Greifswald Fire Brigade Stays in Touch with CEECOACH
Uninterrupted communication despite restricted freedom of movement
Radios are not always the best choice for fire brigade operations: if a chemical protection suit has to be worn, for example, pressing a button to speak is often only possible to a limited extent or with great difficulty. The Greifswald fire brigade uses CEECOACH from pei tel Communications GmbH to ensure uninterrupted communication even under such conditions. The solution was specially developed for team communication and enables permanent communication without having to press a PTT button (push-to-talk).
An institute for fusion research, a federal research institute for animal health, medical laboratories and a research facility for plasma physics: Greifswald is home to numerous facilities that handle hazardous substances. For the university town's fire brigade, this means being prepared for emergencies involving biological, chemical, radioactive and nuclear substances. Training weeks are held every year in spring and autumn to practice handling these substances. Participation is mandatory for all emergency personnel and also involves wearing special protective suits. In the past, the main problem for Karsten Hamann, Head of Technology and Procurement, was communication: "The emergency services need both hands to work during operations and exercises. Previously, they always had to interrupt their work to speak," he says.
Hamann researched an alternative to the classic radios that had previously been used. At the Interschutz trade fair, he became aware of the CEECOACH at the pei tel Communications GmbH stand. The solution for team communication ensures interference-free communication even under adverse conditions and at the same time enables convenient handling over a longer period of time. Hamann decided to test the CEECOACH and another product in detail. "The first thing that struck us about the CEECOACH was how easy it was to use and how much easier it was to work with. We also realised that the acoustics are significantly better than with radios, which also simplifies the processes as fewer enquiries are necessary," explains Hamann.
In hazardous situations, a team of two firefighters in chemical protection suits usually work together first. They move around the hazardous area and carry out reconnaissance. They are not only in contact with each other, but also with a team leader. "Another advantage of the CEECOACH has turned out to be that the team leader can communicate not only with the team at the hazard site, but also with other emergency services if necessary, without the team in front having to listen in and being distracted or disturbed," says Hamann.
The CEECOACH Professional was specially developed for authorities and industrial companies and offers groups of up to 16 people the opportunity for uncomplicated team communication. The device is characterised by its modern design and ease of use. The lightweight and compact design ensures that the CEECOACH Professional can be carried comfortably on the body and operated even when movement is restricted. Standard headsets, headphones or earphones with a 3.5 mm jack plug and Bluetooth headsets can be connected. The range is up to 700 metres. After around a year in use, the Greifswald fire service believes that the CEECOACH has proved its worth. For this reason, it is now even being examined whether the solution can be used not only for training purposes, but also in the event of an emergency.
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