Metro-Scale Wi-Fi Network Saves Lives in Tucson

Tucson assistant fire chief Dave Ridings handles a simulated patient consultation using e-Bridge.

Tropos Networks today announced its 230 square-mile Wi-Fi network in Tucson has enabled the successful implementation of ER-Link, the nation's first operational video-based Emergency Medical Services (EMS) telemedicine system. In addition, the same Tropos MetroMesh network infrastructure is being leveraged for traffic signal management, cutting the city's telecommunication costs by $200,000 a year.

ER-Link enables doctors at Tucson's University Medical Center to use video and vital information telemetry to gain a sense of the severity of a patient's condition by viewing and in some cases speaking to patients in real time from Tucson Fire Department ambulances en route to the hospital. For trauma patients, time is of the essence and it is critical the right personnel and equipment be available when the patient arrives in the ER. As of August 3rd, all of the Department's 17 ambulances have been equipped with the ER-Link system.

"With ER-Link, doctors at the Medical Center can get patient information as soon as they're en route and assist medics, if necessary, on how to treat them. Minutes count, so any tool that sends better information, faster, to the hospital and permits evaluation of a patient's condition is an enormous asset," said Tucson assistant fire chief Dave Ridings. "With ER-Link in our department's ambulances, our medics can use the camera to zoom in on an injury, for example, so a doctor can view it. They can also transmit vital signs, and an exterior camera can even give trauma surgeons real-time images of an accident scene."

According to Doctor Terence Valenzuela, Emergency Physician, University Medical Center, and Medical Director of the Tucson Fire Department, "At our trauma center, there are three levels of injury severity -- red, white and green -- each requiring a different physician team to be present when an injured person arrives. We don't want to call the entire Trauma Service if it's not medically necessary. Seeing the trauma patient en route via ER-Link allows the telemetry intermediary nurse to decide which level of trauma response is needed, whether it's the whole trauma team, one member of the team and/or one or more emergency physicians. We'll expand ER-Link's use to other problems, but this initial implementation is already making a difference."

In addition, the city is using the Tropos MetroMesh Wi-Fi network to transmit traffic signal data and images, gathering real-time information on where lights are red, yellow or green and where pedestrians are concentrated in order to optimize traffic settings for various days and times. By owning the network infrastructure, Tucson is saving approximately $200,000 in telecommunication fees.

"Before the Tropos network was installed, we used phone lines to monitor and transmit traffic information, which was extremely expensive and didn't allow for video transmission because it was too slow," said Francisco Leyva, project manager, Tucson Transportation Department. "With the Tropos Wi-Fi network, we can transmit video data, and our field technicians can access files and email from their cars so they don't have to drive all over the city to different signals -- they can log in from wherever they are."

Leyva added, "The city is evaluating several additional applications to leverage the existing Tropos network. The Police Department is testing it for field officers' use, and we're evaluating an Intelligent Transportation System, including signs that display real-time messages to drivers about detours, optional routes and road closures. The Fire Department is also looking at streaming video from ambulances to a mobile command post, as well as using the network to track firefighters while they're inside buildings and enabling them to submit field reports. The water department is looking at enabling mobile workers to file reports remotely and to monitor wells, enabling centralized monitoring, improved accuracy, and the ability to take a