Cassidian Communications VESTA(R)/Sentinel(R) 4 System Expands 9-1-1 Response Capabilities for Ridgecrest (Calif.) Police Department

TEMECULA, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 18, 2013) - Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, announces the selection and deployment of the new VESTA^®/Sentinel^® 4 Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) call taking system by the Ridgecrest (Calif.) Police Department.

A Cassidian Communications customer since 2000, the Ridgecrest Police Department averages 36,000 9-1-1 calls annually and serves a population of 28,000 people. Department officials point to system reliability, flexibility and ease of use as key factors in the decision to upgrade to the VESTA^®/Sentinel^® 4 system. The purchase was supported by the state's five-year funding allocation for 9-1-1.

"Over the years, we have found Cassidian Communications' equipment to be very reliable," said Sharon Homer, Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) manager for the Ridgecrest Police Department. "Upgrading to the VESTA^®/Sentinel^® 4 system only seemed logical as it met all the functional goals of our department and gave our 9-1-1 call takers a user interface they really like."

"The ability to customize the screens of the VESTA^®/Sentinel^® 4 system to the needs and preferences of our individual call takers was key," Homer said. Many of the department's 9-1-1 call takers also credit the system's ease of use for its quick deployment. "Any time you change equipment, you disrupt the dispatcher's muscle memory until they learn the new system," said Homer. "But with the VESTA^®/Sentinel^® 4 system, we experienced a very short learning curve."

In addition to the highly configurable desktop user interface, the VESTA^®/Sentinel^® 4 system also accommodates roles-based login with multiple layouts and workflows. An advanced dial directory provides superior contact management and dialing control.

The VESTA^®/Sentinel^® 4 system is a primary building block within the integrated multimedia geospatial platform, which is currently under rapid development. This public safety communications ecosystem encompasses call routing and call processing, mapping, MIS and analytics, emergency notification, P25 land mobile radio and LTE, and crucial managed services like real-time monitoring and response.

"With the addition of the VESTA^®/Sentinel^® 4 system, the Ridgecrest Police Department is well down the path toward the future of public safety communications," said Jeff Wittek, Chief Strategic Officer for Cassidian Communications. "We are honored to have our call taking equipment reside in the Ridgecrest Police Department and our technical team supporting their efforts every step of the way."

About Cassidian Communications (www.CassidianCommunications.com)
Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, is a global leader and trusted source for mission-critical communications technologies, including NG9-1-1 call taking systems, emergency notification solutions and services, and P25 land mobile radio networks and LTE. For over four decades, Cassidian Communications has upheld its promise to keep people connected when it matters most, consistently designing solutions with an open mind and creating smarter, more effective ways to ensure communities are safe. For Cassidian Communications, CRITICAL MATTERS™. The company is headquartered in Temecula, Calif., with facilities located in Richardson, Texas, Franklin, Tenn. and Gatineau, Quebec.

About EADS North America (www.eadsnorthamerica.com)
EADS North America is the U.S.-based operation of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defense, and related services. EADS contributes more than $14 billion to the U.S. economy annually and supports over 225,000 American jobs through its network of suppliers. EADS North America, headquartered in Herndon, Va., offers a broad array of advanced solutions to meet U.S. military and commercial requirements, including fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, homeland security systems, public safety communications, defense electronics and avionics, and threat detection systems.