Wi-Fi-Based Active RFID Technology Increasing Event Safety At California Venue

With a capacity of more than 62,000, the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum hosts more than 100 events a year -- everything from professional baseball and football to the latest music concerts and family shows.

With so many events at the venue, coliseum officials recently installed a Wi-Fi-based active RFID system from AeroScout and VenueSoft to help staff quickly deploy personnel, such as security, police, medical or facilities staff, if issues arise during events.

With the venue being so large, a different response service may be served by each different company or department. If something occurred during an event that required immediate attention, coliseum officials wanted to make sure that the right response team is called to the right area, as quickly and efficiently as possible.

That’s where the RFID solution comes into play. More than 150 ushers positioned throughout the facility have VenueSoft’s VenueAlert handheld devices equipped with AeroScout T2 active RFID tags.

Thanks to the active RFID system, tags integrated into the handheld devices are used to determine where each usher is located. The location information is sent to a third-party facilities management system integrated with AeroScout’s MobileView software.

Located on the device are eight one-touch buttons that perform a certain function, such as “notify police,” “notify medical” and “notify cleanup crew.”

If a medical emergency occurs, the usher presses the button to call the response team that serves in the specific area of the coliseum.

“AeroScout is the ideal partner for the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum implementation because its technology is reliable and works with standard Wi-Fi networks, and because its MobileView software easily integrates with a wide range of third-party applications,” said Randy Wingate, COO of VenueSoft. “The joint VenueSoft and AeroScout solution has already been tested and used during three events. Based on the success of the project so far, facilities management at the complex is now planning to extend the solution to the ORACLE Arena as well.”

About the Author

Brent Dirks is senior editor for Security Today and Campus Security Today magazines.

Featured

  • NRF Supports Federal Bill to Thwart Retail Crime

    The National Retail Federation recently announced its support for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025. The act was introduced by Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Representative Dave Joyce, R-Ohio. Read Now

  • ISC West 2025 Brings Almost 29,000 Industry Professionals to Las Vegas

    ISC West 2025, organized by RX and in collaboration with the Security Industry Association, concluded at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas last week. The nation’s leading comprehensive and converged security event attracted nearly 29,000 industry professionals and left a lasting impression on the global security community. Over five action-packed days, ISC West welcomed more than 19,000 attendees and featured 750 exhibiting brands. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

  • Tradeshow Work Can Be Fun

    While at ISC West last week, I ran into numerous friends and associates all of which was a pleasant experience. The first question always seemed to be, “How many does this make for you?” Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

  • New Report Says 1 in 5 SMBs Would Be Forced to Shutter After Successful Cyberattack

    Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) play a crucial role in the U.S. economy, making up 99.9% of all businesses and contributing to half of the nation's GDP. However, these vital economic growth drivers face an escalating threat—cyberattacks that could put them out of business. Read Now

  • The Yellow Brick Road

    The road to and throughout Wednesday's and Thursday's ISC West was crowded but it was amazing. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
Most   Popular

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.