Special Features: Meeting Our CSR Commitments Providing People with Safe and Secure Social Infrastructures
Providing Security and Safety in the Field of Fire and Disaster Management
Since its inception, OKI has developed technologies contributing to various social infrastructures, and provided products and services based thereon. The company has also contributed to the security and safety of people in the field of fire and disaster management. More specifically, it offers fire and disaster management wireless communication systems as well as fire command center systems using its specialty technologies about wireless communication and switchboards.
Digital wireless communication systems for firefighting and emergency use (Fire Fighting Headquarters of Gifu City)
Wireless communication systems for firefighting and emergency use enables communication between fire command centers, emergency vehicles and operation troops. While fire and rescue services have become increasingly sophisticated and the need for more efficient use of radio waves has been asked for, the current analog wireless communication networks are planned to be fully digitized by the end of May 2016. For this purpose, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency conducted a series of demonstration experiments of digitized wireless communication systems at sites under six fire fighting headquarters in fiscal 2010.
OKI participated in two of these experiments at the Fire and Disaster Management Bureau of Kobe City and the Fire Fighting Headquarters of Gifu City, and helped verify radio properties, and examine essential functions of voice communication and optional features of data communication. The Fire Fighting Headquarters of Gifu City started the full-scale operation of a digitized system in June 2011 before the other participating headquarters.
High-Performance Fire Command Center and Wireless Communication Systems for Firefighting and Emergency Use
Importance of Telecommunication in Disaster Situations Reconsidered After the Great East Japan Earthquake
The Great East Japan Earthquake has made us reaffirm the importance of collecting and sharing information on fire fighting and disaster management activities in widespread disasters.
In response to disconnected telephone networks and power disruptions soon after the earthquake, the OKI Group immediately began preparing for an assistance to afflicted areas through offering wireless communication equipment. In fact, the company stared receiving many requests to lend wireless communication devices from different areas the day after the earthquake. Thanks to the cooperation with its sales staff and dealers through out Japan as well as swift responses from its production sites, OKI was able to offer more than 140 portable and in-vehicle wireless devices that were used as tools of communication in relief activities.
In addition to professional disaster management services under the control of fire fighting headquarters, numerous local volunteer fire corps and disaster prevention organizations were committed to relief activities after the earthquake. With the limited performance of the current analog wireless communication systems, however, these volunteers were not able to send messages about what was going on site while they were able to receive messages from fire authorities. It is expected that the digitization of wireless communication will allow an increased number of available channels, two-way communication with volunteer fire corps. and closer cooperation with them in disaster situations.
The urgent need for the digitization of fire and disaster management wireless communication systems is emphasized also in "A Report on Desirable Fire and Disaster Management Systems for Future in Light of the Great East Japan Earthquake" compiled and issued by the Fire and Disaster Management Council in January 2012. OKI has established Digitized Fire and Disaster Management Wireless Communication Promotion Office, and has been making efforts to realize an effective shift to digitized networks.
High-Performance Fire Command Center System Based on OKI's Technology and Experience
OKI's high-performance fire command center system helps identify the locations of disasters in response to emergency calls, promptly dispatch ambulances and fire engines, and support on-site relief activities. OKI has offered the system since 1968.
Recent changes in social and natural environments have made accidents and disasters more complex, diverse and greater in size. The complexity and diversification of today's urban structures and people's needs have also greatly changed the environment surrounding disaster management. Under these circumstances, disasters need to be dealt with prompt actions using highly sophisticated systems. OKI's high-performance fire command center system is based on our 40-year experience of delivering firefighting-related systems, in-depth understanding of disaster management tasks, and unique ICT.(*1)
Today OKI's IT-integrated high-performance fire command center system is used at about 150 fire fighting headquarters in Japan including the Fire Fighting Headquarters of Uji City where the system has been in service since March 2012. The system includes a location information function to identify the locations of disasters soon after emergency calls, and an automatic mobilization ordering function and a vehicle operation control function for the optimal organization and dispatch of emergency services. As a result, the fire fighting headquarters' initial responses to disasters have become swifter and more efficient.
- *1:ICT
Information Communication Technology
High-Performance Fire Command Center System(Fire Fighting Headquarters of Uji City)
Supporting Wide-area Fire and Disaster Management Services in Preparing for Large-scale Disasters
In order to be ready for future large earthquakes, such as a major earthquake hitting the Tokyo metropolitan area and a Nankai Trough earthquake, wide-area disaster management based on close cooperation between neighboring municipalities is indispensable. In this context, new command systems for wide-area fire and disaster management services are currently being developed. OKI has set up a special marketing team, and tried to develop more practical, reliable systems fully catering to customer needs.
OKI will continue to contribute to the establishment of more secure and safer social infrastructures through its efforts to support regional disaster management in addition to the promotion of the digitization of fire and disaster management wireless communication.
