Emergency Calls Integrate With IP Video Surveillance In Malaysian City
Cyberjaya has become the first Malaysian city to deploy a system that allows local police to remotely monitor the location of an incident, immediately after receiving an emergency call.
This is achieved by interfacing IndigoVision’s IP video solution with the Malaysian Emergency Response Service (MERS) 999 system, which is part of the overall integrated CCTV surveillance system commissioned by IndigoVision’s local approved Partner, GTC Global Sdn Bhd.
Speaking at the launch of the integrated system at Cyberjaya Police Station, Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said, “The MERS 999 provides a uniform platform for handling emergency calls from the Police, Fire and Rescue Services, Health Ministry and Civil Defense Department. This allows better coordination between the agencies especially after police are able to use CCTV to check on the type and seriousness of the emergency and assess the assistance that is needed.”
The ability for the police to assess a situation immediately and provide a fast response deters criminals and allows the authorities to provide the correct assistance for victims following an incident. Being able to check on the scene of an emergency also means that the police can identify crank calls. This improves efficiency and ensures resources are directed to dealing with actual emergencies.
Using a fiber network designed by GTC Global Sdn Bhd, a total of 30 IndigoVision series 9000 IP PTZ vandal-proof domes were installed at various high traffic and populated areas around the town. Loudspeakers were also fitted alongside many of the cameras allowing control room operators to broadcast warning or help messages using an integrated intercom system.
In the central control room operators use ‘Control Center’, IndigoVision’s Security Management Software to view live camera feeds and analyze recorded video. Evidential quality video clips can be exported as evidence for use in court.
Then an emergency call is received, its location is displayed on the main GIS Map. The operator then displays the nearest camera and remotely controls its PTZ movement to view the incident. IndigoVision’s compression technology means that high-quality H.264 video can be streamed around the network with minimum bandwidth requirement. This ensures minimum latency, allowing operators to smoothly control the PTZ domes from long distances. This was one of the main reasons IndigoVision was chosen for this project.
Video is recorded on an IndigoVision Windows NVR, with Raid 5 storage, providing a 30 day archive. The amount of storage required compared to comparable systems is significantly lower due to the efficiency of the compression technology and to advanced features such as Activity Controlled Framerate (ACF), which is used in the IP domes.
ACF is a unique feature that reduces the framerate at which video is transmitted from the camera during periods of scene inactivity. As soon as the camera detects motion, the video is automatically streamed at maximum framerate. This can considerably reduce the amount of recorded video, particularly during the night or at quieter locations.