Tropos Metro-Scale Wi-Fi Network Saves Lives in Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tropos® Networks, the market leader for metro-scale wireless mesh network systems, today announced its 230 square-mile Wi-Fi network in Tucson has enabled the successful implementation of ER-Link, the nation’s first operational video-based Emergency Medical Services (EMS) telemedicine system. In addition, the same Tropos MetroMesh network infrastructure is being leveraged for traffic signal management, cutting the city’s telecommunication costs by $200,000 a year.

“With ER-Link in our department's ambulances, our medics can use the camera to zoom in on an injury, for example, so a doctor can view it. They can also transmit vital signs, and an exterior camera can even give trauma surgeons real-time images of an accident scene.”

ER-Link enables doctors at Tucson’s University Medical Center to use video and vital information telemetry to gain a sense of the severity of a patient's condition by viewing and in some cases speaking to patients in real time from Tucson Fire Department ambulances en route to the hospital. For trauma patients, time is of the essence and it is critical the right personnel and equipment be available when the patient arrives in the ER. As of August 3^rd, all of the Department’s 17 ambulances have been equipped with the ER-Link system.

"With ER-Link, doctors at the Medical Center can get patient information as soon as they're en route and assist medics, if necessary, on how to treat them. Minutes count, so any tool that sends better information, faster, to the hospital and permits evaluation of a patient's condition is an enormous asset," said Tucson assistant fire chief Dave Ridings. "With ER-Link in our department's ambulances, our medics can use the camera to zoom in on an injury, for example, so a doctor can view it. They can also transmit vital signs, and an exterior camera can even give trauma surgeons real-time images of an accident scene."

According to Doctor Terence Valenzuela, Emergency Physician, University Medical Center, and Medical Director of the Tucson Fire Department, “At our trauma center, there are three levels of injury severity – red, white and green – each requiring a different physician team to be present when an injured person arrives. We don’t want to call the entire Trauma Service if it’s not medically necessary. Seeing the trauma patient en route via ER-Link allows the telemetry intermediary nurse to decide which level of trauma response is needed, whether it’s the whole trauma team, one member of the team and/or one or more emergency physicians. We’ll expand ER-Link’s use to other problems, but this initial implementation is already making a difference.”

In addition, the city is using the Tropos MetroMesh Wi-Fi network to transmit traffic signal data and images, gathering real-time information on where lights are red, yellow or green and where pedestrians are concentrated in order to optimize traffic settings for various days and times. By owning the network infrastructure, Tucson is saving approximately $200,000 in telecommunication fees.

“Before the Tropos network was installed, we used phone lines to monitor and transmit traffic information, which was extremely expensive and didn’t allow for video transmission because it was too slow,” said Francisco Leyva, Project Manager, Tucson Transportation Department. “With the Tropos Wi-Fi network, we can transmit video data, and our field technicians can access files and email from their cars so they don’t have to drive all over the city to different signals – they can log in from wherever they are.”

Leyva added, “The city is evaluating several additional applications to leverage the existing Tropos network. The Police Department is testing it for field officers’ use, and we’re evaluating an Intelligent Transportation System, including signs that display real-time messages to drivers about detours, optional routes and road closures. The Fire Department is also looking at streaming video from ambulances to a mobile command post, as well as using the network to track firefighters while they’re inside buildings and enabling them to submit field reports. The water department is looking at enabling mobile workers to file reports remotely and to monitor wells, enabling centralized monitoring, improved accuracy, and the ability to take a reading at any time. Building inspectors could submit paperwork from the field and download information instead of driving back to central office multiple times a day, and commuter buses may offer free Internet access.

“The potential for saving lives is one of the most rewarding aspects of what Tropos does,” said Ron Sege, Tropos Networks' President and CEO. “What Tucson has accomplished is a testament to how citywide Wi-Fi uniquely enables new and powerful applications that improve municipal services within a community as well as the efficiency of mobile city workers. This is only the beginning.”

Tropos system integration partner SmartWAVE Technologies LLC acted as contractor and was key to the planning and deployment of the Tucson network. ER-Link uses the e-Bridge™ system from General Devices, a leader in advanced Telemedicine and communications products for EMS, Emergency Departments and Public Safety and a Tropos MetroMesh Solutions Partner.

Noted SmartWAVE president and CEO Al Brown, “It’s amazing what we as a team have been able to do in Tucson. We applaud the city for its vision in using this $1.9 million public safety grant to build a network they can now leverage for other types of city applications. Because we chose to deploy a system based on open standards, other city departments can leverage the infrastructure that’s been constructed. As the city grows and as its needs grow, other city departments and applications will not get left behind.”

About Tropos Networks, Inc.

Tropos® Networks is the market leader in delivering metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh network systems. Our systems have been selected to unwire more major league cities than all competitors combined and are installed in 30 countries. The patented Tropos MetroMesh™ architecture delivers the ultimate scalability, high capacity at low cost and great user experience demanded by carriers, municipalities and network users. Our unique expertise includes high-performance mesh software development, mesh RF engineering, metro-scale network planning, deployment and optimization, and navigating the municipal approval process. Tropos Networks is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, please visit www.tropos.com, call 408-331-6800 or write to info@tropos.com.

Tropos and PWRP are registered trademarks of Tropos Networks, Inc. Tropos Networks, MetroMesh, AMCE and Metro-Scale Mesh Networking Defined are trademarks of Tropos Networks, Inc. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holder(s).