Changes in technology enable people and organizations to work in new ways. And sometimes, it helps them operate in ways that are more aligned with how they actually do work.
Traditionally, public safety call-taking and dispatching technologies have had a “one-size-fits-all” feel. But the reality is that what agencies need to accomplish the mission at hand requires anything but that.
Consider the number of roles within public safety agencies that only require core call-taking, dispatching or dispatch oversight capabilities. A full dispatcher seat (user license) can be unnecessarily complex and costly for someone who doesn’t need access to all system features. Or what about smaller public safety agencies that don’t have the budget or in-house resources to procure, deploy, operate, and maintain an effective call-taking and dispatching solution? Even in a hub-and-spoke public safety answering point (PSAP) model, these small agencies might not have the budget or resources to support installed client software or virtualization. What about a severe weather or other high-impact incident that could render a PSAP inoperable? Could an agency realistically fulfill specialized information and communication technology requirements on such short notice?
While these needs and scenarios may seem disconnected, they have a common thread. Agencies need technology solutions that are not only flexible to changing operational needs and requirements, but also flexible to changing enterprise IT infrastructure standards and end-user expectations. For many agencies that flexibility can be found in thin client applications and cloud computing.
As the global product manager for Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure’s Intergraph Computer-Aided Dispatch (I/CAD) suite of solutions, I am excited to unveil Intergraph OnCall Dispatcher, our new thin-client application that provides core call-taking and dispatching capabilities via browsers. It features a highly productive, easy-to-use interface and workflows that are simple to deploy and maintain across multiple sites. We’ve launched this new application at HxGN LIVE, Hexagon’s annual conference.
Intergraph OnCall Dispatcher extends dispatching capabilities to remote, supervisory and occasional-use roles, delivering wider incident management support while significantly lowering software licensing costs that would normally be incurred for a full call-taking and dispatching seat. Because of its ease of use, scope of capabilities, and wider choice of hardware options, Intergraph OnCall Dispatcher can support many use cases outside of the primary call-taking and dispatching conducted at a PSAP.
With Intergraph OnCall Dispatcher, smaller agencies can leverage the capabilities and benefits of a shared dispatch system without the capital and operational costs of installed clients or virtualization. And in situations where PSAP becomes inoperative during a disaster, it provides a rapidly deployable contingency dispatching client, increasing resilience and ensuring continuity of operations.
Intergraph OnCall Dispatcher includes highly productive interfaces and workflows, which are a gateway to innovation and Hexagon’s next-generation public safety products that will release in the near future. To learn more about it, visit our new product page or download the product brochure today.
