Emergency Radio Communications System Incorporating Integral Public Safety Radio Bridging Capability

A communication system especially adapted for facilitating emergency communications between communicants having respective radio systems, said system including an IP communications network and a communication server for managing communications between a first communication endpoint and a second communication endpoint, said system comprising:

• at least one public safety radio associated with one of said communication endpoints;
• at least one local radio associated with the other of said communication endpoints;
• at least one pre-programmed digital radio associated with said communication endpoints and operating on a different channel or frequency than said at least one public safety radio and said at least one local radio;
• a radio bridge for facilitating direct radio communications between said at least one public safety radio and said local radio, said bridge communicating with said server to receive activation and deactivation instructions sent from an authorized user, said instructions being sent as IP packets over the communications network;
• a digital radio module incorporated with said radio bridge, said module providing a capability to control said radio bridge by an RF signal received from said at least one pre-programmed digital radio;
• computer coded instructions associated with said communications server to selectively control and monitor the system to include (i) activation and deactivation of said radio bridge to prevent activation and deactivation control at said communication endpoint associated with the at least one local radio, and (ii) producing visual displays on user interfaces of the communication system;
• and
• wherein said visual displays include (i) an indication of whether a radio bridge has been activated or deactivated by said at least one pre-programmed digital radio, and (ii) at least one of an activation or status screen showing an audio detect feature indicative of which communication endpoints are transmitting radio communications or an activation or status screen showing a channel take over feature, said channel take over feature indicating whether an authorized user has interrupted the ability of radio transmissions at a selected endpoint location.