Action Ambulance services uses Fargo HDP5000 card printer/encoder with lamination for ID, Security and Marketing

The challenge 

Action Ambulance Services provides 24-hour emergency and non-emergency medical services to the people of Eastern Massachusetts from 13 different locations. The identification cards worn by emergency personnel face challenging conditions, not only from temperature extremes and inclement weather, but also from bodily fluids, including blood, of patients being treated.

Twelve years ago, the organization began using ID cards for employee identification, but its printer was not able to laminate the cards, nor was it fast enough to keep up with the growing business. Mike Woronka, now Chief Executive Officer of Action Ambulance Services, was responsible for bringing the first ID card printer to the organization. He realized it was time for an upgrade of both the hardware and the software.

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Enabling Security, Compliance, and Efficiency

Identity management and verification depend on trusted credentialing technologies. U.S. federal, state and local governments and private enterprises alike are seeking ways to improve security, not just for facility access, but also for single-sign-on into cyberspace. Furthermore, non-federal issuers of identity cards demand cost-effective, compliant methods to produce identity cards that interoperate with federal government Personal Identity Verification (PIV) and PIV-Interoperable (PIV-I) systems.

Beyond government applications, the private sector also stands to gain from secure credentialing standards and technologies. The PIV-I card is a non-federally issued credential designed for use by state and regional employees, including first responders. The PIV-I card meets all FIPS 201 standards and is recognized and trusted by the federal government. PIV-I cards can provide states, local jurisdictions, and enterprises a single, interoperable, and secure credential usable across multiple application areas. The result is a more secure infrastructure, and better services for employees, contractors, businesses, and consumers.

This white paper provides an overview of FIPS 201-compliant smart ID cards and shows the significant benefits the technology enables. The paper also shows how to produce PIV-I compliant access cards that contain tamperresistant coatings, radio frequency identification (RFID), and other features using the latest printing technologies.

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HID Global, trusted leader in solutions for the delivery of secure identity, today announced the expansion of its Genuine HID card printer and encoder portfolio with the launch of its new FARGO DTC1000M Monochrome Printer/Encoder. The DTC1000M delivers FARGO quality, reliability and ease of use, while providing organizations with a solution that is cost-effective to own and operate and offers a low total cost of ownership.

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Secure the Campus While Providing Essential Services

From universities to primary schools, a revolution in technology is taking shape. The days when mundane tasks such as registration, book purchases, and meal programs required an army of administrators to manage piles of paperwork is but a digital page in today’s history e-books. Twenty-first-century innovation is bringing automation— and a chance to improve security—to the campus.

With education costs skyrocketing, departments at all levels are looking for ways to do more with less—trimming expenses while maximizing staff productivity. Add the looming threats to campus security, and educators must make decisions that balance quality of education with protecting our students. In fact, the 2011 Campus Safety magazine’s “How Safe Is Your Campus?” report revealed that 52 percent of faculty said their institutions fail to dedicate sufficient resources to campus safety and security.

The simple answer relies on the same technology that corporations use—secure smart ID cards. Embedded with “smart” features such as radio frequency identification (RFID) and tamper-resistant laminates, education campuses can realize a wide range of benefits, from tightening security, to streamlining admission, to improving paid services. Read on to find out how you can benefit from smart cards, and learn how your school district can do more with less.

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Zebra Technologies announced the new ZXP Series 3 card printer. Available in the first quarter of 2011, the ZXP Series 3 extends Zebra’s card printer product line with a new model that combines performance and affordability in a small footprint ideally suited for most card printing and encoding applications.

The ZXP Series 3 is unique to the card printing market, employing several advanced features that provide best-in-class performance at an attractive price point. The ZXP Release 3 ZRaster host-based image processing technology takes advantage of the increased processing power of today’s PCs to significantly optimise image and print quality while increasing overall print speed throughput. This permits greater sophistication in image optimisations without sacrificing printer speed or adding cost. Additionally, new Zebra high performance card ribbons employ an improved chemical formulation specifically designed for fast high-quality image printing. Zebra is first to market with the new ribbons, which provide more efficient dye transfer and greater durability under printing conditions. Both these innovations work together to provide better image quality and faster throughput without compromising reliability or cost.

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Zebra is excited to announce CardStudio™ ID card software for Zebra® card printers. CardStudio will be available as a stand-alone or bundled product, and will support all current and legacy Zebra ID card printers—both direct-to-card and retransfer.

Three different versions of Zebra CardStudio will be available: Continue reading »