Crystal-LED at crisis management centre in Istanbul

Providing information on any natural, technological or man-made disaster is fundamental to minimising its impact. This is exactly the task of AKOM, established on 12 December 2000, to ensure the optimal allocation of tasks, coordination of activities and cooperation between services affiliated with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM).

Today, equipped with the most advanced hardware and software technology, AKOM is a model for many similar organisations in terms of technology and ergonomics, safeguarding not only in Istanbul, but also throughout Turkey. The control and coordination room uses Sony Crystal-LED technology with an impressive 972.8 cm x 410.4 cm display.

The decision to establish AKOM came after the earthquake that hit Turkey on 17^th August 1999. It had a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale and took the lives of more than 17,100 people. It became necessary to provide full information and coordination of activities to ensure that any disasters in Istanbul can be contained with the least damage and in the shortest possible time. AKOM was established by a decision of the Istanbul Metropolitan Assembly to coordinate service duties in accordance with the orders of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). Initially, it was run from the Fatih Fire Station. Since 2002, the centre has been based in Eyüp Güzeltepe.

 Most advanced systems, best qualified people

The project took nearly eight years to complete, and the total investment was around 2 million euros. It has so far proven to be a highly important investment as since the day it was established, AKOM has played an important role during many disasters not only in Istanbul but throughout Turkey.

Istanbul has an extremely modern emergency and crisis response centre. AKOM covers the entire Istanbul metropolitan area and acts as the main control and coordination facility ready for emergencies and disasters. It includes a dedicated control centre with an integrated smart conference room that provides all staff with constant access to data and information. Staff work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The work environment needs to not only be efficient and modern, but also comfortable and ergonomic. A huge amount of data needs to be collected. The centre is equipped with supervisory control, facility security and advanced automation systems.

Prepared for worst-case emergency scenarios, AKOM is equipped with 24/7 redundancy systems that are necessary, in such a facility, to safeguard against any potential failures.

 Outstanding detail and image quality is of paramount importance

The control and coordination room features a display consisting of 16 x 12 modules with total dimensions of 972.8 cm x 410.4 cm. The B-series Crystal-LED display guarantees a bright, high-contrast image. The X1^TM processor used in Crystal-LED displays is responsible for image quality, ensuring smooth, sharp and accurate colour reproduction, as well as clear tonal transitions without loss of dynamic detail. This is possible thanks to the processor’s built-in functions: 22-bit Super Bit Mapping technology, Reality Creation and Motionflow^TM, extremely small LEDs and a unique anti-glare surface technology. Crystal-LED ensures a wide viewing angle without colour distortion. As a result, everything on the big screen is perfectly visible from all angles, even in daylight. It is ideal for communicating any information, tracking changes in the area so that teams can analyse local needs and the impact of current events.

AKOM provides a very important and necessary service to the country, with everything needed in emergency situations not only in Istanbul but also throughout Turkey. It is a model for other centres of its kind in the world.