In the autonomous region of Castilla-La Mancha in Central Spain, the health care authority, SESCAM, takes people's well-being seriously. SESCAM is stepping up its medical airlift services with 166 new helipads and a communications and video network system that is built to effectively counter any calamity.
Centralising the system
Currently, there are 59 medical emergency helicopter landing pads in Castilla-La Mancha. Since 2006, SESCAM has offered airlift services at night, making Castilla-La Mancha the only autonomous region in Spain with emergency helicopter facilities available 24 hours per day. SESCAM intends to further its achievements by increasing the number of helipads to 225 and centralising the communications network.
Taking on the implementation of this critical project is Indra, the premier IT company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe and Latin America that has worked successfully with SESCAM on many medical care related projects. Indra will oversee the design and deployment of an integrated network system that connects the 225 helipads and coordinates the airlift services. The network will combine wireless technology, CCTV, aeronautical signalling, complex weather stations equipped with lighting sensors, and a central control centre to which emergency calls will be sent.
Excellent oversight
In order to ensure that the landing pads are visible in all sorts of conditions, Indra has enlisted the help of Siqura, manufacturer of advanced video surveillance solutions. Siqura will provide over 300 of its high-definition (HD) fixed IP dome cameras to assist operators in overseeing the highly critical areas on and around the helipads. The vandal-proof fixed dome cameras (FD62) that will be used in the system are part of a series of six cameras that provide HD resolution images in H.264, MPEG-4, and MJPEG.
Indra has enlisted the help of Siqura, manufacturer of advanced video surveillance solutions |
Conserving bandwidth through improving quality
H.264 currently offers the best image quality available while at the same time reducing bandwidth requirements. The Siqura FD62 cameras proficiently balance the intensified processing power requirements inherent in H.264 compression with network limitations. As a result, the Siqura FD62 cameras being deployed in Castilla-La Mancha are able to efficiently offer H.264 streams at HD resolutions while using relatively little bandwidth.
HD resolution
High-definition (HD) image resolutions are without a doubt a solid step up from their standard-definition and analogue predecessors. A 16x9 aspect ratio significantly widens the scope of a camera's effective field of view, ultimately reducing the number of cameras needed for a given application. The HD (720p) resolution material streamed by the Siqura FD62 considerably intensifies the number of available pixels, providing camera images with more detail than ever before.
![]() |
Siqura's advanced video surveillance solutions will effectively help manage medical emergencies more efficiently |
The multiple combinations of resolution and frame rate available satisfy the demands of a variety of live-viewing and recording scenarios necessary in such critical applications as emergency medical transport.
Seeing in the dark
The Siqura FD62 cameras offer true day/night and backlight compensation as standard features to ensure quality images in difficult lighting conditions. The cameras also include features such as motion detection and privacy masks, so that the helipads can be monitored as effectively as possible.
Extensive integration
Since the Siqura FD62 cameras comply with ONVIF specifications, they are already integrated into the major video management systems, so it is easy to incorporate them into SESCAM's new network.
Keeping incidents from escalating
It might not always be possible to keep mishaps from happening but if you're prepared, it's possible to keep incidents from escalating into bona fide calamities. SESCAM's new and improved airlift system will help to manage the urgent realities inherent in emergency medicine. So while doctors and hospital staff work to save lives on the ground, SESCAM, Indra, and Siqura will ensure that those in need of medical care swiftly and safely get where they need to go.