Los Angeles sending video footage during crises

Los Angeles County Fire and Sheriff's Department recently announced a $1.4

million contract for transceivers that allow video to be sent from helicopters

to a command center as part of an emergency response system.

InnovaCom Inc. won the contract and installed four TransPeg 200 transceivers

on mountain tops around the Los Angeles area as well as receivers in the

command center. The transceivers take video footage from the helicopters

and compress it so it can be sent to the command center in East Los Angeles.

"They are getting real-time, broadcast quality surveillance video," said

Frank Alioto, InnovaCom's chief executive officer.

The system was designed for emergencies such as earthquakes, floods, fires

and riots. It uses real-time footage, allowing emergency response personal

to get an overhead view of the problem and take action.

Alioto said that the compression equipment is needed because of the large

number of transmissions in the area. The video can be sent only from the

helicopter to the mountains without interference. Once the video is compressed,

it can be sent into the basin.