Utah officials are now converting this GPS-based Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system for everyday use in tracking emergency services vehicles throughout the state.

The Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) and Valley Emergency Communications Center (VECC) near Salt Lake City purchased the AVL system from CompassCom Inc. of Centennial, Colo., last spring in preparation for the games.

They chose the CompassCom CompassTrac system because it simultaneously tracks thousands of vehicles, differentiates multiple fleets and uses the AT&T Wireless CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data) network.

Personnel equipped each of the athlete shuttle vans with a combined GPS receiver and CDPD wireless modem unit, manufactured by TechnoCom and Sierra Wireless. GPS satellites in space enabled each receiver to pinpoint the precise location of the vehicle in which it was installed.

This location information was transmitted via wireless modem on the AT&T network to a central security center where a computerized map screen displayed each vehicle's location, heading and speed.

"It was great," said Sgt. Dan Catlin, Traffic and Transit Commander at the games. "At any given time, we were watching 250 vehicles and if any one strayed off course, we knew it immediately."

Shuttle buses carrying athletes were assigned specific routes, which were programmed into the CompassCom CompassTrac map display. Any deviation from this route triggered an alarm at the security center.

Each van was also outfitted with panic buttons to allow drivers to notify dispatch of any incident effecting athlete safety. By viewing the AVL map display, security personnel could immediately find the vehicle involved and determine its location to within 10 meters.

"We didn't have any security incidents, but there were several times when drivers got lost and we radioed route instructions to them," said Catlin.

Now that the games are concluded, the CompassCom system will remain in place to manage the daily dispatching of 19 public safety organizations operating in the Wasatch Valley. UHP and VECC personnel are removing the wireless modems from the shuttle vans and installing them in police cars, ambulances and fire trucks.

"In public safety applications, AVL provides an additional safety dimension that benefits both emergency personnel and the public as Homeland Security becomes a key focus for our country," said Brant Howard, CompassCom President.

UHP and VECC will equip their dispatch centers with AVL map screens where the incoming vehicle location information will be displayed on the CompassTrac map display. Dispatchers will see where police, fire and rescue vehicles are located throughout the Wasatch Front Range and immediately determine which vehicle is best able to respond to an emergency call.

CompassCom was established in 1994 as a product and service provider for Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) markets. CompassCom offers complete GPS and GIS solutions as a business partner with Trimble Navigation, ESRI Inc., TechnoCom, Sierra Wireless and AT&T Wireless.

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