Fairbanks Enhances Emergency Communications with Cloud Technology
Officials in Fairbanks, Alaska’s second-largest city, are bolstering their emergency communications resiliency through a partnership with CentralSquare Technologies. The announcement, made on May 13, introduces the cloud-based ONESolution platform, aiming to prevent simultaneous emergencies — both public and operational.
Fairbanks, which serves nearly 32,000 residents, suffered significant communication challenges during past crises, including a summer wind event that caused power failures and a subsequent wildfire. Kristi Merideth, dispatch manager at Fairbanks Emergency Communication Center, recounted the incident: “We had no power in our building. We were down probably four hours.” Similar outages arose from an earthquake last year.
The dispatch center in Fairbanks acts as the single point of contact for 22 emergency response agencies across a region comparable to Maine in size. While the center has used the ONESolution platform for several years, the new cloud component enables dispatch staff to work remotely when necessary. This transition, which began in September 2024, is supported by Amazon Web Services and alleviates the city from tech management burdens like cybersecurity.
Ashya Comes, CentralSquare’s vice president of product management, emphasized the technology’s robust security features, noting an autonomous security team handles audits and testing. Merideth expressed relief over the enhancements: “That gives me more comfort. It’s the comfort of knowing we’re never going to be without this program.” The strategic upgrade enhances operational reliability, ensuring continuous support during emergencies.
As Fairbanks embraces this advanced technology, residents can feel more assured of efficient and resilient emergency response services.
By Skip Descant, reporting on smart cities, IoT, and transportation.
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