Last Updated on: 8th February 2024, 05:26 pm
St John WA (SJWA), holding the title for the largest ambulance service coverage worldwide, has initiated the roll-out of Omnitronics‘ innovative Omnicore Enterprise Dispatch system. The deployment is now complete within the State Operations Centre and extends to Metropolitan Operations.
The forward-thinking dispatch system was adopted by SJWA in the latter part of 2023. Amassing over 236,000 hours of volunteer assistance, SJWA is committed to providing premier emergency medical services across Western Australia, with the Omnicore Enterprise Dispatch system reinforcing the essential role that technology plays in ensuring the provision of prompt and reliable emergency services to the community.
The non-profit entity offers round-the-clock service through 17 varied services and 196 ambulance stations, covering the expansive 2.5 million km² territory of the State.
Omnitronics has been a part of SJWA’s journey since their first dispatch system was installed in 2008, with the organisation continually upgrading to leverage the most innovative dispatch technology on the market. The latest, Omnicore Enterprise Dispatch, was activated in late 2023, operating on virtual machines with the main server in Belmont and a secondary backup located 26km away in Wangara, Western Australia.
The system employs Tait base stations for all Metro and Country Channels, connecting through the DFSI or 4-Wire E&M interfaces, while a robust omniGateP25 gateway cluster provides satellite PTT access for remote areas. This innovative setup allows remote ambulance services to utilise various communication methods based on priority, encompassing radio channels, 4G, and satellite.
Ray Pullen, St John WA’s Radio Communications Manager, praised the enduring partnership, stating, “As a longstanding client, we are happy that Omnitronics have once again provided us with the latest cutting-edge radio dispatch technology and support us in communicating with both local and remote sites from our centralised operations centres.”
A tailor-made CAD interface for the Omnicore Dispatch has been created to send alerts and CAD job dispatch information directly to the paramedics’ radios, ensuring that no call goes unanswered, even when paramedics are away from their in-vehicle CAD terminals. Additionally, the system integrates a voice recording feature.
Omnitronics’ CEO, John Jordan, reflected on the bespoke solutions provided, stating, “The capability to provide custom engineered functionalities for our dispatch systems gives users like St John WA the opportunity to design a system to their specific organisational requirements. We are pleased to be able to offer them exactly what they need, so they can focus on their mission: Saving Lives.”
