Digi Gateways Enable Wildfire Early Detection System
Firebreak USA Corp. is a leading manufacturer of perimeter wildfire detection systems. The company's FirePosse™ system detects and reports wildfires to local authorities and area residents to protect homes, property and people.
Business Challenge
FirePosse systems are deployed in remote areas where wireline data communication is unavailable. Firebreak previously used satellite technology for connecting their FirePosse systems. However, the system was slower than desired. It could take as long as an hour for an alarm to reach authorities. In fire protection, early detection is critical. Satellite coverage is also not available in many regions.
"We spent a lot of time trying to fix our previous systems," said Frank O. Holemans, President and CEO of Firebreak Canada Corp. and Firebreak USA Corp. "We spent more time fixing than selling products because of connectivity issues. We needed a solution that was more robust and reliable than our previous system."
Solution
Firebreak worked with Digi for a new system connectivity method. XBee® ZB modules connect fire detection sensors to a ConnectPort® X4 gateway. The gateway then broadcasts sensor information back to the network in real-time via cellular or satellite. Alerts can easily be set up for notifying authorities, land owners and other individuals using Digi Remote Manager, Digi's public cloud platform-as-a-service (PaaS) that makes it easy to integrate information into a company's back-end systems. Authorities are now alerted of a fire within a matter of seconds.
Using Digi Remote Manager, the FirePosse system can be easily configured to meet the unique needs of each customer. For example, the system can now send alerts directly to volunteer firefighters' cell phones and pagers if an alarm is triggered. It can also be programmed so specific firefighters, city officials and area residents are notified in real-time of an incident. If a fire occurs, the FirePosse system can send alerts to first responders along with Fire Mapping and data visualization in real-time to their command centers, vehicular computers and PDAs. This allows firefighters to vacate an area if there is a wind shift putting them in danger.
"Prior to Digi Remote Manager, the alarms would come to us and we would dispatch them ourselves," Holemans said. "With Digi Remote Manager, the customers' equipment is securely hosted on the Digi Remote Manager network allowing us to easily monitor the equipment without having to maintain the servers. It gives me peace of mind knowing that the equipment is backed by a company that has the resources that we couldn't even think about. I know that if there is an issue, there will be a quick recovery."
Digi products and Digi Remote Manager web-hosted service also allow for system expandability and modifications based on customer need. For example, cameras could be added to the network in state parks where monitoring for remote drug activity is a concern, or used to monitor pipeline equipment in oil and gas applications.
Results
"When talking about fires where property and lives are at stake, you can't afford to play with second best. We chose Digi because their system was easy to deploy and highly reliable. We can now provide customers with an off-the-shelf solution," Holemans said. "A customer tells us what their communication system requirements are and what radio frequency to use, and we get the right module from Digi and the customer is up and running in a matter of days."
The new Firebreak system can be programmed in the field from a laptop, and Digi Remote Manager allows for easy system configuration once the system is established.
Holemans concluded by giving credit to Digi's first-rate technical and customer support: "I have never had this level of support from a technology vendor in my years of developing products," concluded Holemans. "When I had the fire detection idea, other vendors asked me to pick a technology, and they would ship it to me. Digi listened to what I wanted to do and worked with me on developing a solution. Digi has provided suggestions and worked closely with me as a partner in developing this product. Digi provides a level of support that I have never experienced before from a technology provider. This support has allowed me to approach and secure business from organizations that I would never have been able to approach before."