The Emergency Video System is a new joint-capability that will be operationalised at the Police Operations Command Centre (POCC) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force Operations Centre.
2 During emergency calls, officers at the POCC and SCDF Operations Centre may sometimes face difficulties in understanding the incident situation, especially for complex and dynamic situations where the caller may not be able to communicate the extent of the situation.
3 The introduction of the Emergency Video System augments the Home Team’s emergency call response by enabling Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers at the respective Operations Centres to initiate live video streaming from the caller’s mobile phone to aid in situational assessment and decision-making. Through the system, callers would also be able to share their real-time location with SPF and SCDF officers, to aid in the subsequent emergency response.
4 This new capability is jointly developed by SPF, SCDF and HTX, in collaboration with ST Engineering.
Use of Emergency Video System
5 Where a live stream would be useful for a ‘999’ or ‘995’ incident, the Operations Centre will initiate the activation of the Emergency Video System. The caller, from a safe location, will give the operator consent to activate the live video stream. An SMS with a hyperlink will then be sent to the caller. By tapping on the hyperlink, the web browser on the caller’s mobile phone will be used to stream live footage of the incident, without the need to install any new applications. At the same time, the caller’s location will also be transmitted by the system to the Operations Centre, to facilitate the emergency response of frontliners.
6 The caller should remain on the ‘999’ or ‘995’ call throughout the streaming of the live video. This allows the Operations Centre officers to communicate verbally with the caller, while monitoring the live stream.
7 The Emergency Video System will provide SCDF and SPF with an additional means for triaging and sense making, before the arrival of responding officers at the incident location. This will also enable the responding forces in their preparations while en-route to the incident location.
8 During major emergencies that involve both agencies (e.g. major fires), the same live stream may be shared between the SPF and SCDF Operations Centres.
Conclusion
9 The Emergency Video System capability leverages readily available technology on mobile phones, allowing ‘999’ or ‘995’ callers to provide real-time location and visual information of the incident to the SPF and SCDF Operations Centres. This capability will significantly enhance the situational assessment and decision-making of SPF and SCDF Operations Centres, as well as frontline responders.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE
HTX (HOME TEAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCY)
20 MARCH 2023 @ 4.00PM