Bak USA's Rugged Tablets Help First Responders Reduce Response
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Case Study Sierra Wireless Authorized Partner www.getwirelessllc.com Bak USA’s Rugged Tablets Help First Responders Reduce Response Time and Save More Lives A Sierra Wireless® Public Safety Solution CUSTOMER CRITICAL CHALLENGE To provide a mobile, powerful, rugged platform that would enable fire departments to use industry-specific software and communicate in real-time with incident command centres and other field workers BACKGROUND SOLUTION Bak USA builds mobile computers in Bak USA uses Sierra Wireless® AirPrime® EM Series networking modules to downtown Buffalo, New York. The connect their rugged tablets for field communication and remote management on company’s purpose-built devices - LTE networks a rugged tablet and 2-in-1 laptop - are durable, mobile and accessible. BENEFITS Committed to building computers, Bak USA’s rugged tablets enable dispatch to send information straight to each empowering people and changing vehicle and field employee, decreasing fire department response times and lives, Bak USA is reinventing what it increasing the level of service provided to citizens - saving more lives means to make it in America. “Because Sierra Wireless offered the complete package, Bak USA was able to complete the device design and Verizon certifications within just four months, including the resolution of technical issues found during those development and certification phases.” Leonardo Rodriguez Sustaining Product Engineer Bak USA Customer Challenge Most industries are moving to fully-connected work environments where information exists on the cloud, and systems and devices must connect seamlessly from the office to field workers. Mobile technology is a must, and cost-conscious companies need hardware that lasts. For fire departments, delayed communication and limited access to information is not an option and can put lives and property at risk. Firefighters need to quickly access accurate information about the location of an incident, understand the severity of the situation, identify the quickest response route and the availability of nearby fire departments, EMS, apparatus and water supply. Once on scene, incident commanders need seamless ways to track personnel and equipment and manage resources. And after firefighters have returned to their station, administrators need to easily catalog and report incidents. Written documentation used to be the gold standard for fire departments. But water and fire can easily ruin paper documentation, and paper doesn’t provide incident commanders or off-site dispatch officials with real-time updates. The need for fire departments to rely on a technology solution is clear. Bak USA began developing a mobile, powerful, rugged computer that would enable fire departments to use industry-specific software while moving away from clunky, rugged laptops—all without blowing the budget. They knew they needed to provide a compact device with low power consumption that could still ensure high compute performance and reliable connectivity so that employees could communicate no matter where they were in the field. 2 of 4 Sierra Wireless Solution After evaluating cellular modules from multiple vendors, Bak USA selected the Sierra Wireless AirPrime® EM Series networking modules for the 4G LTE Advanced network. The industrial-grade PCI-SIG® standards-based modules enable system integrators to easily integrate wireless into their mobile computing and networking device platforms. Along with the Sierra Wireless modules, Bak USA relies on the free unlimited firmware- over-the-air updates available via Sierra Wireless’ AirVantage® FOTA Edition to keep their tablets in the field updated, connected and secure. “With other LTE module providers, it was up to us to develop a system to maintain the modules while they were in the field. This required a purpose-built system, which would need development time and a big up-front investment,” explained Leonardo Rodriguez, sustaining product engineer with Bak USA. “In the case of Sierra Wireless, this was not necessary since the AirVantage platform was already in place and provided a much more complete service than what would have been developed in a short time on our own.” Because the Bak USA tablet is water-resistant and fully functional in extreme temperatures, it’s perfect for use in tough environments. It is compatible with incident command software and is more powerful and cost-effective than a laptop. The tablets feature a built-in GPS, which helps first responders map direct routes to each incident. The device is also compact; at .9” thin and weighing just 1.75 pounds, first responders can easily fit it into a toolbox or pack—and it won’t obscure driver vision when used with a vehicle mount. The Bak USA tablets’ reliable 4G LTE connectivity allows first responders to be in constant, real-time communication with incident commanders, emergency medical teams, law enforcement agencies and mutual aid responders. And because the tablets can be configured with Windows® 10, the devices are fully compatible with the software programs that many fire companies use. 3 of 4 Results “Because Sierra Wireless offered the complete package, and - along with our distributor, GetWireless - provided excellent customer service and fast response times, Bak USA was able to complete the device design and Verizon certifications within just four months, including the resolution of technical issues found during those development and certification phases,” said Rodriguez. The Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Company in Hamburg, New York, recently purchased seven Bak USA tablets and installed them in each apparatus in their fleet. “For firefighters and EMS, shaving seconds means saving lives,” said Mark Flack, a member of Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Company’s board of directors and vehicle maintenance team. “Equipping all of our cars, trucks and engines with a tablet means that dispatch can send information straight to each vehicle—and that means we’re able to decrease our response times and increase the level of service we’re providing to citizens.” About Sierra Wireless Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) (TSX: SW) is an IoT pioneer, empowering businesses and industries to transform and thrive in the connected economy. Customers Start with Sierra because we offer a device-to-cloud solution, comprised of embedded and networking solutions seamlessly integrated with our IoT services. OEMs and enterprises worldwide rely on our expertise in delivering fully integrated solutions to reduce complexity, turn data into intelligence and get their connected products and services to market faster. Sierra Wireless has more than 1,400 employees globally and operates R&D centers in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.sierrawireless.com. Sierra Wireless, the Sierra Wireless logo, AirPrime, and the red wave design are trademarks of Sierra Wireless. Other registered trademarks that appear on this brochure are the property of the respective owners. © 2018 Sierra Wireless, Inc. 2018.05.30.