Call Takers Now Have Access To Digital Images Of Where Inbound Calls Originate
ROCHESTER, NY – June 14, 2004 – Pictometry International Corp., provider of a patented information system that captures digital aerial oblique and orthogonal images, as well as related software, announced today that Polk County, Florida has successfully integrated its software and countywide imagery into the county’s 9-1-1 dispatching system.
The completed 9-1-1 integration enables inbound calls to have their points of origin identified through a third-party mapping program that correlates the location identification points to the georeferenced imagery. Pictometry’s industry leading software enables county 9-1-1 operators to quickly and easily access up to 12 different high-resolution views of any property, building, highway, landmark, or other feature in the county where a call may originate. The software also enables call takers -to create measurements directly from the georeferenced imagery, such as height, distance, and elevation.
The county is using the imagery and software in a number of ways, from the 9-1-1 Communications Center where operators can view the entire county from multiple angles, to Mobile Data Terminals and printers in first responder vehicles. The public safety organization has already benefited from the use of Pictometry as a fire at a plastics manufacturing facility put the Pictometry system through a major test.
“As the chief arrived on the scene, the fire was already engulfing the structure,” said Polk County Public Safety Director Larry Alexander. “Using Pictometry on a laptop computer in his command vehicle, the chief was able to pull up and print several high-resolution images of the scene to look through the smoke to stage the apparatus to combat the blaze.”
“We are a great believer in the Pictometry system,” said Ginger Rudiger, manager of Polk County’s 9-1-1 Communication Center. “We recently took a 9-1-1 cellular phone call from someone working at a construction site along one of our major interstates. All the caller could tell us was that he was in need of emergency medical assistance and that he was near a warehouse. We were able to use Pictometry with that wireless caller and narrow down his location and spot the warehouse. It took us less than a minute.”
The high-resolution images are being used by a number of Polk County agencies, including the Sheriff’s department. “If you’re deploying a SWAT team at night, this lets you have a chance to look at the daylight photos of the area – you can see what’s in the back yard and things that you can’t see at night if you’re trying to do a recon,” said Polk County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division Director Major Francis Hart. “From a tactical standpoint, it’s the best that you can get your hands on other than being right there at the moment.”
“Any aid we can give to call takers to assist them in directing response units has got to be a plus. The visual reference from Pictometry is invaluable, helping our dispatchers get responding units to arrive on the scene quicker, and more accurately,” said Alexander.
“9-1-1 centers around the country are discovering that Pictometry enables a whole new approach in location-based imagery that will help reduce response times, improve interoperability between departments, and achieve a better understanding of incident areas,” said Dante Pennacchia, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing at Pictometry.
About Pictometry Pictometry International is a rapidly growing software company that provides visual intelligence information systems. The company’s patented imaging process captures georeferenced, high-resolution oblique (at an angle - natural view) and orthogonal (straight down) digital images of counties and states. Combined with the company’s interactive software solution, users can see everywhere, measure anything, and plan everything. Pictometry is a second order visualization tool that does not produce authoritative or definitive information (surveying) from its aerial images. The company’s customer base includes a growing list of county, state, and federal government organizations as well as private business users. Applications include 9-1-1, appraisers, assessors, planning officials, GIS, transportation, law enforcement, www.pictometry.com.
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Contact Info: Will Smith Marketing Manager Pictometry International Corp. 585-486-0093 X270
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