CASE STUDY

Location monitoring for safety at HMP Kilmarnock

PMR products upgraded an existing TETRA two-way radio system at HMP Kilmarnock to add location monitoring and provide prison officers with the confidence that they can summon help quickly if required.

CLIENT

HMP Kilmarnock is a 500 cell prison facility, housing a range of prisoner types, operated by Serco Ltd on behalf of the Scottish Prison Service

BACKGROUND

The safety of personnel at HMP Kilmarnock is paramount. HMP Kilmarnock, which as an existing PMR Products client, asked PMR to was asked by HMP Kilmarnock to review the TETRA two-way radio system supplied five years earlier. Though the infrastructure remained in good working order the original radios on the system were beyond economic repair and needed replacing.

To improve provisions for the safety of staff moving around the facility the prison, PMR Products proposed adding location monitoring to the system to enable radio users to summon assistance by simply pressing an alert button on their radios, enabling the control room to locate them immediately and send appropriate resources to their exact location.

SOLUTION

The solution provided to HMP Kilmarnock by PMR Product is a SafetyNet™ people monitoring system using Hytera TETRA radios. Each Hytera radio handset is fitted with a tracking device that communicates with SafetyNet™ Mesh via beacons inside the buildings of the facility and via GPS in outdoor areas. The location information is displayed using SafetyNet™ software on an on-screen schematic of the facility in the control room. If a radio user requires assistance they can obviously talk over the radio or simply press the alert button on the radio which then flags them on the schematic so the control room can co-ordinate an effective response, discreetly if required. Man Down alerts are shown in exactly the same way. Tracking can be continuous or can be turned off, with positions only reported when an alarm is raised or if the control room sends a location request.

The system can provide a full audit trail of staff movements and audio recordings. Software can be added to provide additional functions, including guard duty scheduling and Lone Worker.

Hytera PT580 radio provided all the required features for the SafetyNet solution

Requirement

HyteraPT580

TETRA

Robust

Can be fitted with module for internal tracking

GPS enabled for external tracking

Dedicated alert button

Man down functionality

Text facility

Hytera_PT580H

Hytera PT580 radio provided all the required features for the SafetyNet solution

Requirement

HyteraPT580

TETRA

Robust

Can be fitted with module for internal tracking

GPS enabled for external tracking

Dedicated alert button

Man down functionality

Text facility

PMR Products has considerable experience in designing, installing and maintaining communication solutions for custodial facilities. To discuss your requirements please get in touch