Integrated Command Solutions for Industrial Safety, Security and

Integrated Command Solutions for Industrial Safety, Security, and Well-being

Integrated Command Solutions for Industrial Safety, Security and Well-being

Federal Signal Corporation Published: November 2007

Abstract

Today’s industrial environments depend on a host of diverse systems to assure adequate workplace safety and security. These systems encompass everything from access control, CCTV and public address, to fire alarm warnings and intercommunications. Unfortunately, many of these systems are deployed at different times and for different reasons with the too-often consequence that they are either incompatible with one another, or driven by proprietary technologies. Ultimately, these disparate systems result in a communications breakdown that inhibits security personnel from responding quickly and effectively. And in far too many cases, this disparity dictates a reliance on human intervention to take the critical next step that, put in the simplest terms, may be too little too late. In today’s world seconds count…and the ability to disseminate information from multiple systems and then react in real time simply cannot be overstated. After-the-fact interpretation of data in order to initiate the appropriate action response can be a challenging responsibility for even the most seasoned security professional. And that’s precisely where Federal Signal—a leading edge technology provider of failsafe security systems—enters the picture. The Integrated Command Solution (ICS) ties directly into the Federal Signal Industry Platform, providing an effective bridge between disparate systems. The focus is on tightening the gap that separates a response in real time from a response that is unnecessarily prolonged and may lead to tragic consequences. Through the Integrated Command Solution, Federal Signal now delivers the pro-active system assessment and accelerated response time that everyone has been waiting for.


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If you have comments on this publication or would like additional information from Federal Signal please contact us at [email protected]

© 2007 Federal Signal Corporation. All rights reserved.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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Contents Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 1

The Evolution of the Federal Signal Platform............................................................................. 3

The Industrial Safety, Security and Well-being Platform .......................................................... 5

The Technologies of the Platform................................................................................................ 9

The Integrated Command Solution (ICS) .................................................................................. 11

The Integrated Command Solution Customer Experiences ................................................... 13

Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 15

Appendix – Additional Information............................................................................................ 16

Appendix – Glossary of Acronyms and Terms ........................................................................ 17


Introduction Exploring the Benefits of Distributed Software Solutions

The platform as presented in this paper represents the practical implementation of a distributed computing solution running on multi-mode wireless and/or wired network architecture. The Federal Signal platform is being used by municipalities, state and federal government agencies, industrial and commercial customers, as well as such specialized applications as airports and educational institutions. Interoperable by design, this platform enables any device to communicate with any other device.

It is important to note that the main requirement of a communication and service platform for safety and security is that full operation is guaranteed even under the most severe conditions. Unfortunately, however, most emergency relief organizations, as well as many commercial and business enterprises still rely on analog radio technologies that use voice communications controlled by switchboard operators and older push-email types of solutions.

From government agencies and first responders, to commercial businesses and manufacturing/processing facilities, to hospitals and educational institutions, communications is now the critical component of public safety and security. While efficient communication is clearly important to routine, everyday public safety operations, it is absolutely critical in emergency situations resulting from natural or man-made disasters.

The Issue of Disparate, Non-interoperable Communications Equipment There’s no stopping technology, particularly when it comes to communications devices. Today, people are able to communicate in a myriad ways—everything from radios, push-to-talk phones, conventional landlines, cell phones and satellite phones, to pagers, text messaging, personal digital assistants, PCs and more.

However, there is a downside to this proliferation of communications technology. That’s because each of these technologies is based on its own platform, standards and frequencies. While this is especially a problem for first responders and government agencies, it also affects businesses and large institutions such as universities and hospitals.

Figure 1: Industrial Safety The fact is: disparate, non-interoperable communications equipment poses significant barriers to effective communications. And while this problem is particularly evident among government organizations responsible for public safety and security, it is also reflected in the communications strategies deployed by commercial and business enterprises, and large institutions in fields such as education and healthcare. The inability of multiple agencies and departments to communicate and coordinate their response to an emergency can indeed be costly. To illustrate we need only look at the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, the lack of interoperability between police and fire radios was a prime factor in the deaths of at least 121 firefighters. More recently, the Katrina hurricane disaster and the Virginia Tech shootings also illustrate the importance of communications interoperability and cross-agency collaboration.

© 2007 Federal Signal Corporation. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. 1


Incidents such as 9/11 represent just the tip of the iceberg. During large-scale disasters involving many emergency relief workers, and also requiring the notification of large numbers of citizens, proprietary radio channels are often unable to communicate from one jurisdiction to another. Clearly, the potential for property damage, injury and loss of life increases dramatically when emergency personnel are unable to effectively communicate and coordinate their resources with one another.

Many government-funded research projects have been conducted, most of which identify the need for standardized public safety communications equipment. However, despite the call for standardization, communications hardware will continue to evolve in new and different directions; and total equipment standardization is unlikely because of budget constraints and other issues. And these communication deficiencies are just as evident among businesses and commercial institutions such as hospitals, universities and airports as they are to government agencies.

Beyond the need for interoperable, live communications, public safety organizations must also be able to broadcast urgent alerts to individuals, target groups and the mass citizenry. Through it all, one thing is clear: Efficient information distribution during a disaster can save lives. In order to instantly alert people, it is important to have an alert-notification system in place that overcomes the barriers of disparate hardware, communication mediums and language. For all intents and purposes, the days of urgent-alert systems that depend on a single type of communications device or infrastructure disappeared amidst the smoke of September 11th, 2001.

Public Address Systems Muster Systems

General Alarm Systems Signaling Systems

Access Control Systems Intercom Systems

Video Surveillance Systems Back-up Power

Perimeter Detection Systems Telephone Systems

Fire Alarm Systems Radio Systems

Gas Detection Systems Email Systems

Evacuation Systems Gate Control

Systems in Use in Plants and Industrial FacilitiesThe efficient and timely distribution of information within and between different agencies during a disaster can be a matter of life and death, literally. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that disseminating urgent alerts to designated personnel, targeted groups and response teams, employees, students, faculty members and others including plant employees and the general public has become a priority for first responders, government agencies, large institutions, business and industry. Not only are these organizations faced with overcoming the barriers of disparate hardware, communications mediums and language, but also with such issues as sharing data with other agencies and departments; monitoring recipient acknowledgement and the subsequent action taken; and automating emergency incident procedures.

Figure 2: Examples of Systems in use in Plants and Industrial Facilities

Those who head up industrial plant safety, security and well-being, can no longer afford to wait; interoperability and alerting concerns call for a real-time solution. Government agencies, large institutions and businesses need ways to bridge their communications; and manage key assets as events unfold. Fire and police departments, and paramedics and other first responders must be able to communicate seamlessly. Additionally, public service agencies need efficient systems to broadcast urgent alerts to the general public. These mission-critical objectives must be met so that communities, commercial and industrial enterprises and other types of large institutions have the best opportunity to minimize the impact of a catastrophe. Figure 3: Industrial Systems




The Evolution of the Federal Signal Platform Federal Signal provides hundreds of products and integrated solutions designed to enhance public safety, security and well-being around the world. From fire rescue to all-hazard warning systems, to the latest environmental solutions, Federal Signal is uniquely positioned to help municipal leaders and industry executives protect people, property and the environment. As the company continues to innovate and invest in its core products and services, Federal Signal is enhancing those solutions with wireless broadband technologies for public safety along with interoperable communications solutions that are used by commercial and business organizations, municipalities and other government entities around the world. These solutions are being brought together via an interoperable communications platform that is referred to as the Federal Signal Platform (‘platform’). This platform will help establish a basis for customers to converge the best features of their current communications investments. At the same time, it will also enable customers to confidently invest in future integrated solutions. Interoperable by design, the Federal Signal platform is enabled by its world-class partners. This includes solutions such as facility management systems, parking and revenue management systems, license plate recognition, 911-emergency operations centers, dispatch, records management, integrated on-board vehicle and maintenance, intelligent warning and notification, and battlefield management. Federal Signal’s vision is to provide a real-time intelligent analytics platform that supports public safety, security and well-being. Unified messaging — reaching many different device types with a single message is of major significance for a alerting and communications systems. The ability for authorized personnel to send one alert and have it hit everything at once allows for much quicker distribution of messages. A system that provides for broadcasting alerts via various communication mediums is imperative for emergency notifications — if you rely on only one communication medium and that infrastructure is unavailable during a particular crisis, your system is rendered useless. Pairing site redundancy with the ability to contact different device types at once provides an elevated level of resilience to a system and a higher probability that communications will get out even during the most disastrous situations when normal communication systems may be crippled. The robust, standards-based platform embraces open architecture concepts, and is modular in design; thereby providing a flexible platform for first responders and emergency personnel that offers a productive combination of security, reliability, scalability and redundancy.

Category Description Secure process of protecting data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure,

destruction, modification or disruption Reliable ability of the system to perform and maintain its functions in routine

circumstances, as well as hostile or unexpected circumstances Scaleable system that can easily be upgraded to accommodate changes in the

number of users, resources and computing entities Redundant duplication of critical system components with the intention of

increasing reliability of the system, usually in the case of a backup or fail-safe situations

Figure 2: Key Features of the Platform


The platform provides comprehensive communications interoperability between different networks, products, devices and agencies with the goal of enhancing an agency’s operational effectiveness, and ability to protect people, property and the environment. Interoperability Is Important…Just as Important as Communications Security and Reliability Over the years, IT environments, radio communication systems and other computer solutions have become more complex and more diverse due to customer demand and rapid innovation in information management technology. Government and enterprise IT infrastructures are increasingly multi-platform, multi-vendor and widely distributed. Consequently, ensuring that different applications and technologies work together has become a critical Quality of Service (QoS) issue that is essential to achieving business and organizational efficiencies. For this reason, it should come as no surprise that many leading organizations now rank interoperability to be as important as either security or reliability in the management of their IT systems. Responding to customer demand, Federal Signal is working to advance a new generation of software and Web services based on Extensible Mark-up Languages (XML) that deliver interoperability that not only provides customers with expanded choices but also encourage competition in the global marketplace. Interoperability is all about connecting people, data and diverse systems. Federal Signal continues to invest in interoperable solutions to help customers get the most from heterogeneous IT environments so that they can focus on the issues most important to their business and operational needs, such as improving business processes; improving cross-jurisdiction communication; increasing productivity; reducing costs; and collaborating with other organizations and agencies through seamless communications, data sharing and integration of diverse systems.

• Connecting people describes the

workflows and collaboration that occur with and between organizations at the “people” level—the social aspect of work.

• Connecting data addresses the need to

access different data sources; optimize information flows; and integrate structured data (e.g. databases) and unstructured data (e.g. files).

• Connecting diverse systems includes

technical and operational processes within and among organizations and ranges from simple connectivity between systems to facilitate value-chain workflows.

Figure 3: Integrated Command Solution from Federal Signal



The Industrial Safety, Security and Well-being Platform Today, Federal Signal provides products and integrated solutions that help enhance industrial safety, security and well-being around the world. From Fire Rescue to all-hazard warning systems, to the latest environmental and industrial solutions, Federal Signal is uniquely positioned to help municipal and industrial leaders protect people, property, and the environment. As Federal Signal continues to innovate and invest in our core products and services, we are enhancing those solutions with wireless broadband technologies for public safety along with interoperable communications solutions that are used by commercial organizations, municipalities, and other government entities around the world. These solutions are being brought together via an interoperable communications platform that is referred to as the Federal Signal Platform (‘platform’). The platform will help establish a basis for customers to converge the best features of their current communications investments at the same time that they can confidently invest in future integrated solutions. The platform is interoperable by design, provided by Federal Signal and enabled by our world-class partners. This includes solutions such as facility management systems, parking and revenue management systems, license plate recognition, 911-emergency operations centers, dispatch, records management, integrated on-board vehicle and maintenance, intelligent warning and notification, and battlefield management. Federal Signal’s vision is to provide a

real-time intelligent analytics platform that helps enable public safety, security and well-being. The FS Codespear platform represents a huge breakthrough in terms of organizational productivity, data integration and solution platform capabilities. By employing many of the principles and technologies described earlier, the platform delivers out-of-the-box solutions that enable end-users to leverage business data and participate in business processes through a number of easy-to-use interfaces.

Figure 4: Interoperable Industry Platform

Enterprise Modules and Solutions seamlessly plug into the platform for interoperable communications and data sharing. The key features include:

• Plug into the platform • Can be developed by Federal Signal (eg. Access Controls, Interoperable Communications, Video

Analytics, Public Address and General Alarm Systems) • Can be developed by partners or customers



The Interoperable Industry Platform is the routing and messaging software layer that enables anytime, anyplace and any device connectivity via a common defined interface. The interface is in the Applications Programming Interface (API) family and enables connectivity to Federal Signal products and solutions as well as industry solutions from other providers. This includes the following: vehicular, structural, notification, control, monitoring and people interface units in addition to the radio and sensor box interface units. The key features include:

• Interface units that are made up of 1 to many Applications Programming Interfaces (API's) • API's that are modular and standard across the platform to provide maximum performance and an

embedded code version or chipset execution

Technology Competencies (Technologies) are key enablers of the platform and include sensors, tags, and detectors such as GPS, VoIP, Wireless/Cellular, Biometrics, Geo-Fencing, 3D, RFID, WAVE, Voice recognition,

and web services along with Industry Standards (eg. CAP, RS232, IP, SAPI). Beyond providing rich out-of-the-box solutions and a critical mass of platform

technologies, the Federal Signal FS Codespear platform provides an infrastructure on which enterprises can build, deploy and host user-driven applications. By building on top of the platform, enterprises can take advantage of the services and characteristics of the latest technology innovation.


Both broadcast of urgent alert notifications and communications interoperability are essential for public safety and citizen alert notification. Today there is an abundance of communication devices available and modern technology affords a wide array of devices to fit various communication needs. The platform has numerous capabilities to help leverage these devices effectively to facilitate public safety needs. No application or platform is an island. Even though many are still created with an internal focus, the reality is that connecting applications together has become the norm. Yet connecting software for public safety, security and well-

being solutions is about more than just exchanging bytes. As organizations move toward a service-oriented architecture (SOA), the real goal — creating processes that unite separate applicationinto a coherent whole across application platboundaries — comes within reach.

FS CodespearRouting/Messaging

Engine

UDP RS232TCP

Federal Signal Modules

GUIIntegrated Management

Console

SSG_DeviceCodespear FS_Device

APIAPIAPI

APIAPIAPI

Figure 5: Messaging Engine

s form

res

ew eeks.

Ease of implementation and the ability to customize for your unique needs are key featuof the Federal Signal platform. The platform will work with your existing systems AND is flexible enough to adapt to tomorrow’s advanced technology environment. Many customers are up

and running on the platform in as little as a f Figure 6: Integrated Command Console w


The Federal Signal platform offers hosted and hosting options that enable you to decide how you would like to sequence your emergency response and fail-over systems structure. Support of the UASI test scenario requirements and NIMS guidelines from the Department of Homeland Security form the basis for the feature architecture of the platform. Non-technical staff can “program” platform features such as Scenario Manager, which offers individual customers the ability to create customized emergency response and alerting systems without actual custom software development.

The Federal Signal platform fundamentally changes the way people interact with content, applications and other users regardless of the device or the location. Quite simply, it is about applications that promote increased participation at all levels of the community.

The FS Codespear Platform Enables Any Device to Communicate with Any Other Device Anytime, Anyplace

With the large and ever-increasing number of internet users, the world-wide web is beginning to achieve its initial promise; evolving into a platform that harnesses and promotes collective intelligence. People are no longer just consumers of content and applications; they are participants, creating content and interacting with different services and people. More and more people are creating blogs; contributing to knowledge bases such as Wikpedia; and using peer-

to-peer (P2P) technologies. Sometimes referred to as the “network effect”, this increase in participation and content creation presents

new opportunities to involve users in deeper, more meaningful ways, and enable interoperable communications.

Figure 7: Event Management

FS Codespear is an interoperable communications and instant-alert notification software platform that allows public safety personnel, government organizations, citizens and corporations to connect anytime, anywhere and on any communications device—regardless of existing infrastructure, hardware or frequencies.

FS Codespear is designed to provide a secure, comprehensive interoperability solution that enables live communications and alert notifications across multiple devices, including: two-way radios, landline and cellular telephones, computers, pagers, hybrid cell phone/radio devices (such as Nextel Direct Connect) and more. Additionally, alert notifications and voice communications can be instantly transmitted in multiple languages on any device or frequency.

When combined with instant-alert notification, the FS Codespear platform makes mission-critical communications easier, faster and less expensive than hardware-based alternatives. In addition to providing day-to-day interoperable communications, the FS Codespear software-based platform enables incident managers to establish instant tactical communications within minutes of arriving on a scene at an emergency where hardware-based networks are either unavailable or down due to the nature of the crisis.

Figure 8: Interoperable Communications




Wide area and targeted instant-alert notification enables incident managers to instantly notify first responders, facility workers, security personnel, and private citizens of evacuation procedures, Amber Alerts, HazMat warnings and other urgent notifications regardless of device or frequency type. FS Codespear also provides users with access to streaming video and mobile surveillance connections.

Enabling different applications and technologies to work together has become so important that many leading government and business organizations now view interoperability as being just as important as security and reliability when it comes to managing their IT systems. Working alongside industry leaders, Federal Signal is addressing this issue by advancing a new generation of software and web-based services based solutions that run on IP and XML. These solutions deliver interoperability by design, while also protecting customers’ choices throughout the global marketplace. By leveraging IP-based concepts and cross organization use of SOA, Federal Signal helps improve interoperability within organizations and across organizations.



The Technologies of the Platform When properly understood and deployed, the FS Codespear platform technologies, methods and patterns can be adopted by the enterprise to great effect. In addition to boosting overall organizational productivity, they also create a much stronger connection between customers and partners. To capitalize on this opportunity, enterprises require an agile infrastructure with the tools and out-of-the-box solutions that enable users to interact with content, applications and people in powerful new ways. Here are just a few of the key concepts that make this possible:

Rich User Experience Providing end-users with a single place to collaborate increases productivity; minimizes training costs; and encourages deeper adoption and usage. A rich, dynamic responsive user-interface also enables people to drive the communications, rather than limit them to the constraints of fixed applications and screens. Data-Driven Architecture Data is the fuel that powers all information technology. The new breed of applications uses technologies such as XML, protocol interoperability and web services to allow systems of all types to exchange data with greatly reduced integration complexity. User-Driven Emergency Applications With the FS Codespear platform, users can create applications specific to their own needs. The shift of application development to the edge of the network is perhaps the most dramatic change for many organizations accustomed to “top-down” solution models. However, the new models acknowledge that organizations simply cannot anticipate all of the creative solutions that occur at the network edge of in business units. On the internet, these edge-created applications have been dubbed “mash-ups.” In the enterprise they are often referred to as composite applications. Low-Cost Deployment and Management The concepts supporting the FS Codespear platform strike a new balance between the control and administrative ease of centralized systems, and the flexibility and user-empowerment of distributed systems. Web applications are by nature centrally deployed, thereby enabling central services to manage applications and entire desktops automatically. While this format has always appealed to centralized IT organizations, it now becomes even more appealing to users because they can reassemble the services available to them in a fashion that suits them best. It also offers the potential to host or outsource applications and still manage them by enabling users to “pull” the applications at their desktop. Technology Components Beyond these high-level concepts, the Federal Signal platform includes some key technologies that successful companies should evaluate as a central part of their infrastructure. These include: XML XML is a self-describing data format that is easily understood by many applications and systems. XML provides the ability to define the specific vocabularies necessary to describe an organization’s information, and thereby promote nearly seamless data interchange. With the same language and format, all the systems and applications that process expense-related information can seamlessly share data, vastly reducing integration complexity.


XML Web Services XML web services are interoperable software components that support computer-to-computer interaction over a network. XML web services can expose content and application interfaces to other systems, enabling dynamic scenarios such as mash-up or composite applications. Web services are a core component of solutions that integrate multiple applications, platforms and databases. Really Simple Syndication (RSS) As its name implies, RSS delivers content through syndication services, thereby providing an easy way to broadly

publish information inside and outside of an organization. Due to the rapidly expanding amount of content and applications, syndication is an important step in obtaining maximum exposure and stickiness. Protocol Interoperability An interoperable industry platform provides the ability to interface with legacy protocols, and subsequently bridge them with newer protocols. At the same time, this advanced interoperability-aware protocol capability supports many of the older protocols needed to bridge IP devices with non-IP devices.

Figure 9: Alerting Management Console

Search As demonstrated by internet search engines, search has become a first-class entry point for many types of tasks, and is often the user’s first tool when trying to answer questions. Organizations can capitalize on this inherent ability by providing users with high-quality enterprise search results that include multiple data types. Metadata Services Metadata is literally “data about data.” Key to enabling interoperable communications, Metadata is a set of information that describes the rest of the information in an organization. It may describe emergency response entities such as site maps, response sheets and NIMS reports. Collaborative Workspaces Collaborative workspaces are places for groups to meet, talk, share information and keep a record of members and activities. A vital capability in emergency situations, the workspace provides a selection of configurable tools for storage, communication, display and item tracking. These dynamic workspaces enable a new group of members to quickly come up to speed, as well as provide the ongoing context tasks for projects. Common Web Application Framework Due to its sheer size, the internet is full of different application frameworks. However, government agencies, businesses and other organizations cannot afford this kind of infrastructure fragmentation. To maximize return on investment, enterprises must standardize on a common industry platform based on a common web application framework that supports easy application creation and deployment.



The Integrated Command Solution (ICS)

Federal Signal pulls together multiple modules and disparate systems into an easy to use, workstation-based, software-centric solution. Combining ease of use and redundancy, this solution is crucial to facility wide monitoring. By providing IP and wireless capabilities, multiple Integrated Commands (primary and secondary) and remote-site monitoring and back up, Federal Signal’s Integrated Command Solution makes direct integration into your applications environment a productive reality. Interoperable Communications: The platform prompts responders into the ready state quickly by linking disparate radio systems and other forms of communication including email, text messaging and dial-down telephone with acknowledgement. Federal Signal Smart Message: Module processes alerts and alarms are through every communications media. Visual and audible alerts automatically appear on every computer screen within an organization. Once the system is deployed, controlled and synchronized communication over multiple conventions helps to eliminate the chaos that inevitably results from unorganized action plans. Event Management Software: By enabling proactive response management to be preconfigured, module automates and expedites the decision making process at critical moments when seconds count; and then getting

the situation under control through deployment of a defined response that maximizes effectiveness. Access Control: Federal Signal offers a host of options ranging from door and outdoor gate control to integration with existing systems. Monitoring and control of remote locations intensifies the return on investment (ROI) of existing and/or future access-control capabilities. Intercommunications: Federal Signal Echo digital communications system satisfies a myriad of on-site safety and security communication requirements. Equipped with all the bells and whistles, the fiber optics-ready system integrates with other platforms via IP.

Figure 10: Integrated Command Solution



Public Address/General Alarm System: PAGASYS is the foundation of Federal Signal’s fully redundant in-plant mass-notification system. Operating either over discrete wiring or a network, PAGASYS is internationally recognized as the life safety and security system of choice. Muster Stations: When accounting for and communicating with personnel is critical, muster stations offer a safe, effective way to communicate both indoors and outdoors. Federal Signal offers many options, including on-location video, signaling, intercom, wireless proximity, WI-FI, GPS, GSM and satellite communications. Signaling: When it comes to alert signaling, no one can “light it up” or “pump up the volume” like Federal Signal. From beacons, emergency lighting and process safety horns, to large-scale integrated plant-wide mass-notification sirens, Federal Signal offers the state-of-the-art in both audible and visual signaling.


Video Analytics: By detecting behavioral issues and initiating alerts before humans detect a problem, systems prevent escalation to a catastrophic event. Systems recognize human, object and vehicular

behavior that may be the precursor to a variety of potential threats. In addition to tracking identifiers such as license plates, system detects perimeter breaches and tailgating and other behaviors, while also offering the capability to count people and vehicles.

Figure 11: Integrated Alarm Management

Simplified implementation and the ability to customize for specific needs are key features of the Federal Signal platform. The platform works with existing systems while providing the flexibility necessary to adapt to the technology of tomorrow. Many customers are already up and running on the platform, and were brought up to speed in as little as a few weeks.

The Federal Signal platform offers hosted and non-hosting options that enable users to decide how they would like to sequence emergency response and fail-over systems structure. Support of the UASI test scenario requirements and NIMS guidelines for the Department of Homeland Security form the basis for the feature architecture of the platform.

Importantly non-technical staff can “program” platform features such as scenario and event management, which offers individual customers the ability to create customized emergency response and alerting systems without actually developing custom software.

Figure 12: Qatargas PAGA System


The Integrated Command Solution Customer Experiences

Qatargas selects Federal Signal's integrated communications and warning system to provide a fail-safe communications and warning system for its advanced liquefied natural gas production plant in Qatar. This Federal Signal solution provides Qatargas with a customized and comprehensive array of sensing, communication and warning functionality.

“Federal Signal is an expert in engineering large-scale integrated communications and warning systems for high-profile buildings and industrial complexes,” said David R. McConnaughey, president of Federal Signal’s Safety Products Group. “Federal Signal has created one of the most advanced emergency notification systems in use in the world today for Qatargas.”

The Federal Signal system offers built-in intelligence that enables remote volume control at individual loudspeakers in hazardous locations via standard cable structure. Additionally, the system enables voice and alarm access to local and global areas of the plant facility and delivers system status and diagnostic information to remote locations over the wide area network. Figure 13: Industrial Location

“The nature of our operation and the physical size of the plant demanded a number of special features to enhance the operability and reliability of what is probably the largest single public address and general alarm (PAGA) system in the world,” said Taha Ganadi, head of telecoms at Qatargas. “Federal Signal’s state-of-the-art public address and general alarm system met the precise needs of our world-class liquefied natural gas plant in Qatar.”

Figure 14: Liquefied Natural Gas Facility

Omaha UASI Region deploys urgent alert notification and scenario management solution The Omaha, Neb., Tri-County Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Region, composed of the City of Omaha, Douglas County, Sarpy County and Washington County have begun to deploy the FS Codespear interoperable industry platform to enhance emergency management, planning and response within each respective agency’s emergency management operations. In addition to the implementation of FS Codespear’s core SmartMsg alert notification application, the Omaha UASI Region has also licensed the FS Codespear Scenario Manager module, which is an integrated incident planning and execution tool that enables the definition of tiered response plans, based on incident events and their dependencies with other tasks, resources, or procedures. This application module sets a new paradigm in achieving National Incident Management System (NIMS) compliance and electronic execution of response plans and mutual aid requests. Figure 15: Omaha Area EOC



The Omaha UASI region covers more than 650,000 citizens spanning over 900 square miles. After considerable planning and competitive evaluation, FS Codespear was awarded the regional contract. In addition, FS Codespear supported the Omaha UASI Region in October 2006 with the rapid implementation of a pilot alerting system. This system supported the “Operation Triple Play” multi-jurisdictional exercise, which was the largest event to-date designed to test readiness of key agencies in the event of a major disaster in the area. This exercise validated the FS Codespear technology and its ability to meet the demanding requirements of a multi agency regional deployment. “We are pleased to partner with Federal Signal Codespear to enhance emergency management and response,” commented Paul Johnson, Director of Emergency Management for Douglas County, “Our regional deployment of a redundant and multi-device SmartMsg-based alerting emergency management system will enable over 2,500 county emergency management, first responder and municipal personnel to significantly enhance our management and response to critical incidents within the Tri-County Omaha Region.”

North American International Auto Show Command Center continues to expand the use of its Federal Signals flagship product "SmartMsg". Carl Berry, Chief of Security for the North American International Auto Show said, "We are once again pleased with the success of our security objectives for the International Auto Show. The Codespear system was a central component for our communications capabilities. "This was the second year we have utilized FS Codespear and I am impressed and satisfied with the system's expansive use. Codespear was able to consolidate communications between 19 different agencies consisting of over 100 individual personnel. We were able to immediately reach first responders for incidents including bomb threats, missing child alerts, crowd control, medical assistance and suspicious package notification. During such an event, multiple agencies must be coordinated to ensure security. These agencies included individual Corporate Security Teams, Wayne County Sheriff, Detroit Police and Fire, COBO Hall Security, Border Patrol, FBI, Michigan State Police and EMS Teams. These agencies normally cannot communicate across their disparate radio systems. But FS Codespear's interoperability solution allows two-way communication across all devices including: radio systems of different brands/models and different frequencies, computers, cell phones, pagers, and PDAs, allowing all necessary personnel to communicate regardless of communication device. Predefined and ad-hoc Talk Groups were used in the Codespear system to link specific individuals on all of their devices for two-way communication and alert notification. Stuart Rich, K9 Explosives Detection Team and Homeland coordination said, "We were able to receive all necessary alerts real-time to our own devices. This helped expedite our response to all potential threats and it allowed us to use our own devices to receive alerts and communicate with central dispatch and other agencies. This eliminated the hassle of learning a new communication system for the event."

Figure 16: Facility Operations Center




Summary Do you feel safe and secure in your industrial operation? If something happens, are your safety and security systems and personnel proactive or reactive? Do your policies and procedures really mean anything after the fact? Or are they in place merely to get you the chaos of the aftermath? As a leading source for the latest industry platforms, products, and integrated systems, these are they types of challenges that Federal Signal is helping customers solve everyday.

The critical moments before an episode begins define whether a response effectively saves lives and/or protects assets. That’s why Federal Signal believes an effective response starts well in advance of a crisis. With the goal of bringing a culture of “safety and security” to your operation, Federal Signal provides the tools to detect and prevent possibly dangerous situations from occurring and if they do occur helping preventing them from becoming catastrophic. Though trends, patterns, and critical information are usually available, they are often overlooked, or cannot be interpreted quickly enough to take the next step. That is why bridging disparate systems and automating the subsequent response are so critical to maintaining “safe and secure” culture within your operation.

In order to meet the emerging mission-critical needs of its customers, Federal Signal is applying advanced technology such as interoperable communications software and broadband wireless to its core solutions. These “smart” technologies are delivering the enhanced functionality, intelligence and interoperability demanded by today’s complex events. Today, Federal Signal offers a suite of products and integrated solutions that is protecting people, property and the environment every day all over the world.



Appendix – Additional Information

Federal Signal Corporation (NYSE: FSS) is a leader in advancing security and well-being for communities and workplaces. The company designs and manufactures a suite of products and integrated solutions for municipal, governmental, educational, industrial and airport customers. Federal Signal was founded in 1901.

Federal Signal Codespear is an interoperable communications and instant alert notification software platform that enables public safety personnel, government organizations, citizens and corporations to connect anytime, anywhere and on any communications device regardless of existing infrastructure, hardware or frequencies. Additional information can be found with the following links:

• Industrial Integrated Systems Group http://www.fs-isys.com

• Industrial communications, safety and security http://www.federalsignal-indust.com/

• Interoperable communications http://www.codespear.com

• Intelligent transportation systems, public safety and access control http://www.pipstechnology.com

• Public safety, security and well-being http://www.federalsignal.com

For additional information please visit Federal Signal at http://www.federalsignal.com

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http://www.codespear.com/

http://www.pipstechnology.com/

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http://www.federalsignal.com/



Appendix – Glossary of Acronyms and Terms API - An application programming interface (API) is a source code interface that a computer system or program library provides to support requests for services to be made of it by a computer program. An API differs from an application binary interface in that it is specified in terms of a programming language that can be compiled when an application is built, rather than an explicit low level description of how data is laid out in memory.

DHS - The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), commonly known as Homeland Security, is a Cabinet department of the Federal Government of the United States with the responsibility of protecting the territory of the United States from terrorist attacks and responding to natural disasters. With approximately 184,000 employees, DHS is the third largest cabinet department in the U.S. federal government after the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs.

Ethernet - Ethernet is a large, diverse family of frame-based computer networking technologies that operates at many speeds for local area networks (LANs). The name comes from the physical concept of the ether. It defines a number of wiring and signaling standards for the physical layer, through means of network access at the Media Access Control (MAC)/Data Link Layer, and a common addressing format. Ethernet has been standardized as IEEE 802.3. In recent years, Wi-Fi, the wireless LAN standardized by IEEE 802.11, has been used instead of Ethernet for many home and small office networks and in addition to Ethernet in larger installations.

GIS - Geographic information system (GIS) is a system for capturing, storing, analyzing and managing data and associated attributes which are spatially referenced to the earth. In the strictest sense, it is a computer system capable of integrating, storing, editing, analyzing, sharing, and displaying geographically-referenced information. In a more generic sense, GIS is a tool that allows users to create interactive queries (user created searches), analyze the spatial information, edit data, maps, and present the results of all these operations.

GPS - The Global Positioning System (GPS) is currently the only fully functional Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). More than two dozen GPS satellites are in medium Earth orbit, transmitting signals allowing GPS receivers to determine the receiver's location, speed and direction.

HTML – Hypertext Markup Language is the predominant markup language for the creation of web pages. It provides a means to describe the structure of text-based information in a document — by denoting certain text as headings, paragraphs, lists, and so on — and to supplement that text with interactive forms, embedded images, and other objects.

IP - The Internet Protocol (IP) is a data-oriented protocol used for communicating data across a packet-switched internetwork. IP is a network layer protocol and is encapsulated in a data link layer protocol (e.g., Ethernet). As a lower layer protocol, IP provides the service of communicable unique global addressing amongst computers. IP is the common element found in today's public Internet.

Mesh – Mesh networking is a way to route data, voice and instructions between nodes. It allows for continuous connections and reconfiguration around broken or blocked paths by “hopping” from node to node until the destination is reached.

NIMS - Developed by the United States Secretary of Homeland Security at the request of the President of the United States, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) integrates effective practices in emergency preparedness and response into a comprehensive national framework for incident management. The NIMS will enable responders at all levels to work together more effectively to manage incidents.

P25 - Project 25 (P25) is a suite of standards for digital radio communications for use by federal, state/province and local public safety agencies in North America to enable them to communicate with other agencies and mutual aid response teams in emergencies. In this regard, P25 fills the same role as the European Tetra protocol, although is not interoperable with it.

PBX - A Private Branch eXchange (also called PBX, Private Business eXchange or PABX for Private Automatic Branch eXchange) is a telephone exchange that serves a particular business or office, as opposed to one a common carrier or telephone company operates for many businesses or for the general public.

PDA - Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are handheld computers that were originally designed as personal organizers, but became much more versatile over the years. PDAs are also known as pocket computers or palmtop computers. PDAs have many uses including accessing the Internet, sending and receiving E-mails, video



recording, typewriting and word processing, use as an address book, making and writing on spreadsheets, use as a radio or phone, and Global Positioning System (GPS).

Platform – Platform is used to represent a standing surface like concept used to support things, give them stability, or visibility. Typical platforms include a computer's architecture, operating system, or programming languages and their runtime libraries. As referenced in the whitepaper Federal Signal provides a platform for Public Safety, Security, and Well-being.

QoS - The term Quality of Service is used as a quality measure with many alternative definitions, rather than referring to control mechanisms. In computer networking, a good QoS may mean advanced QoS mechanisms, or high probability that the network is able to provide the requested level of performance.

RSS - RSS is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated digital content, such as blogs, news feeds or podcasts. Users of RSS content use software programs called "feed readers" or "feed aggregators". The user subscribes to a feed by entering a link to the feed into the reader program.

SAT - Satellite Internet services are used in locations where terrestrial Internet access is not available and in locations which move frequently. Internet access via satellite is available worldwide, including vessels at sea and mobile land vehicles. There are three types of satellite Internet service: one-way multicast, one-way with terrestrial return, and Very small aperture terminal (VSAT) (two-way) satellite access.

SOA - Service-orientation describes an architecture that uses loosely coupled services to support the requirements of business processes and users. Resources on a network in an SOA environment are made available as independent services that can be accessed without knowledge of their underlying platform implementation.

UASI - The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) is designed to set a strategic direction for the enhancement of regional response capability and capacity. UASI’s mission is to reduce area vulnerability and prevent terrorism and/or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incidents. Through Federal grant funding, UASI is tasked to reduce area vulnerability by strengthening the cycle of response and by ensuring that potential targets are identified, assessed and protected.

UHF - Ultra high frequency (UHF) designates a range (band) of electromagnetic waves whose frequency is between 300 MHz and 3 GHz. Also known as the decimeter band or decimeter wave as the wavelengths range from ten to one decimeters. Radio waves whose frequency is above the UHF band fall into the SHF (Super high frequency) and EHF (Extremely high frequency) bands; all of which fall under the Microwave frequency range. Lower frequency signals fall into the VHF or lower bands.

VHF - Very high frequency (VHF) is the radio frequency range from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. Also known as the meter band or meter wave as the wavelengths range from ten to one meters. Frequencies immediately below VHF is HF, and the next higher frequencies are known as Ultra high frequency (UHF). VHF is also commonly used for terrestrial navigation systems (VOR in particular), Marine Communication, and aircraft communications.

VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol, also called VoIP, IP Telephony, Internet telephony, Broadband telephony, Broadband Phone and Voice over Broadband is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or through any other IP-based network.

Wi-Fi - Describes the wireless interface of mobile computing devices, such as laptops in LANs based on the IEEE 802.11 specifications. Wi-Fi is now increasingly used for more services. More standards are in development that will allow Wi-Fi to be used by cars on highways in support of an Intelligent Transportation System to increase public safety, security, and well-being.

WiMAX - WiMAX is defined as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access by the WiMAX Forum, formed in June 2001 to promote conformance and interoperability of the IEEE 802.16 standard, officially known as WirelessMAN. WiMAX aims to provide wireless data over long distances, in a variety of different ways, from point to point links to full mobile cellular type access.

WAVE – Wireless Access in the Vehicular Environment, also known as IEEE 802.11p, a set of standards that govern wireless networking transmission methods.

XML - The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a general-purpose markup language. Its primary purpose is to facilitate the sharing of data across different information systems, particularly via the Internet. XML is a fee-free open standard.

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