Headsets for Homeland Security
How Plantronics Specials are Used for Emergencies
It's easy to see how headsets improve productivity at home, on the road or in the workplace. But we often don't consider how important they can be in an emergency situation, such as police and fire emergency dispatch, harbor dispatch or air traffic control. The Specials group at Plantronics® designs custom headsets for just these types of situations. Quick and effective communication is critical in a circumstance where a few seconds can translate to the difference between life and death.
At Work on 9/11
The use of headsets by air traffic controllers on September 11, 2001 was an important component to grounding all non-military aircraft in the U.S. Within one hour of the terrorist attack, 2,800 aircraft were landed, and Plantronics headsets were used for communications between air traffic controllers and all commercial and general aviation aircraft. On the ground in Manhattan, the difficult and critical task of dispatching boats to transport people off the island was undertaken by the Coast Guard. Headsets played an essential role in the communications between boats and land, accomplishing one of the most comprehensive water evacuations in history.
An Essential Tool for Emergency Dispatch
Dispatchers in 911 centers also rely on headsets to get their jobs done. 911 Dispatchers must be equipped with the most reliable tools to help them multitask—;they sit in front of complex consoles that allow them to select numerous telephone lines and various radio channels that are connected to police, fire or federal agencies. The Plantronics Specials group develops customized headsets which contain "push to talk" switches that allow the operator to switch from talking to the caller on a phone line to talking to the first responder on a radio channel. The headsets must be completely reliable and must provide excellent audio quality in order for the dispatchers to respond quickly and efficiently to the emergency situation.
Preparing for a Disaster
Many government agencies institute necessary backup systems in case regular systems become disabled. Plantronics headsets play an important role in this effort too. The air traffic control arena is a great example of this. Controllers, utilizing Plantronics headsets, are talking to pilots via radio systems that are installed in their facilities. Recently, there has been a trend toward installing portable emergency "jerk and run" radios as back-ups. They are the size of a briefcase and in the event of an emergency, they enable air traffic controllers to grab the radios and exit the towers. Plantronics headsets plug right into them, facilitating seamless, uninterrupted communications with aircraft.
Innovating for the Future
As emergency preparedness efforts improve, Plantronics will continue to hone its headset technology to meet the challenges of homeland security. One of the biggest current innovations in communications technology is Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), a perfect application for giving voice commands via USB devices. Plantronics already offers a number of VoIP products, and the Specials group is currently working on the first USB "push to talk" headset that allows users to generate digital commands required for many emerging applications. These new types of digital devices are ideal for transferring secure information. No matter what the application, Plantronics Specials group leads the charge with extreme reliability and superior sound quality.
