Fire and emergency access
An emergency access is a closed entrance that fire brigade, ambulance and police must pass without stopping during an operation, while it stays closed for everyone else. The barrier protects the area but must never delay the response.
Karlsruhe showed the problem of a rigid solution: the provisional closure of the bicycle street with construction-site elements no longer let emergency vehicles and residents through either. Since 2020 three access systems steer traffic there, and AI recognizes emergency vehicles from their appearance.
There are three ways to release access, which can be combined at one installation: public safety radio, long-range RFID and AI vehicle recognition. All three run on the BaseLink or the SmartKit.
Public safety radio (BOS)
The digital radio of the German authorities and organizations with security tasks opens the barrier system without the vehicle stopping. In the rating matrix it scores 5 out of 5 for copy protection and network independence.
Long-range RFID with convoy
The long-range reader recognizes vehicles up to 12 meters away and suits police, ambulances and fire brigade because the entrance opens without delay; including convoy mode, for example with the blue light activated on the control column.
AI vehicle recognition
A video sensor recognizes fire brigade, police and ambulance from their appearance. They are granted access even without a registered license plate and without a credential on board, as at Wilo in Dortmund and in Karlsruhe.
Which credential for emergency vehicles?
The decision aid in “access methods compared” lists for emergency access: BaseLink hardware; public safety radio, possibly AI vehicle type recognition; license plate recognition, RFID stickers and key switches also possible.
- Public safety radio
- No credential on the vehicle, no network connection required, high opening speed. Requires the digital radio of the emergency organization.
- Long-range RFID
- Forgery-proof, can be blocked if lost, stickers are non-transferable; anti-passback prevents multiple entries.
- AI vehicle recognition
- Recognizes the vehicle type in real time; emergency vehicles from other municipalities also get through without being registered first.
- Fallback
- Key switch or phone call remain usable as inputs; the controller keeps working without an internet connection.
All fourteen credentials compared: to the rating matrix.
Emergency access in practice
- City of Karlsruhe
- Three access systems in the Zirkel and Passagehof prioritize cyclists; AI recognizes emergency vehicles from their appearance: Karlsruhe reference.
- Wilo SE, Dortmund
- At six plant entrances the vehicle detection recognizes fire brigade, police and ambulance services, so they are granted access without a registered license plate: Wilo reference.
- City of Trier
- Emergency vehicles via public safety radio, permanent users via RFID, special permissions by installation group: Trier reference.
- Responsibility
- Which vehicles may pass when is defined by the operator in the ControlHub; coordination with fire brigade and ambulance service belongs in the security concept, as the ProPK guides describe: standards and legal framework.
Questions about emergency access
- Does the emergency vehicle have to stop?
- No. Public safety radio and long-range RFID open the installation while driving, and AI recognizes the vehicle as it approaches. The long-range reader reaches up to 12 meters; convoy mode keeps the installation open for following vehicles.
- What happens during a network outage?
- The controller processes the credentials locally and keeps working without an internet connection; public safety radio does not need a network connection of the installation anyway. Movements are buffered and synchronized later.
- Do emergency vehicles from other cities get through as well?
- With AI vehicle recognition, yes: it recognizes fire brigade, police and ambulance from their appearance without the vehicle having been registered before. Public safety radio and RFID, by contrast, require a radio or credential of the organization.
