Success of public safety agencies and organisations depends on critical communications and robust, mobile computing with digitised asset tracking and management

Zebra Technologies Corporation, a provider of digital solutions that enable organisations to intelligently connect data, assets and people, will present its triple solution approach to the digital future of European public safety at Critical Communications World (CCW) in Helsinki from 23-25 May 2023.

Public safety professionals in Europe today, including police, emergency services, firefighters and the military, face changing and greater expectations, larger amounts of data, tight budgets and the rapid pace of technological advancement. Meeting these challenges must be supported by accelerating the digitisation of all operations to improve communications in the field. Zebra offers a trifecta of technology solutions to improve critical communications, provide frontline personnel with a new level of mobile digitisation through rugged mobile computers, and equip them with digitised asset tracking and management.
“Across Europe, we are seeing emergency services organisations increasingly turning to rugged handheld devices to provide responders in the field with a ‘digital desk’ with the connectivity and applications they need to do their jobs, wherever they are,” said Oliver Ledgard, Public Safety Strategy Director, EMEA, Zebra Technologies. “Asset-intensive services such as fire, police and military rely on handheld computers and radio frequency identification (RFID) to track and locate assets to avoid loss of time, materials and equipment and ensure better emergency response capabilities.”

One example is the Spanish police, who use Zebra L10 Rugged Tablets, a mobile handheld solution in their vehicles. They can use them to check vehicle documents and ID cards, photograph and scan documents, capture evidence, access databases of arrest lists and digitise their field work. The tablets eliminate paper-based processes and time-consuming trips to the police station, as these activities can be carried out in real time. This leads to logistical and time savings.

In the UK, Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service used a solution of Zebra fixed RFID readers and mobile computers to streamline the distribution, management and use of personal protective equipment (PPE), saving more than £600,000 over the ten-year life of the PPE.

A recent logistics transformation project for the military by Zebra partner Nuffield Technologies, using handheld computers, software and services, resulted in an 83% time saving in daily equipment inventory checks at hundreds of locations and a 93% time saving in receiving pallets.
Zebra also emphasises the importance of modernising communications networks, such as the European Union’s BroadWay and BroadNet projects and the increased use of 5G for critical communications. “These developments will enable public safety teams to improve communications between colleagues and command centres with fast, reliable information exchange via 5G-enabled devices that will unlock modern critical communications for public safety professionals,” adds Ledgard.

At CCW, the Zebra team will highlight its collaboration with Norwegian partner Celerway’s GO – a portable, battery-powered mobile router that provides gigabit-class connectivity with VPN encryption virtually anywhere in a compact format that fits in a laptop bag.
CCW delegates and media are invited to visit the Zebra team at stand K80 to view demonstrations of public safety products and solutions and to conduct media interviews.

KEY FACTS

• At Critical Communications World, Zebra will showcase technology solutions that enhance critical communications, provide frontline personnel with a new level of mobile digitisation through rugged mobile computing, and equip them with digital asset tracking and management.
• Public safety organisations are already using solutions from Zebra and partners to digitise and improve the workflows of field personnel.