When responding to an emergency, firefighters and EMS personnel know that every second counts. That’s why more than 3,100 cities around the world rely on OpticomTM priority control to help get their emergency vehicles on scene quickly and safely. But many municipalities don’t have the time or resources to install and maintain those systems. Therefore, to meet the changing demands of today’s first responders, GTT is introducing a new way to get reliable priority control at intersections without having to worry about the details. Police, fire and EMS departments can now get worry-free Opticom Priority Control as a ServiceSM (PCaaS). Departments get the same reliable priority control, but there’s no equipment to buy and nothing to maintain.
GTT is a world leader in priority control and traffic-sensing systems, with thousands of implementations of its acclaimed Opticom Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP) and Transit Signal Priority (TSP) solutions installed worldwide. Opticom EVP allows emergency vehicles to move through intersections swiftly and safely. GTT discovered the need for PCaaS after meeting with dozens of departments from around the United States, said Mike Haldane, GTT’s vice president of global marketing. Departments are having a hard time staffing their stations, and public safety personnel are becoming more and more specialised.
GTT provides equipments and installation services of Opticom PCaaS
“Firefighters and EMS staff are trained to prevent and respond to emergencies,” Haldane said. “Departments don’t have the time or resources to worry if a vehicle’s GPS antenna is working or if there’s preemption at the next light.” That’s where PCaaS helps solve the problem. Everything from equipment to installation and maintenance is provided by GTT. “You simply sign up, show up and get the green light,” Haldane said. “With Opticom PCaaS, GTT handles all the infrastructure and services for a simple, flat fee.”
The concept isn’t new for many cities. Municipalities rarely purchase computers, software and electronics anymore. Technology changes too rapidly to justify a long-term purchase for a computer or software program that will be obsolete in a couple of years. In the public safety realm, departments around the country are moving away from capital purchases for fire trucks and even turnout gear.
With per-vehicle and per-intersection pricing, Opticom PCaaS is scalable as a city’s needs change. Departments can add a truck or street corridor to the service whenever they need. “The public safety industry has advanced to the point where we have to think about priority control in an entirely new way,” Haldane said. “First responders need to get on the scene of an emergency so they can do their job. Opticom PCaaS can help clear a path.”
