Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Integrates Computer-Aided Dispatch & Alarms
Needing to unify public safety and physical security, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority implemented an integrated solution from Hexagon for dispatch, alarms, video, and multiple agency interoperability that improves response times.
The Challenge
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) oversees two major airports in the Washington, D.C., area – Ronald Reagan National and Washington Dulles. The agency’s Office of Public Safety is committed to protecting passengers and employees from terrorism, fire, medical emergency, and exposure to other hazards.
As a non-traditional public safety answering point (PSAP), MWAA’s consolidated communications center provides and accepts mutual aid among its responders and those from nearby jurisdictions. It responds to calls from its two airports and monitors activity from perimeter to terminal. With the responsibility to protect more than 41 million travelers annually, the center needed the smartest way to respond and prioritize incoming calls and transform data from video, alarms, and access control systems into actionable information for emergency dispatchers.
The Solution
MWAA chose Hexagon's Safety & Infrastructure division for its industry-leading computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system, alarms and video data integration, multi-agency interoperability, and experienced technical support. The CAD system serves as the hub of the communications center, supporting the agency’s incident management and providing an interoperable platform for sharing information.
MWAA’s communications center also gathers security data from both airports via Hexagon's security solutions and transfers it directly into CAD for immediate response. This data may result from breaches detected by access control systems, anomalies seen by surveillance cameras, fire alarms, and various automatic alerts.
Hexagon's records management solution further improves operations by enabling real-time access to law enforcement records. Hexagon’s integrated solutions help MWAA improve critical information sharing, reduce overall response times, and improve safety and security at the airports.