The CamStreamer App helps improve communication and safety in crisis situations thanks to a solution

About the project

One of the most important aspects during accidents and crisis situations is communication. Firefighters, rescue workers, and police officers usually use radio communication with an internal operating center during emergencies. However, the Danish company Incendium has focused on dealing with problems via live stream. They provide reliable, high-quality, and easy-to-use solutions that aim to improve communication in the sector of public safety around the world and avoid misunderstandings.

“It can be difficult to get all of the important information out quickly in the initial chaotic phase of any incident since many decisions have to be made fast and reporting back on the radio then becomes secondary,” says Asger Plaehn, Head of Sales at Incendium. He sees video as an effective way to communicate exactly what is happening. That’s why Incendium has used solutions from CamStreamer to stream video with the use of the CamStreamer App.

Technical solution

In the rear hatch of the incident command vehicles, an AXIS P12 (P12 MkII, P12M20) is installed together with the CamStreamer App. Other cameras can be placed on the windshield, dashboard, or roof of the vehicle, streaming video from it throughout the entire incident. The camera is automatically triggered via an I/O module to start a live stream to the Command Central.

The CamStreamer App is a smart application that runs onboard an AXIS IP camera and converts the output into multiple formats. Installing it is easy and automatic start of the stream can also be set up (e.g. every time the camera is connected to the internet or when the motor is started in the commander’s vehicle). 

By using the CamStreamer App and SRT protocol, the live stream is transmitted to the operations center and displayed on the secured IncidentShare platform. SRT is a video transport protocol that enables the delivery of high-quality and secure, low-latency video even through unstable internet connection. Once the camera starts streaming Incendium servers automatically start recording the incoming video. The ingestion server is still available and it is not necessary to prepare the ingestion server before live streaming. You can even use the new stream key which will be accepted. The incident can then be watched in real-time by all units involved in the incident via a web browser or mobile application. “The streaming of images in real-time allows the incident commander to immediately share important information about the extent and nature of an accident, including information that may be difficult to communicate via radio. The internal operations center gets a good overview and information to allow them to act quickly,” Asger Plaehn adds. The platform also allows for the archiving of important moments, recording download, video sharing for evidence purposes, evaluations or operational training.

The result 

This solution is used mostly by firefighting units in Denmark and Norway. At present, closing off the scene of an incident (roads, buildings, etc.) affects many people and companies. Therefore, effective communication helps rescue teams to return the site to its original state as quickly as possible. Asger Plaehn from Incendium believes that secure streaming solutions will become even more widespread during the coming years for first responders and a combined solution from CamStreamer and IncidentShare will enable them to achieve this.

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