Firetide (www.firetide.com) and Safety Vision, L.P. (www.safetyvision.com) are joining forces to provide wireless surveillance and security applications for mass transit, law enforcement, and student transportation fleets

“Our alliance aims to provide an unprecedented mobile wireless surveillance solution that has widespread applications in the transportation sector, for both public and eventually commercial fleets,” said Bo Larsson, Los Gatos, CA-based Firetide’s CEO.

Their new jointly developed integrated wireless surveillance system is being implemented by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the fifth busiest transit system in the U.S., which transports nearly 1.2 million passengers daily. The $1.4 million project, partially funded by a Dept. of Homeland Security grant, calls for installation of onboard surveillance systems on 155 new buses.

The system designed by Houston-based Safety Vision and Firetide allows for the transmission of live video feeds to laptops in MBTA police officers’ networked vehicles, allowing first responders to view an onboard incident as it unfolds in real time. Consequently, responders can plan and execute tactics faster and smarter – enhancing the safety and security of passengers, officers, and transit personnel alike, according to Larsson..

Firetide provides the wireless video network portion of the project, operating in the 4.9 GHz spectrum, which is designated by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) for public safety and provides interference-free, secure connectivity for first responders. In addition to supplying onboard, mobile-rated cameras and video recorders, Safety Vision provides an intuitive video management application, which is easy to navigate, delivers smooth high-resolution live video, said the company.