Photo of Oncall wearable camera: Fire Cam
Building on its reputation for rugged and lightweight helmet cameras, Fire Cam has announced a new product for police officers and other first responders – the Oncall Live Video System. The system lets users stream live video, audio, and GPS location data to a command post or dispatcher, enabling real-time situational awareness.
"Developing superior industry-specific technology is only part of the Fire Cam mission," explained Founder Rob Schield. "Customer service is equally important. We focus on understanding the evolving needs of today's emergency responders and creating one-to-one relationships with police and fire departments around the world. Recently, demand for a reliable, wearable police camera has been growing, and we're glad to answer that demand."
At one end of the Oncall system is the Police WiFi Pro camera, which attaches to any shirt, vest, or coat. Capable of recording in high-definition 1080p, the camera sees everything with its 150-degree wide angle lens. The camera features both a powerful LED light and an infrared light for optimal nighttime stealth.
According to Schield, customers should steer clear of helmet camera knockoffs: "Other camera manufacturers produce substandard equipment that has not passed any meaningful tests. Our cameras, on the other hand, are NFPA compliant and are designed for daily wear and tear."
Oncall's live video streaming is made possible by a dedicated server; each police and fire department adopting the system will have secure access to their own accounts. Fire Cam has pushed the technology to its limits with Oncall, combining reliable and high video quality with near real-time streaming, according to the company. Dispatchers can take high-resolution snapshots within the video stream and instantly know the location of all officers thanks to GPS data. Plus, streams are automatically recorded for post-event analysis and training.
In 2006, Schield had the innovative idea of filming a house fire with a small, helmet-attached camera. The rest is history: the video quickly went viral, and Schield started his own business called The Fire Helmet Cam. That business evolved into Fire Cam, which today is the manufacturer of high-definition cameras designed solely for emergency services personnel.
With the recent events in Ferguson, Mo., still on everyone's mind, the advantages of having a service like Oncall Live Video System on one's side is obvious, says a company statement. Wearable cameras can make police officers more effective, more accountable, and most importantly safer as they walk the thin blue line.
Fire Cam is a firefighter-owned and operated business. The company's fire helmet cameras are specifically designed and NFPA compliant. They have been heat tested between 500 degrees Fahrenheit and 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit and can be a valuable tool for training, incidents, critique, and fire investigations.