NSI Supports new Electronic Call Handling Operation (ECHO)

The launch presents a significant opportunity to facilitate more efficient use of emergency services, reducing call handling times and errors that can occur from manual call handling.

Successful pilot schemes have been undertaken with a number of alarm companies and police forces, and the opportunity is to widen and standardise the process nationally. The new initiative has the potential to bring about automated Police URN management optimising technology and to deliver both automated audio and visual alarm confirmation.

Richard Jenkins, NSI’s Chief Executive commented: “We welcome this new project which presents a real opportunity to generate significant savings in emergency response resources both through fewer alarms and a potential increase in the effectiveness of emergency response by the police.

“Taking a longer view we believe the potential of applying this technology also in support of the fire service is immense, with critical infrastructure such as care homes, hospitals and heritage all potentially benefitting from enhanced fire alarm transmission and the fire service potentially set to benefit from reduced false alarms.

“It offers the potential to deliver a step change in the provision of public security and fire safety across the country.”

NSI is a not-for-profit UKAS accredited certification body specialising in the approval of security and fire detection and alarm system companies who install and maintain police response intruder alarms,  fire detection and alarm systems, and Alarm Receiving Centres who manage alarm signalling.