Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. was experiencing a problem common to many golf courses. On-course emergency telephones were connected by wires that were buried, and the depth and length needed to bury the wires properly left them subject to damage and malfunction. Because of these problems, the club found that phones were going out of service often enough that safety throughout the property was in danger of being compromised.

The club’s staff set out to find a solution, and the quest led to consideration of several alternatives, including radio call-box kiosks similar to those found on university campuses. Eventually, a product originally designed for California freeways was adopted.
Due to the length and remoteness of many highways in that state, a call box for the California road system had been developed that incorporated a cellular telephone powered by a battery that was recharged by an integrated solar panel.

Congressional’s staff found that the entire assembly was available from one manufacturer that could also provide installation and a unique monitoring system. The stations on  Congressional’s property now monitor themselves, doing a self-evaluation of all components and reporting on their own conditions to a central monitoring service, which then relays any malfunctions that are need of attention.

Now, the staff at Congressional can rest easier and focus on other aspects of member service, knowing that reliable emergency phones are always in place and within reach throughout the property.