Holmatro Safety Team members and Verizon IndyCar Series personnel in Race Control at Auto Club Speedway were able to view in real time the response to the multi-car incident in practice Aug. 29 thanks to Verizon’s initiative to introduce new technologies in INDYCAR.

In mid-August, Digital Barriers of Arlington, Va., installed a 360-degree camera and three fixed HD cameras in the Chevrolet Silverado Safety 1 response vehicle, which includes an in-vehicle encoder with wireless TVI real-time streaming of four channels of HD video on the Verizon network and on-board HD recording with cellular and IP communications.

Video from all four cameras is streamed to any authorized user’s device, including smartphones, tablets and PCs.  The 360-degree camera offers pan, tilt and zoom capability with a joystick operated by the fire controller in Race Control.

The views allow Safety 2, Safety 3, the medical staff and any other user to have real-time video of what’s transpiring on the racetrack and the location of vehicles. Communication is via a secure radio channel and an instant messaging system.

“Over the years we had cameras in the Holmatro Safety Team vehicles for recording, which would be downloaded and used in reviewing procedures and protocols and in training,” INDYCAR track safety manager Mike Yates said. “We wanted what we’re seeing in real time for the other Holmatro Safety Team personnel and the doctors so they have an immediate idea of what they’re driving into to prepare themselves instead of getting there and having to size up the situation.

“When we’re on a scene and there are multiple race cars involved and multiple response vehicles on the track, one static camera focuses on one car depending on where we park it. Jim Norman in fire control can pan the 360-degree camera to get views of other scenes as well.”

The Holmatro Safety Team for an INDYCAR event consists of 18 trained personnel – a trauma physician, orthopedic physician, paramedics, firefighters/EMTs and registered nurses. Individuals have an average of 20 years of experience in their respective areas with local hospitals and fire departments.

In addition to the three response/track clean-up vehicles with the latest Holmatro equipment to address every situation, a Honda Pilot command vehicle equipped with satellite TV and wireless laptops to view the streaming video and download data is used for driver transportation.

In 2015, all Holmatro Safety vehicles and the Honda Pilot command vehicle will be outfitted with the real-time video solution, enabling even greater coverage of on-track situations.