Cowlitz County 911 Center Selects RGB Spectrum to Improve Efficiency for Dispatchers
Cowlitz County Prioritizes Public Safety and Police Training Technology for Law Enforcement with New Coalition to Raise Funds for Better Resources
The Cowlitz 911 Center serves as the primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for a combination of thirteen law enforcement, fire and medical response agencies in Cowlitz County, Washington. The organization covers over 1,166 square miles and serves a population of 111,800 citizens, answering an average of 210 emergency 911 calls and 400 business calls per day.
With a rise in crime, the Cowlitz County residents were concerned for their families, homes, and businesses. The county formed a coalition to secure funds for new public safety and police training technology. As a result, the Cowlitz County Public Safety Radio Technology Modernization and Radio System Microwave Replacement Project was formed.
Part of the initiative was to build a state-of-the-art 911 Center to better support dispatchers deploying critical resources. The agency receives and relays emergency and non- emergency requests for police, fire, and medical services. Dispatchers receive input from a variety of sources ranging from CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) data, surveillance cameras, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, automatic location identifier (ALI) data, Records Management Systems (RMS), automatic number identification (ANI) data, Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), radio dispatch, maps, social media content, and weather.
Looking at best-of-breed technology, Cowlitz County turned to RGB Spectrum to help simplify workflows and improve ergonomics at the desk.
Cowlitz County’s 911 Communications Center deploys RGB Spectrum’s QuadView UHDx KVM systems in its operator stations to display and control up to eight data sources simultaneously on dual monitors using a single keyboard and mouse.
The QuadView UHDx KVM delivers significant ergonomic benefits for operator stations. It consolidates multiple keyboards and mice with a single keyboard and mouse, providing simpler, unified control.
Improved ergonomics are achieved by replacing eight separate displays strewn throughout the operator station with only two large-screen 4K displays centralizing all the visuals and information. The operator station is equipped with a smaller, uncluttered footprint.
A key part of the solution is RGB Spectrum’s QuadView UHDx KVM system, which allows an operator to seamlessly navigate between data sources. The QuadView is a high-performance multi-image video processor with remote keyboard and mouse control. It can display and control up to four computer screens at a time, on a single monitor. A feature of the system is RGB Spectrum’s KlickSimple™ navigation, allowing a user to simply move his cursor to an on-screen window to control the data source displayed there. This is a major improvement over previous systems where desks were equipped with multiple monitors and control devices, thereby reducing clutter, the risk of confusion and operator fatigue. The result is simplified workflow and improved work efficiency.
Bob Marcus, President and CEO of RGB Spectrum explained, “RGB Spectrum’s technologies enable 911 centers to assess information more quickly, enhance assessment and decision-making, and improve response times.”
Our motto: Better Decisions. Faster.
About the Team
Rich in history, industry, natural beauty, and home of the Monticello Convention of 1852, Cowlitz County is where Washington Territory was born. With a balanced blend of rural and urban environments, most residents of Cowlitz County live about an hour from Mt. St. Helens, the Pacific Coast, and Portland OR, providing a unique quality of life. For more information, visit co.cowlitz.wa.us.
Founded as a California corporation in 1987, The Sales Group, inc. is an independent, outsourced sales company specializing in two-way radio communications, communications centers and safety products primarily designed for use by government and enterprise emergency responders, Public-Safety, 9-1-1, Utilities, municipal, transportation, schools and more. Our team has expertise in the products and solutions to help meet industry needs and government regulations. For more information, visit thesalesgroup.com.
RGB Spectrum is a leading designer and manufacturer of mission-critical, real-time audio-visual solutions for a civilian, government and military client base. The company offers integrated hardware, software and control systems to satisfy the most demanding requirements. RGB Spectrum’s Galileo video display processor and Zio AV-over-IP platform are ideal solutions for mission-critical operations, including emergency operations centers, security operations centers, control rooms, command centers, traffic management facilities, and network operations centers. For more information, visit rgb.com.
