only be too happy to discuss our BS 8524 compliant products and how they can be used on construction projects. Coopers Fire are dedicated to advancing fire and smoke barrier curtain technology and improving ways to safeguard life and property. Fire Protection Industry This commitment to developing innovative products that are robustly tested and independently certified has meant that Coopers Fire has become the benchmark used by Regulators, Architects, Engineers and other Fire Professionals worldwide. We offer a range of free Continuing Professional Development (CPD) seminars. Approved by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the seminars aim to educate the fire protection industry and wider building industry about application of fire and smoke curtains in buildings.

The recent FIREX International exhibition proved a great success for the GGF, as the glass industry's trade body was inundated with enquiries on fire-resistant glazing. The GGF had its biggest ever platform at FIREX with a 30m2 stand that included three full size product exhibits showing the various stages of the fire-resistant glazing process, as well as glass performance before and after the effects of smoke and fire. Host of visitors It certainly was an attention grabber with a constant stream of visitors to the stand of representatives from local councils, emergency services, training companies, health and safety services, construction companies, the media as well as architects, specifiers and building managers. Adrian Blaydon, GGF Technical Officer and Secretary of the Fire-Resistant Glazing Group commented, “It was a great show and really raised the profile of the GGF and Fire-Resistant Glazing. I was delighted with the full attendance at my seminar on the Importance of Fire-Resistant Glazing. I am sure the interest shown from the show’s visitors will lead to many future opportunities for the Federation and our Members.” Importance of Fire-Resistant Glazing Steve Bond, Chair of the Fire-Resistant Glazing Group added, “I was pleased to see the GGF have a much-enhanced presence at this year’s FIREX. The live exhibits showing the effects of fire and smoke captured the imagination of visitors and the GGF video showing fire resistant glazing in action also attracted interest. “With so many enquiries, it has clearly been a worthwhile show and one I hope the GGF can repeat next year. I can’t emphasize enough how important shows like this are, to educate those responsible for fire safety in buildings, on the correct specification, installation and performance of Fire-Resistant Glazing.”

AW Technology were delighted to attend the recent, prestigious FIREX 2019 international exhibition. The three-day event brings together the brightest minds, innovators and market leaders in the fire and smoke safety industry. An incredible 130+ exhibitors showcased over 5000 products to thousands of engaged visitors and delegates. AW Technology’s presence at the event was centred around an immersive exhibition stand that featured stunning LED screens, video backdrop and, of course, an example of our existing products and the brand new 9000 series Carbon Monoxide Calibrator. High volume manufacture This new product is an incredibly exciting innovation for AW Technology as it utilises the latest technology to deliver a truly pioneering approach towards calibrating Carbon Monoxide detection products. The product is ideally suited to be used for calibrating and testing CO alarm and detection products in high volume manufacture. It is supported by the very latest software to ensure maximum output and performance. FIREX is a date in the calendar that we always look forward to" Chris Atkiss, Business Development Manager, said: “FIREX is a date in the calendar that we always look forward to. The event provides us with the opportunity for us to engage and mix with the movers and shakers in the industry, and as FIREX is such an international occasion, also allows us to meet our existing customers from across the globe.” Truly pioneering product “We were delighted to be able to launch our brand new 9000 series Carbon Monoxide Calibrator, which will be available to market in early 2020. The feedback we received at FIREX towards the 9000 series has been excellent, and we’re incredibly encouraged by the response.” “Our extensive market-research prior to starting the development of the project indicated that there was a real requirement in the industry for this product and we’re delighted that the market is responding. We’ll have further updates throughout the year on the 9000 series and we look forward to launching this truly pioneering product.”

Lake Assault Boats, part of Fraser Industries and a manufacturer of fire, patrol, and rescue craft, announces that Ed Watkins Marine of Denver, North Carolina is now the service center for Lake Assault Boats vessels in North Carolina. Ed Watkins Marine will provide a wide range of support services for first responders in the region. “We are thrilled to announce Ed Watkins Marine as our official North Carolina service center,” said Bob Beck, director of sales and marketing at Lake Assault Boats. “Ed Watkins and his team have demonstrated expertise maintaining and upgrading Lake Assault Boats fireboats and patrol craft serving in the region. They are true professionals, and a great resource for all first responders in the region.” Offshore Boating Enthusiasts “Our background is serving lake, river, and offshore boating enthusiasts with top-notch products and unmatched support,” said Ed Watkins, president of Ed Watkins Marine. “In addition, as the preferred service center for Charlotte Metro fire and police boats, we also understand the unique needs of first responders. Being named a service center for Lake Assault Boats is a great opportunity for our team, and we look forward to supporting their customer base.” As a crew member for a NASCAR championship racing team, Ed Watkins understands the importance of teamwork and performance. His organization employs that same approach to its marine customers.

Across the country, law enforcement officers are finding it increasingly difficult to respond to the near overwhelming number of calls coming from security alarms. Police departments commonly define a false alarm as a call, which upon investigation, shows no evidence of criminal activity, such as broken windows, forced doors, items missing, or people injured. While false alarms bog down police, they can also negatively impact customers and integrators. End users can expect hefty fines for false alarm responses, and when these customers receive large bills from the city, many turn to installers, dealers, and even manufacturers expecting them to accept the responsibility and pay the check. What First Brought The Issue Of Alarm Verification To Your Attention? It is crucial to both see a situation and concurrently listen to any corresponding sounds to gain full insight I’ve been aware of the problem of false alarms for about 5 years. I believed audio capture, through microphone deployment, could be an active part of the solution when used as a second source for indicating ‘out of the norm’ activity and as an equal component with the video surveillance technology. In 2015, I found similarly minded security professionals when introduced to the Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Response. After reading PPVAR’s paper on ‘Audio Verified Alarms Best Practices; [April 2015],’ I knew that the Partnership was on to something important. In our lives, two of the five senses we count on day-in and day-out are sight and sound. It is crucial to both see a situation and concurrently listen to any corresponding sounds to gain full insight. What Is The False Alarm Rate? In 2016, the International Association of Chiefs of Police reported that over 98 percent of all alarm calls in the United States were false. This number is obviously staggering, and something we need to work towards correcting. Why Did This Issue Resonate So Strongly With You? When I first investigated this issue, I was sure that the security industry would have already recognized this and was acting to ensure improved alarm verification, preferably through a combination of audio and video technologies. However, I quickly saw that this was not the case, or even close to the norm. I have questioned the rationale behind the lack of adoption and found the deployment of audio is often hindered by the concern of privacy. I’ve spearheaded many initiatives to explain the monitoring policies surrounding audio As CEO of Louroe Electronics, I’ve spearheaded many initiatives to explain the monitoring policies surrounding audio. I’ve had to reassure many security personnel and customers how the law supports the use of audio in public places as long as there is no expectation of privacy. By dispelling fears with facts around deploying and implementing audio sensors, customers can confidently include audio in their surveillance systems and gain a more effective security solution. Who Is Affected By This? Truth be told, everyone from the end user to the manufacturer is affected by this issue. Not to mention the strain this puts on law enforcement who are tired of ‘wasting time’ and effort out in the field on these nuisance alerts. When an end user receives a check for their false alarm, many of them will immediately blame the integrator and or the monitoring center for a faulty set up and management and expect the integrator to remedy the situation, including carry the burden of paying the fines. The integrator, on the other hand, will turn to the manufacturer, assuming faulty equipment and installation instructions; therefore, looking for reimbursement for the cost. What Is The Average False Alarm Fee? It depends on many factors, and especially your first responder assigned location for responseIt depends on many factors, and especially your first responder assigned location for response. According to the Urban Institute, fees generally range from $25-$100 for the first offense, rising as high as a few thousand dollars per false alarm if a location has a large number in a single year. What’s worse, in extreme cases, alarm systems may even be blacklisted by the police dispatch center if they have raised too many false alarms in the past. Why Do You Believe Audio Is The Ideal Technology For Secondary Source Verification? Video surveillance has been the main option for security monitoring and alarm validation for decades, however industry professionals are realising that video alone is not enough. Video only tells half of the story, by adding audio capture, the responsible party gains a turnkey solution with the ability to gather additional evidence to verify alerts and expand overall awareness. In reality, audio’s range is greater than the field of view for a camera. Sound pickup is 360 degrees, capturing voices, gunshots, breaking glass, sirens, or other important details that a fixed camera many not see. How Would A Secondary Source Verification System Work With Audio? Using a video monitoring solution equipped with audio, the microphone will pick up the sounds at the time a visual alert or alarm is triggered. If embedded with classification analytics, the microphone will send alerts for specific detected sounds. The captured audio, and any notifications are immediately sent to the monitoring station, where trained personnel can listen to the sound clip, along with live audio and video from their station. When law enforcement receives a validated alarm, they can better prioritise the response From here, an informed decision can then be made about the validity of the alarm, along with what the current threat is at the location. If the alarm is in fact valid, the information is then passed along to the law enforcement within minutes. When law enforcement receives a validated alarm, they can better prioritise the response. It also provides more information in a forensic evaluation. Are There Any Additional Resources You Would Suggest Looking Into? Yes, we would suggest looking into the following to see a few different perspectives on the matter: NSA Support For 2018 Model Ordinance For Alarm Management and False Alarm Reduction Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Response Support for the Term “Verified Alarm” and Prioritising Verified Alarm Responses Urban Institute Opportunities for Police Cost Savings without Sacrificing Service Quality: Reducing False Alarms

Tylosand is one of Sweden’s most popular beaches and during the summer there can be more than 40,000 visitors on the beach every day. They were the first beach in Sweden to have lifeguards patrolling its shores as early as 1958. While most visitors enjoy their summer on the beach, at times guests may find themselves in a difficult situation. The lifeguard’s on Tylosand beach operate on a completely voluntary basis, patrolling the beaches daily throughout Summer ensuring the public’s safety. Their aim is simple: to have zero drownings each year. Patrolling the beaches in tough conditions The lifeguards at Tylosand have six life-saving areas which are guarded by eight lifeguards and a life-saving manager The lifeguards at Tylosand patrol the beaches every day during summer whether it’s windy, rainy or sunny. Conditions often change during the day as the Swedish weather is quite unpredictable, and this can be when people get into difficulty. The lifeguards are often painters, fire fighters or students in their day-to-day lives and in return for volunteering their time in summer, they are provided food and accommodation for their efforts. The lifeguards at Tylosand have six life-saving areas which are simultaneously guarded by eight lifeguards and a life-saving manager (CH). In the lifeguard tower, they store healthcare equipment as well as other lifeguard equipment including binoculars, life jackets, shovels and a water tank. They also run the Life Saving School – the only school in Sweden that offers sea life rescue training. Easy to use radio equipment The communications system for lifeguards needs to be robust, reliable and secure, as these critical situations are a matter of life or death. A key factor for Tylosand lifeguards choosing a radio to use was ease of use; with lifeguards working only a few weeks a year, it is mandatory that the equipment implemented is easy to understand and use. The communication devices from Sepura provide the lifeguards with exactly that. The lifeguards have implemented Sepura SRG mobile terminals into their vehicles alongside STP9000 hand-portable radios The Tylosand lifeguards have implemented Sepura SRG mobile terminals into their vehicles alongside STP9000 hand-portable radios to deliver a robust, easy to use communications system for protecting the shores. The common user interface makes it easy to train new lifeguards and run shorter refresh training with returning lifeguards. Once users have learnt to use one Sepura radio, they can easily use other Sepura devices. Withstanding the challenging environment Sophia Arlsan, a lifeguard with Tylosand, said “The Sepura equipment has over the years proved that they withstand the tough environment with sand and salty waters in an excellent way. Last summer, 24 people were saved from rip currents and many more have been saved through the thousands of proactive discussions Tylosand lifesavers have had with beach visitors during their patrols.” Thanks to the Sepura radios delivered by Swedish Radio Supply, Tylosand Lifeguards are prepared for the next busy summer.

Liberty University, located in Lynchburg, VA, is committed to providing quality education within a Christian environment. They are proud to represent more than 15,000 students from all fifty states and over seventy countries around the world. Their campus spans across 5,000 acres making it the largest evangelical higher educational facility in the United States. Because of the size of the property, the campus employs their own emergency response team, responsible for monitoring over 80 buildings for fires, crime and the overall safety of students and staff. Fire Alarm System Liberty University contacted Greer’s Supply, a local Fike distributor, for a consultation Due to the number of buildings on the property, Liberty’s emergency response team wanted the ability to supervise all of their fire alarm systems simultaneously. However, none of the previous systems were networked and there was no way to manage them at one time or from one location. Liberty University officials decided to re-evaluate their current systems hoping to find one fire alarm system that could protect the entire campus and be monitored from a single location. When Liberty University evaluated the Fike Cybercat® panels, they were impressed by the user-friendly ability to install new devices to the system, and to do all programming in-house. Liberty University contacted Greer’s Supply, a local Fike distributor, for a consultation. To all parties knowledge, there was no prior history of protecting a campus of this magnitude with the requirements that Liberty University requested. Building Communication Greer’s Supply worked closely with a team of Fike engineers to find a solution. “The challenge was that the campus had no interconnecting copper or fiber communication lines that would help provide a backbone for a networked fire alarm system,” said Kevin Montgomery, Product Manager for Fike Alarm Systems. Using Fike’s Ethernet Module, the control panels are able to communicate via the internet “The university also utilized voice over IP for phone service. This created additional challenges for using digital alarm communication transmitters (DACTs) in the fire alarm panel for off-premises or out of building communication and monitoring.” After some investigative research and testing, Greer’s Supply presented a solution to the university. Using Fike’s Ethernet Module, the control panels are able to communicate via the internet, linking over 80 buildings to one central location. Eliminating Polling Delays Additionally, Fike’s CyberCat fire alarm system is designed to eliminate polling delays and nuisance alarms around the campus. The system delivers information simultaneously from the intelligent sensors to the alarm panel and other devices within the system without any dedicated phone lines or the need for fiber or copper to be networked. “The Fike CyberCat system has met our needs giving us a reliable system that allows us to network the buildings together,” said Michael Holmes, Liberty University Fire Alarms official. “Our police department can easily monitor the campus for fire alarms allowing our emergency response team to react quickly during an emergency situation.”

Speciality vehicle maker, Triel-HT of Brazil, has adapted over 120 Allison-equipped Scania firefighting trucks for its national airport and fire corps customers. Among the reasons for choosing Allison fully automatic transmissions, Triel-HT cites 35 per cent faster acceleration, better vehicle control and ease of integration. Nine different Scania chassis have already been adapted for airport and industrial firefighting, civil defence and special explosives transport, among them the P250, P310, P360 FF, P440 FF and G580 models. Manoeuvring Agility These trucks are already present in more than 70 airports and air bases throughout Brazil, including remote units in Manicore and Fonte Boa in Amazonas, the Alcântara Air Base in Maranhão, and the recently renovated Viracopos airport in Campinas, in the state of Sao Paulo. Triel-HT develops the vehicles using in-house manufactured or adapted equipment. The vehicles equipped with Allison automatics comply with international standards for extreme performance and work in harmony with the trucks “The automatic transmissions are preferred due to their convenient operation, ride performance, manoeuvring agility and also the ease of gearbox integration with the essential components and electronic controllers of the fire truck,” said Triel-HT executive Claudio Vincentini. The vehicles equipped with Allison automatics comply with international standards for extreme performance and work in harmony with the trucks, according to Vincentini. Significant Investment Programme Allison automatics accelerate up to 35 per cent faster than manual or automated manual transmissions (AMTs). In addition to the 120 vehicles already delivered, another 12 Scania units with Allison automatics are now in the final stage of preparation, as part of a significant investment programme for airport vehicles. Five of them are for Infraero. Another four units have been ordered by the Department of Civil Aviation and will be sent to the airports of Comandatuba (BA), Barreirinhas (MA), Pato Branco (PR) and Patos, in Piauí. Two units are for the Fire Corps of Maringá, State of Paraná in the south of the country, and another unit is for an explosives transportation application in Peru. The trucks are equipped with diverse gear that can include special clothing, reptile pick-up accessories, pumps for water launch with high flow capacity, and liquid foam generator and dispensing equipment (LGE).

Mexico City International Airport's (AICM) TETRA network is now fully operational following its initial roll out in the first quarter of 2018. Officially known as Benito Juárez International Airport - the international hub serves Mexico City and the surrounding areas. It is one of Latin America's busiest airports, with over 100,000 passengers passing through each day. Statistics from 2017 showed a 7.2% increase of passengers (45 million passengers in total) compared to 2016. More than 2,500 employees are based on site. Enhanced Existing Operations The airport previously had an analogue trunked system that suffered from operational limitations The airport previously had an analogue trunked system that suffered from operational limitations: outdated technology which could not be upgraded; poor audio quality; insufficient coverage, lack of data capability and limitations on voice call functionality. The system also had no interconnection gateways and insufficient security to protect the network from cyber threats. Due to rapid increases in airport traffic, the airport operators needed to upgrade their communications system to one that matched international standards for robustness, reliability and security. The airport's decision to switch to TETRA would allow for enhanced existing operations and future growth in user numbers and functionality. AICM's TETRA system includes three base station sites with interconnection to analogue gateways which allow the new TETRA network to connect to legacy radio technologies. Further Communication Devices This key functionality enables dispatchers to listen to all radio communications from one integrated communications system, improving efficiency and security across the site. The system is also interconnected to the airport's PABX telephone system allowing radio users to perform calls to fixed landlines or mobile phones from their TETRA radio, ensuring simplicity of communication and reducing the expenditure on further communication devices. Crucially, the network has successfully achieved 99.9% coverage to meet one of the airport's key operational requirements. The new network increased site security through air interface encryption and authentication, ensuring communications are secure. The airport also now has GPS monitoring of emergency and runway service vehicles, enabling dispatchers to locate users working on the external side of docking gates, where they were previously out of sight. Hand-Portable Radios A further key advantage of the Sepura terminals was the ability to add future functionality Spread across the two airport terminals, AICM's system will utilise over 500 Sepura SC20 hand-portable radios, alongside over 130 SRG3900 desk- and vehicle-mounted mobile radios. The SC20 terminals were chosen for their combination of ruggedness, ease of use and audio quality - especially important in the extremely noisy airport environment - and the SRG3900 mobile devices complemented these by enabling DMO gateway functionality to extend coverage to lower user density areas which still required coverage. A further key advantage of the Sepura terminals was the ability to add future functionality. Airport operators are already seeing the benefits of the spectrum efficiency inherent in a TETRA system. Despite a high density of users, TETRA systems offer greater talk group capacity, which facilitates better resource management. In addition, operational benefits have been delivered through significantly reduced call queue times. Successful Implementation The new system also offers redundancy, ensuring communications are not compromised in the event of failure. We continue to bring the quality and robustness of Sepura's TETRA products to Mexico" Users themselves benefit from improved voice quality, enhanced security and added functionality, including Water Porting technology, whereby water is expelled from the microphone and speakers, ensuring consistently good audio quality. Following the successful implementation of this project, Jorge Morera, Commercial Director at Jomtel commented: "As a Sepura Channel Partner, we continue to bring the quality and robustness of Sepura's TETRA products to Mexico.” Enhancing Security “We are pleased to announce that this is the first TETRA radio project for an airport in this country, especially in AICM -the busiest airport in the country. We are confident that the implementation of Sepura technology will expand the capabilities of the airport personnel with mission critical voice and data services." Ivan Vargas, Sepura's Business Development Manager for Mexico, added: "This project further strengthens the proposition that TETRA is the best option when looking at communications systems for airport operations. Airports are busy, noisy environments which need reliable, robust and secure communications. Mexico City International Airport is the first to recognise the benefits of TETRA for airports in Mexico - we look forward to expanding our offering to other airports in the region to enhance the security and communication aspect of their daily operations."

Sepura partners for the Spain region, Zenon Digital Radio and Adesal Telecom, have provided Onda City Council with new TETRA digital radios to supply their police force. Onda is a town in Valencia, eastern Spain with over 25,000 inhabitants to keep safe. The City Council wanted to facilitate and accelerate the work of the Local Police and improve their efficiency. In order to do this, the City Council purchased new Sepura digital radios. Providing Crime Prevention The move to digital has connected the force to COMDES, the digital communications network offered by the Generalitat Valenciana to all organizations and fleets providing crime prevention and rescue services. Going forwards, each agent will have a personal radio and a system to provide a secure network" This network uses TETRA technology, which avoids the saturation of conventional networks in case of emergency and, due to the encryption of signals, provides greater security. Local Police Councillor Mari Carmen Aguilella explained, “This government not only cares about providing local agents with all the necessary safeguards for their security, we also provide the right resources to improve and facilitate their work, to enable them to serve the citizens more efficiently.” Facilitate Cost Reductions Miguel Ãngel Izquierdo, Commissioner of the Onda Local Police, explained, “Going forwards, each agent will have a personal radio and a system to provide a secure network that will never fail to work in case of emergency, which was an issue with the old analogue terminals.” Izquierdo emphasized that the new system will facilitate cost reductions and improve the operations of the police force through the use of shared control centres with other security and emergency bodies. He stated, “the new telecommunication devices allow for interacting with other security forces as the situation requires, which ultimately benefits the work of the police.”