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Home » » Segways enhance patrol coverage at John Wayne Airport

Segways enhance patrol coverage at John Wayne Airport

Oct 26, 2007 12:00 AM

It’s hard to picture John Wayne on anything other than a horse. But if he were alive today and patrolling the Santa Ana, Calif., airport that bears his name, you just might find him riding a Segway. Compared to a horse, Segways provide greater mobility—and they drink a lot less water.

Segway Personal Transporters (PTs) have become a much more common sight at the nation’s busiest airports. John Wayne Airport, which bills itself as “the Gateway to Orange County, Calif.,” recently purchased two Segway i2 Police units to help members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department patrol the airport’s concourses and terminal. Airport officials purchased the i2 Police units to give the sheriff’s department a tool for responding quickly to emergencies and to enhance patrol coverage of all interior environments.

“The airport is always working to improve passenger safety and security,” John Wayne Airport Director Alan Murphy said. “We spent a significant amount of time researching the Segway PT—visiting other agencies that use them, asking questions about their effectiveness and testing the unit in action. Overall, we believe that this is a sound investment. We found that the Segway PT offers impressive maneuverability and takes up minimal space, making it an ideal option for our very busy terminal complex.”

Capt. Dennis DeMaio, who works for the Airport Operations Division of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, noted that the Segways not only offer greater mobility for airport police officers but also improve officers’ visibility by providing an elevated vantage point. The vehicles also enable officers to cover more area in less time than if they were on foot.

“On emergency calls, the units provide for rapid response to incidents and allow our officers to arrive fresh and ready to take appropriate action,” DeMaio said. “We have already realized the benefit of improved response time to our passengers.”

No emissions, low recharging costs
Segway PTs are self-balancing, even when standing still, and take up no more space than the average adult. According to Bedford, N.H.-based Segway Inc., these characteristics make Segway PTs an ideal patrol tool when moving through airport crowds or in and out of tight spaces such as doorways and elevators.

With the exception of battery recharging, no regular maintenance is required on the Segway PT, and battery recharging can be accomplished at any standard electrical outlet without removing the batteries from the unit.

According to the company, airport customers appreciate that Segway PTs use no gasoline and give off no emissions during operation. Because the product is electric, battery recharging costs are low—approximately 25 cents per day.

The Segway i2 Police units purchased by John Wayne Airport are the newest-generation models. The i2 model has a range of up to 24 miles, a top speed of 12.5 mph and a payload of 260 pounds. The i2 Police includes a handlebar bag for gear, an accessory bar for lights and sirens, reflective police/security labels, comfort mats, an LED taillight and cargo frames that double as lift handles.

At press time, 30 airports in North America were using Segway PTs for security applications, including eight of the 16 busiest airports. In the first six months of 2007, Segway increased its worldwide airport and rail-station customer base by 46 percent.

“John Wayne Airport now joins other major airports such as Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam’s Schiphol in choosing Segway PTs for their security needs,” said Chip MacDonald, director of the police/security sector for Segway. “We are honored to have Orange County’s John Wayne Airport as a customer. The Segway PTs will help the sheriff’s department provide a safe and secure environment for airport passengers.” Segway Inc. provided this case history. Segway Inc., Bedford, N.H.

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