RockWest Provides Secure ID System and Support for Super Bowl First Responders

RockWest Technology Group announces successful event support of Glendale Fire Department responders at Super Bowl XLII, held in Glendale, AZ on February 3. The fire department considered the event a NIMS Type 3 incident. A mandatory requirement was that responders and equipment resources be accounted for using standards developed under the Incident Command System (ICS). RockWest Technology Group team members went on duty starting January 30, 2008 and worked continuously until after the game providing equipment, service, and support for this project.

Glendale, AZ (Issues Wire / PRWEB) March 14, 2008 -- RockWest Technology Group announces successful event support of Glendale Fire Department responders at Super Bowl XLII, held in Glendale, AZ on February 3. The fire department considered the event a NIMS Type 3 incident.

A mandatory requirement was that responders and equipment resources be accounted for using standards developed under the Incident Command System (ICS). RockWest Technology Group team members went on duty starting January 30, 2008 and worked continuously until after the game providing equipment, service, and support for this project.

"The combination of Datacard ID systems and Salamander's tracking application was the perfect solution for the Super Bowl. The Glendale Fire Department needed to know which responders were on scene, what their capabilities were, what equipment had been assigned to them, and where they were posted at all times," said Steve Benitez, VP of Sales for RockWest Technology Group. "RockWest is proud of the fact we were able to meet the needs of the department by deploying a system that was interoperable with current department NIMS-based standard operating procedures."

Prior to Super Bowl XLII, RockWest Technology Group pre-credentialed about 350 responders with Salamander Technologies interTRAX barcoded ID's which allowed each responder to carry his or her qualifications in a portable database printed on the card. This created a secure credential that was read by handheld computers throughout the stadium. Radios and other high-end equipment was also bar-coded, assigned to the appropriate responder, and tracked throughout the event.

"The value of this accountability and credential solution was immediately proven when we put it to use at the 37th Tostitos Fiesta Bowl," said Assistant Fire Chief Tom Shannon, the department's overall Super Bowl coordinator. Shannon went on to state, "Not only has the product met our expectations, but the customer service has been extraordinary."

The Salamander interTRAX system allowed RockWest Technology Group to pre-credential as many people as possible prior to Super Bowl XLII, while the rest could be tagged on scene using the incident ID software. Once a responder had a barcoded ID, they could be scanned and tracked as they moved throughout their assignments. Incident Commanders knew who they had on-scene, what their qualifications were, what equipment they had, and how long they had been there with just the click of a mouse.

Glendale Fire Department took ownership of many of the system components after the event. This will allow the department to manage day-to-day emergency incidents using an electronic Accountability & Credentialing system within an ICS concept of operations.

About RockWest Technology Group:
RockWest Technology Group is the largest integrator of photo identification, credential issuance and electronic security in the Southwest. RockWest is a member of the Identification Systems Group (ISG), which provides national sales and on-site service for Datacard Group and Salamander Technologies. RockWest has sales and service in eight states in the Southwest and carries an extensive product line including but not limited to: ID capture software, cameras, plastic card printers and other state-of-the-art security and smart card technology. Secure ID's, like those used at the Super Bowl, are created using UV print, holographic overlays, biometrics, and microtext print. More information can be found on the website at www.rockwesttech.com.

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