Panasonic Toughbook CF-19 Used To Fly Drones in Miami!

Although most police departments utilize their Panasonic Toughbooks as MDTs, or mobile data terminals, the Miami-Dade Police Department has found a different use for them.  In a first of it's kind crime fighting tool, the Miami-Dade Police department is utilizing an eye-in the sky from a drone not too different than those currently being used for surveillance by the US military.  Although it is similar in concept to the drones used by the military, it is not built like a miniature plane or designed to fly long distances.  The drone, or micro air vehicle, can hover in mid-air with a camera. It is controlled through navigation on the touchscreen of a Panasonic Toughbook CF-19.

 Although use of the drone has sparked some fears from local residents about being spied on by Big Brother, that is not the intention of the Miami-Dade Police Department.  The drone will not be in the air on a constant bases monitoring neighborhoods.  It will only be placed into the air during highly dangerous situations, such as responding to barricaded subjects or during a tactic crisis.  The concept being utilizing the drone is to give officer a clearer picture of the situation, allowing them to see risks that they cannot see from the ground.

The Miami-Dade Police Department has two drones that they received almost entirely from a federal grant.  They are waiting on final FAA approval to be able to start using the drones in appropriate situations.

Product Spotlight: Cuff Man

No, Cuff Man is not a new superhero.  Cuff Man is a training dummy created by Dummies Unlimited Inc.  Cuff Man was created to eliminate the accidental injuries that can occur during handcuff training, such as hyper-extending of a joint or placing cuffs to tightly.  

Cuff Man is a uniquely designed training dummy that is ideal for teaching proper arrest and control techniques.  Cuff Man is a human featured training dummy with flexible joint action in his wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees and hips. Locking elbows allow you to perform a variety of arm-bar techniques as well.  His hands and fingers are made from a flexible yet durable poly-urethane compound for a realistic feel while cuffing and can tolerate thousands of cuffing scenarios.  He possesses an extended chin for realistic grappling techniques while ground fighting.  The locking joints and life-like feeling hands allow trainees to learn how to properly maneuver a person while handcuffing them, so that handcuffing can be done safely without causing any physical harm.

With these features in mind - consider the concept! Velcro loop is sewn into his heavy duty Cordura suit, both front and back, and a slender back board is wrapped with Velcro hook. With the back board installed in a provided free standing mount, Cuff Man is able to stand on his own at any height desired. Once standing, arrest and control techniques can be performed on Cuff Man from both front or rear. Just like any resisting suspect, added force is required to pull Cuff Man to the ground without any hindrances or obstacles. 

Check out some of the training options Cuff Man can be used for:

Dummies Unlimited Inc. has been creating various training dummies for over 52 years!  They have many training options available for law enforcement, fire & rescue, and medical training.  Their uses range are versatile, including teaching submission tactics, teaching CPR or patient care, extrication training, and much more.

Smyrna Police Dept (DE) Receives Donated Toughbook

Chief Bordley receiving a CF-30 from Bob & Marisa Johnson of Bob Johnson's Computer Stuff

Today we made a donation to our town of Smyrna, Delaware.  We donated a Panasonic Toughbook CF-30 to Chief Wil Bordley and the Smyrna Police Department.

We are happy to know that this computer will be put to good use.  The Smyrna Police Department has recently renovated one of their undercover vehicles to make it usable as a full-time patrol vehicle.  The CF-30 that we donated is going to be placed in that vehicle as a mobile data terminal.  The Toughbook can then be used to run vehicle license plates and for various other police activities.  Having a Toughbook in the patrol vehicle allows officers to have access to more information, making them more efficient and making their job a little easier.

Would you like a Toughbook for your department?  Visit our Facebook page and enter to win one!  This quarter we are giving away a CF-19 to a deserving fire, police, or EMS department!

Company Spotlight: Engine Bay Floors

Engine Bay Floors has partnered with nationally known and established manufacturers of floor resurfacing materials. Each and every product they use has been designed and tested to meet the rigid demands of today's firehouse floor resurfacing projects. Their reputation has been built upon utilizing outstanding firehouse flooring materials consistently, so you can confidently park your apparatus on them for decades to come.

The true strength of Engine Bay Floors lies in the expertise of their floor resurfacing installation teams. Using the latest equipment and proven installation techniques, their craftsmen install a masterpiece with every firehouse flooring project by incorporating old-school dedicated work ethic seldom seen within the industry. Their ongoing improvement training programs and mutual aid safety guidelines guarantee compliance with all federal, state and local regulations to undertake and complete any concrete floor resurfacing job.



Engine Bay Floors offer four different types of flooring options.  They are the Floor Resurfacing 4000, Concrete Epoxy 8000, Floor Epoxy 1600, and the Floor Coating 3200.  Which flooring option is right for you is entirely dependent on the application of your garage, types of vehicles it houses, and the amount of traffic it will see.  The specialists at Engine Bay Floors can easily help you to determine which would work best for you!  Epoxy options are also available in a wide variety of colors, allowing you to customize your flooring to match the logo or emblem of your department.  Engine Bay Floors is even able to place your logo within your flooring!



Engine Bay Floors is a high quality resurfacing/epoxy company.  They want to be the best resurfacing/epoxy company in the business.  Because of this, they pride themselves on hard work, doing the job right, and having a happy and satisfied customer when the job is finished!


Watch a resurfacing in action!

Company Spotlight: Firehouse Software

You need a powerful records management system to manage critical information regarding all of the sensitive equipment in your fire department.


FIREHOUSE Software is the best fire records management software in the industry, backed by the best support. That explains why FIREHOUSE Software is the most widely used NFIRS 5.0 incident reporting software package, and more fire departments and EMS agencies depend on FIREHOUSE Software for their records management needs than any other software.  FIREHOUSE Software is designed to make records entry and records management as easy as possible for fire departments and EMS agencies of all sizes.


They also have various programs available to suit your individual needs:

FIREHOUSE SOFTWARE

The powerful FIREHOUSE Software package uses an integrated database and graphical user interface so data is entered one time, even when used in different areas of the system. FIREHOUSE Software is intuitive and easy to use without computer training. While NFIRS 5.0 certification and NEMSIS Gold Certification are a core component, our clients worldwide rely on our commitment to providing valuable, versatile, and fully integrated solutions. FIREHOUSE Software is dedicated to helping agencies manage business, day-to-day operations & planning, field operations & decision support, communications, and technical challenges. Experience FIREHOUSE Software, and you'll experience software, support, and services unmatched in the industry.

All FIREHOUSE Software modules are seamlessly integrated for one complete solution, and the flexible, modular design means it can be used at fire departments and EMS agencies, regardless of size. By selecting the modules and scalability level that best meet your needs and budget, FIREHOUSE Software can be licensed and deployed in one of three ways:

• FH Standard – for stand-alone workstations and local area networks.
• FH Enterprise – for wide area networks and departments requiring remote access to a central database. 
• FH Web – for a central database and easy access from anywhere using a Web browser. 

Each system includes advanced features for departments to tailor FIREHOUSE Software to their needs. Additional features to expand FH capabilities for the department can be added on to fit a customer’s needs.

FH INSPECTOR FOR IPAD

FHinspector for iPad™ is the latest innovation from FIREHOUSE Software, the industry’s leader in Fire and EMS software solutions. FHinspector unleashes the power of today’s most creative and dynamic technology, raising the bar on the industry’s fire prevention and planning activity. FIREHOUSE Software has combined iPad’s trademark interface and live GPS with your inspections, pre-incident plans, and permits, allowing your department to tackle more inspections, faster and easier than ever before.

In these unprecedented difficult economic times, innovative leaders like you are searching for alternatives in funding. FIREHOUSE Software has formed strategic partnerships and has developed a host of innovative new solutions focused on helping you maintain the financial stability of your organization. FHinspector for iPad is the newest of these revenue generating products. Not only does FHinspector for iPad maximize efficiency and productivity in your organization, but its integrated billing solutions will become a key revenue source for your department.

There are also various mobile, CAD, barcoding, and cost recovery software options available as well.  FIREHOUSE software also offers an amazing level of support via phone, web-casts, online downloads, and forums.  Through the many means of support available, you can easily become fluent in the software and find help when you need it.

Company Spotlight: Ribcraft

Although not all fire and rescue departments have waterways to worry about, there are several who have rivers and lakes within their department's districts.  When it comes to buying, many departments look towards RIB boats.  RIBs, sometimes known as rigid inflatable boats, rare powerboats fitted with inflatable collars or tubes. As well as excellent fendering, this makes RIBs almost unsinkable and suitable for use in all sorts of conditions. RIBs are some of the most versatile boats available and are used as rescue boats by the RNLI and as patrol boats by the military.

Ribcraft is one of the primary manufacturers of RIB boats in the United States.  Ribcraft has established its position as a designer and builder of technologically advanced RIBs that fulfill the most demanding professional, military and rescue roles. Ribcraft has gained an enviable reputation as a leading builder of professional grade RIBs. Professionals expect and demand the ultimate in performance and dependability. So does Ribcraft. In fact, they define it.

That's why Ribcraft boats are built stronger, safer, and specifically for the customer. Ribcraft believes first and foremost that a boat must keep passengers safe and free from harm. This involves designing the vessel for what its meant to do...PERFORM. Performance is more than simply arriving at a destination. It's about doing the job right, efficiently, and safely. With a focus on the functional, Ribcraft works with the customer to understand mission requirements in order to build a craft that meets the specific challenges presented by geographic conditions and operational functions.  Because Ribcraft builds their boats one at a time, they can personalize virtually any element of the design. Every RIB built meets the individual requirements of the customers.

Ribcraft sells many different models of RIBs, meaning that they can design the perfect solution for your department.  If your department has limited funding for new RIBs, they even offer the option of purchasing refurbished or previously owned RIBs through their website.
   

Company Spotlight: Southeastern Emergency Equipment

Southeastern Emergency Equipment is a privately owned business that was founded in 1979. In the beginning, the primary customers consisted of rescue squads and ambulance services in the southeast United States. Throughout the years, the committed sales team and knowledgeable support staff have helped Southeastern evolve into an international distributor of emergency medical equipment and supplies. Thanks to their dedicated team, Southeastern Emergency Equipment is now a full-line distributor of EMS equipment and supplies, WMD/MCI products and trailers and emergency vehicles with a support and sales team that focuses on premium service before and after the sale.


Southeastern Emergency Equipment understands that when it comes to having the knowledge and supplies to save lives, customers want to be comforted knowing that they are doing business with a company that has consistently demonstrated its commitment to the highest standards of quality and service. That’s why Southeastern employs sales representatives throughout the United States with an EMS/Fire background so customers can go directly to the source for product demonstrations, training and just plain good advice. To better serve customer’s needs, Southeastern currently has District Sales Managers covering North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas.

Customer care is what puts Southeastern Emergency Equipment a step above the rest. For nearly 30 years, Southeastern has prided themselves on providing quality medical products while exceeding clients’ expectations with an exceptional level of service. From general medical supplies and resuscitation equipment, to specialty vehicles and AHA training, Southeastern is your source for the tools you need to give every patient the care that they require.