N. NJ Malls Join Mutualink?

[KC2GVX]

>>Anyone have any more information on this system? Is it a radio system, or some kind of computer based alert system?


Northern New Jersey Shopping Malls Join Mutualink's Community-Wide Interoperable Safety Communications System

December 19, 2007

WALLINGFORD, Conn., Dec 19, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Three New Jersey malls are participating in a private public partnership to enhance their security and continuity of operations. The Paramus Park Mall, the Westfield Garden State Plaza and the Bergen Towne Center Mall are now connected with a novel community-wide public safety interoperability system established by the cities of Ridgewood, Paramus and Palisades Park. Developed by Mutualink, Inc., the system provides real time interoperable emergency communications among public safety agencies but also enables broader participation with key community facilities with a plug and play solution that is simple to install.

Paramus is a community that is known for its large retail-trade and expansive shopping malls. "Community-wide emergency communications among all of our critical assets and agencies is an important goal for our region. Malls have a significant impact on the US economy and their role as recreational destinations for millions of people place them high on the list for enhanced response capabilities. The right solution must enable rapid coordinated communications and response among first responders and on site management and security personnel. This means the most effective interoperability solutions will enable personnel in charge of securing and managing high priority community assets to talk directly and in real time with first responders," said Capt. James Sheehan of the Paramus Police Department. "Our field officers can now directly communicate with the mall's security services, and all three malls can also communicate with each other. Before Mutualink, the police radio system and mall radio systems were not compatible with each other."

Captain Sheehan also praised the malls for their cooperation. "I am very happy with how the management and security representatives for our malls made this a high priority and moved quickly to improve the level of emergency response preparedness for patrons. It shows how private-public communities can effectively work together when there is an adaptable, easy-to-use and affordable communications framework. Unlike other more complex and expensive systems, adding the malls to the Mutualink system took only a few hours."

Peter Karoczkai, CEO of Mutualink, said, "Public safety communication and preparedness is evolving into an environment where all critical organizations within communities will interact with one another using direct, real-time communication solutions rather than through conventional methods that are not designed to handle coordinated communications during emergencies. Enabling multiple first responder and public safety agencies to communicate with one another in an interoperable fashion is only a partial solution. Enabling interoperability to bring other key assets that may be the subjects of an emergency incident into the solution is even better. Mutualink does it all. The low cost of our simple, feature-rich and plug and play system makes interoperable communications accessible to all high value community assets such as schools, universities, malls, hospitals and critical infrastructure such as utility companies creating completely interoperable communities."

About Mutualink, Inc.

Wallingford, CT-based Mutualink redefines interoperability by creating networks of interoperable communities that are instantly capable of sharing radio, voice, text, video, data files and telephone communications in a secure environment. The combination of affordability, invitation based control and the simplicity of use changes the way communities across the country communicate.

Mutualink was selected as one of 2007's Hot Products by Public Safety Communications Magazine. For additional information, please visit our website at www.mutualink.net or call (203) 949-1800.

SOURCE: Mutualink, Inc.

CONTACT: Mutualink Dawn Odams, 978-392-0040 x101 dodams@mutualink.net

Copyright Business Wire 2007

 

[comsec1]

magic box

all these cure all devices for interoperbility are not worth squat. weather its the raytheon acu1000 or one of these computer based things. these salesmen come in and boast about all the places using there stuff and how "easy" it is to use. whenever these things connect or patch channels or systems together and not every single user has been informed about the patch being on there is nothing but confusion. and whats broadcast on one channel now goes over multiple channels increasing confusing radio traffic on all channels. as I've always said the single best interoperabilty device is a trained RADIO operator sitting between 2 or more radios filtering out all the unnecessary traffic.
the article states that "before mutualink the police radio system and the malls were not compatible with each other" what? sounds like some salemans mumbo jumbo, conventional radio frequencys within each respective public safty band are all compatible with each other they just need to be programmed properly and authorized to transmit on.
I wonder who will be the big kahuna in charge of turning this thing on when its needed, the cops, the mall security, the pizza pie delivery guy? . well thats enough venting for now.

 

[jaymatt1978]

I have to call into question the fact that Paramus Police and mall security couldn't communicate since they are both on UHF. A person with some knowledge of radios would assume that Paramus Police have the frequencies for the malls and IKEA in their radios already and don't need some crazy comtraption to help them with interoperalbility. I'm all for giving the police everything they need but this sounds like a waste of taxpayer money.

 

[gcr33]

I know it's a NJ thing not to talk to one another and for every tiny itty bitty borough to have their own special freq. not in common with their neighboring communities but where a motobridge or similar is in place it's only a click of the mouse using a T-1 to patch the different agencies together. There is in the works a patch for Nextel into and out of the public safety sector.
I know it's hard to accept that two or more agencies might actually need to talk to each other despite being on different bands or conventional and trunking and that a dispatcher in the next town is incappable of "knowing" another town.
God forbid a regional dispatch center ever appeared.

It's time to get into the 21st century NJ.

 

[Alarmguy]

I have to call into question the fact that Paramus Police and mall security couldn't communicate since they are both on UHF. A person with some knowledge of radios would assume that Paramus Police have the frequencies for the malls and IKEA in their radios already and don't need some crazy comtraption to help them with interoperalbility. I'm all for giving the police everything they need but this sounds like a waste of taxpayer money.

Yeah that's what I thought when I read their communications are incompatible. DUH? they are both on UHF. Sounds like this is nothing more than snake oil.

 

[Mark06032]

Mutualink technology and offering

Guys,
I want to make a simple bet. I will go out of my way and set up a demo for you guys....and if you are predisposed to be objective, my bet is you will be blogging the positive rather than the negative.... that every community should have Mutualink. It will save lives, both first responders and the citizens they protect. We are not a "black box" or a ACU type device. Your points were understood by us (over 3 years ago) and we developed technology that has solved those issues. Any way...take me up on the bet!
Mark Hatten
Chairman, Mutualink, Inc.

 

[jaymatt1978]

OK Mr. Hatten you have yourself a deal. Sean (KC2POM) and I promise to be objective and will let your run through y-our speel. However I must warn you like many on these boards we aren't some guys running to fires with ten scanners strapped to our belts. We study radio systems and keep up-to-date on the technology. We realize you are try ing to make it easier for people to communicate, but feel it's orginization, not technology that will make the difference.

 

[comsec1]

Mark, I have sat in on many meetings and demonstrations from the various companies selling these devices. the demonstration goes something like this; you have three portable radios spread across the conference table all connected to the magic box, one is VHF one is UHF and the last one is 800 Mhz all conventional. there are several representatives from the various agencies requested to attend and observe. the salesman keys up his radio at the podium and all the attendees except for the communication shop all stand in awe as the other radios make noise as the salesman speaks into his radio "testing one two", each company salesman goes through the motions with their equipment and now its 11:00 am almost lunch time. the companies are buying lunch for everyone in attendance and whichever company provides the best meal and entertainment has a contract by days end because everyone in attendance who is in charge of their department was ordered to have interoperability by close of business or they will loose the homeland security grant money. pretty accurate you can't deny it. the only problem with the entire process is that the ones who cut the check and decide don't know the difference between a megahertz or a mega mall.
now that we purchased the equipment against our recommendation and the first real life event occurs or the first drill to test it and they are deployed in the real world nothing works, the usual delay problems that were promised could be adjusted can't be, the mass confusion when end users don't knows happening, the overloaded frequencys and then the real good one when everyone else brings their magic box and hooks them up and turns them on and you get to listen to the cool sounding echo or of couse having to have a specific cable for all the radios or this one, someone shows up with trunking radio to be connected. the list and bad experiences could go on. don't take this the wrong way I'm sure your device does exactly what it is supposed to do. I have to continue this later dinner time, take it easy.