Advertorial – Fredon Technology | The CEO Magazine

When major emergencies unfold across New South Wales, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) State Operations Centre becomes a critical hub for coordination, communication and decision-making. From fires and floods to storms and multi-agency incidents, teams must rapidly interpret information, build situational awareness and act with confidence to support the safety of communities across the state.

In that environment, technology must do more than perform. It must be resilient, intuitive and available when every decision counts. That principle shaped the upgrade of the State Operations Centre, delivered by Fredon Technology in collaboration with the NSW RFS, Extron and Sharp.

Opened in 2018, the State Operations Centre featured a visual knowledge wall consisting of 104 LCD displays spanning 20 x 4 meters. The technology refresh completed in 2026 introduced custom Sharp LED displays in conjunction with Extron video distribution, signal processing and control integration, designed to strengthen operational capability, simplify the user experience and support the NSW RFS mission for years to come.

Complex technology, simple control

Behind the visual impact of the Knowledge Wall is a sophisticated technology ecosystem designed to make complex information easier to access, organize and share. The upgrade included video processing hardware, cabling and electrical upgrades, structural works, three additional video walls and six interactive displays across the facility.

A custom 24-inch (61-centimeter) touchscreen interface brings together 52 sources, including live camera feeds, media channels, operational dashboards and data, purpose-built to support timely and informed decision-making.

The design considered lifecycle performance, critical failure points and ongoing operational costs, focusing on a system that minimized risk, reduced support requirements and incorporated fully redundant video wall architecture with automatic failover.

The result is sophisticated technology made simple: a resilient, integrated platform supported by a comprehensive service and maintenance program, including continuous monitoring, preventive maintenance and rapid response support to help users access critical information quickly and make decisions with confidence.

Collaboration and disciplined delivery

Delivering a system for a mission-critical environment required more than selecting individual products. Fredon led the upgrade in close partnership with the NSW RFS and technology partners Extron and Sharp, ensuring the solution aligned with operational needs and long-term objectives.

The project timeline was ambitious, progressing from design to completion in just three months while maintaining a disciplined and sustainable delivery approach. More than 3.5 metric tons of superseded equipment was responsibly recycled through certified e-waste programs, with packaging and project waste also diverted from landfill wherever possible.

Technology with purpose

In an environment where the right information at the right time supports critical decision-making, technology must be reliable, intuitive and ready when called upon. For Fredon Technology, Extron and Sharp, the project demonstrates what can be achieved when integration expertise, technology innovation and a deep understanding of operational outcomes come together.

Its success is not measured by the scale of the displays or the sophistication of the technology, but by how effectively the solution helps the NSW RFS protect communities, support its people and respond to emergencies across New South Wales when it matters most.