FIRST RESPONDERS
First responders gets collaborative with OneScreen unified video conferencing solutions
Founded in 1876, the Alameda Fire Department is made up of four fire stations and two administrative offices in Alameda, California. Working together, the Department is dedicated to providing the highest level of public safety services for their community of over 76,000 residents.
CHALLENGE
The City of Alameda’s Fire Department found it challenging to connect all of their personnel in real time AND visually share, access, and collaborate on files and applications licated on their network.
Due to the nature of their mission, Alameda Fire Department personnel need to remain at their respective stations during on-call hours. With four fire stations and two administrative offices, the Department found it difficult to schedule meetings and training sessions that all required participants (both on-duty and of duty) could participate in. Previously using the Adobe Connect web conferencing platform, the Fire Department frequently experienced excessive latency during their on-site meetings. To add to their dissatisfaction, personnel regularly experienced connection problems when trying to join video conferences from laptops and other mobile devices. Furthermore, the Adobe platform lacked the hardware and tools the Department needed to easily collaborate and share information.
SOLUTION
The City of Alameda’s Fire Department purchased two OneScreen hubware units, which were placed at two different stations. The Department now takes advantage of OneScreen’s high-definition video conferencing, whiteboarding, presenting, training, annotating, and sharing features.
With a clear understanding of Alameda Fire Department’s needs, a OneScreen representative tailored a customized demonstration of the solution for the City’s Department Chiefs. The Chiefs were not only extremely impressed by what they saw, but they also liked the price tag. As a result, the Department purchased two OneScreen all-in-one hubware units.
OneScreen not only offers high definiton video conferencing and computing, but also operates on Microsoft Windows 7 – an operating system with which the City’s Fire Department is already familiar and comfortable. The Department also optimizes the OneScreen solution by utilizing new software upgrades and complimentary accounts for OneScreen Softserve – a collaboration hub in the cloud that offers streamlined remote connectivity and productivity.
We were particularly awe-struck by the quality of OneScreen’s HD video conferencing capabilities. The unit provides staff members with a practically “in-person” experience and lag time was nonexistent. All I can say is “Wow!”
Chief Daren Olson | City of Alameda Fire Department
RESULTS
OneScreen’s simplified HD video conferencing, coupled with easy collaboration tools on one simple device, now provide the City of Alameda’s Fire Department with affordable audio, video, presentation and training tools that don’t compromise quality
Versatile and simple to use, OneScreen equips the Alameda Fire Department with the ability to conduct audio and video meeting on their terms, with no latency. Personnel can easily join from the stations, administrative offices or from their own device. In any case, connectivity is always seamless. Department Chiefs and administration now effortlessly share meeting agendas, notes and collaborate on action items using OneScreen 60” and 70” screens.