Interoperable satellite broadband solutions from Excelerate Technology help coordinate and deliver these services with maximum efficiency.
The 2004 Civil Contingencies Act has had a major impact on local authorities and the emergency services within the UK. Local authorities now have a duty to assess, plan and advise on the risks associated with any potential emergencies: from floods and fires to transport accidents and terrorist attacks.
Full educational support – delivered, regardless of location
Satellite broadband can deliver huge accessibility (and cost reduction) benefits to schools, local authorities, community support and youth projects and continuing education services, especially when budgets are being cut for fixed location facilities. Local authorities have an obligation to provide a high level of educational service in remote areas, but this will be increasingly difficult with budgets being cut and even where it is not possible to access high-speed broadband using standard technologies. With the Internet playing such a large part in our lives these days, it’s important that all schoolchildren, young people and others have the opportunity to benefit from this valuable means of interactive learning.
Whether educational organisations operate dedicated vehicles or portable exhibition equipment, Excelerate can tailor technological solutions that allow instant Internet access wherever services need to be delivered, and this can be done for a highly competitive cost (as many local authorities are already finding).
Camarthenshire County Council provides mobile library services with a satellite broadband- enabled vehicle. The Borough of Hounslow delivers positive community support for inner city young people with its Creative Media Bus (using satellite broadband), giving young people positive interests to develop and opportunities to improve their futures.
Northern Ireland has for many years used a satellite broadband-enabled vehicle to support rural communities with mobile library facilities. For Powys County Council, Excelerate provided a Transportable Broadband Satellite solution for its mobile, vehicle-based Youth Information Service, which delivers invaluable outreach youth education and advisory services across the county. This broadband satellite system enables advisers to access the Internet wherever the vehicle is located to obtain additional, up-to-the-minute information to ensure the delivery of the highest level of service.
Sherpa Surveillance System cameras can be deployed to areas without fixed CCTV coverage, allowing local authorities and police forces to monitor and deal with public disorder and anti-social behaviour problems in specific areas without having to undertake costly and excessive CCTV installations.
Any suitable pole or lamp-post can now be used to mount cameras at scenes where close observation and monitoring are required.
• Social disorder
• Anti-social behaviour
• Emergency situations
• Event monitoring
• Crowd control
• Demonstrations
• Arson attack
• Fly-tipping
• Traffic monitoring
• Speed regulation
According to Mick Rodden of Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service’s Arson Task Force: ‘The very presence of the Sherpa cameras deters would-be offenders and sends a signal out to all that we are watching and protecting the area. Its portability and fast deployment make Sherpa an essential part of the criminal detection and deterrent toolbox.’
As C4I systems evolve to include a growing number of live data technologies designed to improve situational awareness, and provide a Common Operational Picture, live video (supplied through COFDM, MESH and satellite broadband technologies), is becoming much more commonly used. Sherpa enables this to be optimised in a huge number of flexible new ways.