What Keeps You Up at Night?

We consider ourselves technology leaders and are certainly proud of accomplishing the rollout of Wi-Fi service — completed Dec. 5 — covering Corpus Christi’s entire land area, all 147 square miles.

Now, we must leverage the 18-month project by pushing out applications to improve efficiency and service delivery around the country’s fifth-largest port city.

“Officers love the quick turnaround time,” says Lynn Childs, public information manager for the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center (ACJIC). “It also takes NCIC out of the building so they can use it at an investigation.” Other benefits include officer safety, quick response and confidentiality, Childs says.

The Automated Meter Reading Program is one example. We recently wrapped up a five-year AMR build-out, retrofitting residential gas and water meters with new AMR-enabled devices that transmit signals twice daily to radio receivers. The receivers convert readings to digital signals and transmit the data via Wi-Fi back to the city hall data center. AMR eliminates human error, provides immediate feedback if a meter isn’t working and eases accounts management.

The city’s Building Inspection Division also benefits from the wireless system. The inspectors now receive requests via e-mail on their notebook systems — from anywhere in the city. This app lets inspectors enter their review information online, send reports the same day and notify builders of approvals or denials. We figure the program reduces total building time by 20 percent.