Interoperability Streams

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57747062012-01-20T09:32:02.760-07:00Interoperability StreamsCommunications interoperability news & viewsKatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.comBlogger5931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-68175268785109868262012-01-20T09:32:00.000-07:002012-01-20T09:32:02.768-07:00

Will DOJ Tech Project Die After 10 Years?: A secure, interoperable radio network that the Department of Justice has been working on for more than a decade and that has cost the agency $356 million may be headed for failure, according to a new report by the agency's inspector general.According to the report, inadequate funding, frequent revisions to DOJ's plans, and poor coordination threaten the

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-67609649807578228452012-01-11T18:43:00.000-07:002012-01-11T18:43:44.726-07:00

FCC sees support for incentive auctions of wireless spectrum - chicagotribune.com: Julius Genachowski, the top U.S. telecommunications regulator, said on Wednesday that he has received bi-partisan support from a group of U.S. senators for so-called "incentive" auctions of wireless spectrum without legislative restrictions.Genachowski, chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, is

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-83440159531704936292012-01-11T18:40:00.001-07:002012-01-11T18:41:06.276-07:00

Bay Area cities prepare for key vote on public-safety LTE -- Urgent Communications: Representatives of governmental entities in the San Francisco Bay Area are scheduled to vote next Thursday to decide whether their public-safety agencies will participate in the deployment and operation of a much-anticipated LTE network for the region’s first responders that would be built by Motorola

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-76262114902428786342011-12-30T09:07:00.000-07:002011-12-30T09:07:47.413-07:00

Verizon blames “growing pains” for LTE 4G outages | VentureBeat: Verizon Wireless may be paying the price for being the first carrier in the world to widely roll out LTE 4G technology.The carrier has pointed to the relative immaturity of LTE as the reason for its 4G service outages throughout 2011, reports GigaOm, who chatted with Verizon VP of network engineering Mike Haberman yesterday.

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-19625921849196122142011-12-28T21:01:00.001-07:002011-12-28T21:01:35.744-07:00

Homeland Security gets more cyber funding, less for science research -- Federal Computer Week: Southwestern border technology, scientific research programs and grants for state and local first responders are losing support in the Homeland Security Department’s final budget for fiscal 2012 approved by Congress. Meanwhile, cybersecurity and biosurveillance systems are among the programs gaining

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-76989735513234948672011-12-12T19:40:00.001-07:002011-12-12T19:41:03.630-07:00

Once upon a time in a land far, far away... | Daryl Jones' Weblog: Once upon a time in the land of Far-Far-Away in the State of Insolvent there were some chiefs from Bewildered County. They had an old-fashioned stupid plain vanilla analog radio system that worked perfectly two thirds of the time, but the other third of the time their radios had a little static.Even though it almost never-ever

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-38796920000624939082011-11-25T22:27:00.001-07:002011-11-25T22:27:32.176-07:00

Communications upgrade for first responders - Washington Times: Congress must decide between a fiscally irresponsible 20th-century model of dedicated, expensive public-safety networks that become rapidly obsolete or a 21st-century model of cost-effective public-private, shared infrastructure. Our country can afford neither billions of dollars to build and operate a new dedicated public-safety

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-33372269952652389432011-11-23T23:07:00.001-07:002011-11-23T23:08:17.081-07:00

Consumers Energy: interoperability, in-house and out | Intelligent Utility: In-house, Gillmore [director of enterprise architecture and standards and chief architect] explained, "guiding principle number one is loosely coupled, layered architectures. You should be able to change layers out without breaking the upper stack. We've taken those principles into our architectural smart grid approach

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-11061840274962816172011-02-12T16:22:00.001-07:002011-02-12T16:22:49.000-07:00

In the 'It Should Be So Easy Department', Biden Breathlessly Claims Broadband Wireless is a Replacement for LMR : "Instead of the old radios they use now, first responders will communicate with devices that will also let them transmit video, images and data. Firefighters will be able to download building schematics onto their devices to find the best routes to safety. A police officer will be

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-77668509506799848042011-02-12T16:15:00.001-07:002011-02-12T16:15:58.184-07:00

Big Money for Public Safety Broadband?: "WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama will today detail his plan to win the future by catalyzing the buildout of high-speed wireless services that will enable businesses to grow faster, students to learn more, and public safety officials to access state-of-the-art, secure, nationwide, and interoperable mobile communications."

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-20536087622683303202011-01-29T10:32:00.001-07:002011-01-29T10:32:55.913-07:00

Mesmerized by Technology Department: "Hoping to solve problems fingered by a 9/11 commission, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted a Third Report and Order (Order) and Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) drafted to advance communications interoperability for U.S. first responders."

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-70441765862000621472011-01-23T10:21:00.003-07:002011-01-23T11:43:11.240-07:00

Critical StewardshipA friend recently wondered why so many large radio projects for public safety are on the skids. The answer is many-faceted, but the common characteristic of successful projects is simple: Critical stewardship. Fiscal discipline is the heart of critical stewardship. Stewards include not only the users of such systems, but elected representatives and, ultimately, the public

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-46278613050922140412011-01-23T09:38:00.001-07:002011-01-23T09:38:48.687-07:00

Emergency Support Function #2 - The United States' National Response Framework (NRF) defines a series of emergency support functions or ESFs. The second of these is communications. According to the NRF, "[c]ommunications supports the restoration of the communications infrastructure, facilitates the recovery of systems and applications from cyber attacks, and coordinates Federal communications

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-19940979768565364932011-01-23T09:05:00.002-07:002011-01-23T09:07:10.439-07:00

All-Hazards ICS COML Website - The website linked here provides official information on the all-hazards Communications Leader (COML) position under the Incident Command System (ICS) of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) developed the training and conducted a series of classes nationwide that had over

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-80385298015865205672011-01-23T08:43:00.001-07:002011-01-23T08:45:48.047-07:00

All-Hazards ICS Communications Unit Leader (COML) - The State of Tennessee has been a leader in using the Incident Command System (ICS) to improve communications during emergencies. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has adopted standardized training for all-hazards ICS Communications Unit Leaders (COMLs) and procedures for credentialing at three levels, starting at the local level.

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-21140429516986146072011-01-23T08:18:00.001-07:002011-01-23T08:19:33.945-07:00

Communications Technician (COMT) Training Courses: "Communications Technician (COMT) Training Courses" - All-hazards ICS Communications Technician training is ramping up. This week-long course, developed by the DHS Office of Emergency Communications, is designed to provide individuals who will serve in the role of a COMT during incident response with skills and resources. This is the official,

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-54124935757903875152010-06-19T11:56:00.001-06:002010-06-19T11:56:44.670-06:00

Debate heats up on the Hill over sale of public safety spectrum - Nextgov:Does the country need to allocate more scare spectrum so people can use their iPhones at max speed everywhere, or should it be reserved for public safety communications?"

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-62869886284097506262010-04-08T23:03:00.001-06:002010-04-08T23:03:50.804-06:00

FCC reveals more details about public-safety network plans: "An FCC official revealed more details about how the nationwide public-safety mobile broadband network will come to fruition. Jamie Barnett, chief of the FCC's public safety and homeland security bureau, indicated the FCC plans to establish an interoperability center and rule on individual 700 MHz broadband waiver requests by mid-summer

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-68427472195498551652010-04-04T20:34:00.001-06:002010-04-04T20:34:30.655-06:00

Channelized Communications - Andrew Seybold: "The Following is a copy of an email I sent to FCC Commissioner Robert M. McDowell. I have reprinted it below because it helps to explain why channelized communications systems are and will continue to be needed by first responder and other two-way radio (Land Mobile Radio) systems for years to come. This is one of the most difficult subjects to

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-56243246076938827622010-03-25T16:21:00.001-06:002010-03-25T16:22:01.861-06:00

Werner on Virtual USA - podcast: "The nation's ability to share information seamlessly across localities, states and regions still is limited. To address the problem, the DHS Science and Technology Directorate's Command, Control and Interoperability Division — assisted by the First Responder Technologies program — created Virtual USA."

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-2904998161818069242010-03-18T14:36:00.001-06:002010-03-18T14:36:28.292-06:00

FCC unveils plan for public safety network: "Federal efforts to create interoperable first-responder communications could receive a boost with an FCC plan to spend between $12 million and $16 million on a nationwide interoperable public safety wireless broadband network.James Barnett, head of the FCC's public safety and homeland security bureau, wrote about FCC plans Wednesday in a blog post.'Our

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-53802262073916370862010-03-16T17:25:00.001-06:002010-03-16T17:25:46.990-06:00

FCC plan calls for 'minimal' public safety fee for all broadband users: "The FCC's National Broadband Plan, released today, calls for a new 'minimal' fee on all U.S. broadband users to help pay for a new $16 billion nationwide emergency response wireless network.Public safety officials have pleaded for such an interoperable network to aid their response to disasters and potential attacks since

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-15173677638628740922010-03-05T18:23:00.001-07:002010-03-05T18:23:35.635-07:00

DHS Announces New Interoperability Grants for Border States: "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) launched the Border Interoperability Demonstration Project (BIDP), a competitive demonstration grant program designed to identify innovative solutions to emergency communications challenges along and across the border. Applications are due April 26."

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-45988699972147680802010-03-05T18:21:00.001-07:002010-03-05T18:21:20.796-07:00

FCC talks National Broadband: "It's just over two weeks until the FCC presents its National Broadband Plan (March 16th), but already, the regulator has started slipping out details of the plan, including a promise to find 500MHz of spectrum for wireless broadband and a request for Congress to cough up $16bn for a public-safety network to be integrated with priority access to commercial networks."

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-67935729765731555152010-03-03T13:52:00.001-07:002010-03-03T13:52:46.298-07:00

FCC to Recommend $16B in Grant Funding for 700 MHz Broadband Network : "Although the FCC will recommend moving forward with a D block auction, it will also recommend that Congress consider significant public funding — $12 billion to $16 billion over 10 years — for a federal grant program to help support network construction and operation and maintenance of a 700 MHz pubic-safety broadband network

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-43562011369308006512010-02-25T18:18:00.001-07:002010-02-25T18:18:45.303-07:00

DHS trains 1,600 first responders for multi-jurisdictional incidents: "More than 1,600 first responders have completed the All-Hazards Type-III Communications Unit Leader (COML)training course, a program designed to improve multi-jurisdictional coordination among first responders at an incident, said Chris Essid, director of Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Emergency Communications (

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-32254551863189745272010-02-25T18:09:00.001-07:002010-02-25T18:09:06.847-07:00

D.C. picked as site for urban 700 MHz public-safety demonstration: "Washington, D.C., will be the location of a 700 MHz broadband demonstration network that is designed to test the public-safety capabilities that a wireless broadband network could bring to first responders in urban areas.The D.C. testbed is the second such network to be announced by Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR),

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-30456983895682286932010-02-05T15:48:00.001-07:002010-02-05T15:48:09.561-07:00

Critical Calls: "... 'Technology investments go on, but without a concept of operations to act as a guide, they go on with no end,' says [Mark Borkowski, executive director for DHS' Secure Border Initiative], adding that such projects must have clear objectives.""What are the primary functions of the system? Who are the users and stakeholders? How do they operate both under normal circumstances

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-27714900338532438532010-02-05T13:09:00.001-07:002010-02-05T13:09:16.601-07:00

Washington, D.C., Partners with Feds to Test 4G Technology for National Public Safety Network: "At the end of 2009, the world of fourth-generation (4G) mobile telecommunications technology got a boost when a Swedish telecom operator deployed the first-ever commercial long-term evolution (LTE) services in Stockholm, Sweden and Oslo, Norway.This is critical because even though the company,

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-31828144848710533482009-12-23T22:30:00.001-07:002009-12-23T22:30:59.093-07:00

Avoiding Another Generation of Lost Interoperability: "If the National Broadband Plan being developed by the Federal Communications Commission isn’t on your radar screen, you’re hardly alone. But a lot is at stake in getting this thing right, and we need to start paying attention to it or risk squandering a once-in-a-generation opportunity to dramatically improve our public safety and security."

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-64013638293767159182009-12-16T16:52:00.001-07:002009-12-16T16:52:15.523-07:00

Demonstration Network Planned for Public Safety 700 MHz Broadband: "The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) have announced plans to create a demonstration broadband communications network for the nation’s emergency services agencies using a portion of the radiofrequency spectrum freed up by the recent

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-42762559403098264142009-11-30T22:29:00.001-07:002009-11-30T22:29:25.297-07:00

When interoperability and security collide: "Opening up transmissions between agencies is at the core of interoperable communications, but with that openness comes an increased need for security.This seeming paradox was made all too clear on September 11th, 2009.As the Coast Guard held a training exercise on the Potomac near the Pentagon, CNN's police scanner picked up transmissions from the

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-34528709052450070202009-11-23T17:36:00.001-07:002009-11-23T17:36:19.093-07:00

Nationwide public safety broadband network encounters funding problems: "Eight years after the 9/11 attacks and four years after the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, ensuring that first responders have interoperable communications when reacting to such disasters remains a priority for policy-makers at the local, state and national levels.While the deployment of narrowband systems at 700 MHz — the

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-57404608862315900352009-11-23T17:30:00.001-07:002009-11-23T17:31:00.400-07:00

Pieces of homeland security puzzle assembled in new Purdue center: "A group of researchers at a new Purdue University visual data center knows that knowledge might be power, but how it's filtered is what really counts. Purdue on Monday celebrated the inception of the national center, dubbed VACCINE or Visual Analytics for Command, Control and Interoperability Environments. The center, funded by

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-18961490338899198162009-11-12T17:52:00.001-07:002009-11-12T17:52:52.150-07:00

FCC Mulls Broadband Network for Public Safety: "So much of the government's recent attention to broadband networks has focused on the networks used by consumers, but in the backdrop of that heavily-lobbied debate are policymakers' concerns over the use of broadband to improve public safety.But with a thicket of state, local and tribal jurisdictions with widely varying needs and budgets, the goal

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-24944154177084749372009-10-30T23:25:00.001-06:002009-10-30T23:25:41.980-06:00

DHS opens national cybersecurity operations center: "The Homeland Security Department opened a new operations center today that integrates national cybersecurity and telecommunications monitoring systems and provides a new degree of situational awareness surrounding the nation’s communications, information technology and cyber infrastructure.The new National Cybersecurity and Communications

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-83330319941422218152009-10-13T16:32:00.001-06:002009-10-13T16:33:05.109-06:00

Plain Talk Eases Police Radio Codes Off The Air: "Police radio can sound like an algebra class, with all those 10-4s and 187s.But more and more departments are trying a radical approach: asking officers who need backup or want to report a robbery to do so in plain old English.Late one night in 2005, a police officer on a dark highway in Independence, Mo., radioed in that he had just passed a

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-81267720866785210972009-10-07T22:20:00.001-06:002009-10-07T22:21:32.444-06:00

Oversight Missing for Oregon's Emergency Radio Network: "A new report to lawmakers says Oregon lacks the necessary oversight on a $414 million project to build a massive emergency radio network.The report from the Legislature's budget committee says those building the Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network don't have the staff and controls in place to adequately manage such a large-scale

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-57789574910305221862009-10-01T17:43:00.001-06:002009-10-01T17:43:07.853-06:00

Illinois MABAS shows true interoperability: "Communications is only one slice of the interoperability pie. In fact, although interoperable communication systems are an essential tool during an incident, preplanning strategies and tactics are crucial to safeguarding lives. One of the most common ways to preplan incidents is through the National Incident Management System. The government argued

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-15909255596871411042009-09-30T11:17:00.001-06:002009-09-30T11:18:08.739-06:00

Lawmakers Acknowledge Need for General Funds to Build Public-Safety Network: "Congressional members of the House subcommittee on communications, technology and the Internet heard views from the public-safety community and commercial carriers on the best option for the 700 MHz D block spectrum Thursday, with several lawmakers noting general funds might be the only way to ensure buildout of a

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-35309010748689982712009-09-29T21:30:00.001-06:002009-09-29T21:30:57.388-06:00

Baltimore Co. begins $57 million public safety radio network overhaul: "Baltimore County is upgrading their outdated public safety radio transmission network. And last week, Governor Martin O’Malley and County Executive Jim Smith hailed the construction of a new radio tower as the first step towards the $57 million project completion.“This three-year project will further improve our first

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-13268474786382525522009-09-08T18:33:00.001-06:002009-09-08T18:33:49.313-06:00

U.S. and Mexico talk safety across the fence: "The United States and Mexico will establish a new cross-border communications network including voice, data and video channels to support their law enforcement and public safety agencies, officials announced.The Homeland Security Department and the Secretariat of Public Security of Mexico will coordinate the installation and operation of the network,

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-37122030196074815252009-09-05T09:19:00.001-06:002009-09-05T09:19:37.800-06:00

Public safety communications still a work in progress, Chertoff says: "Eight years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, there has been significant progress made toward improving first-responder communications, but there is still a lot of distance to cover, former Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff told public safety officials today.Increased funding to state and local

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-22647028909294425782009-09-04T12:35:00.001-06:002009-09-04T12:35:58.809-06:00

ELF Claims Responsibility For Radio Tower Sabotage: "An environmental extremist group has claimed responsibility for toppling two towers owned by a sports radio station near Snohomish. The Earth Liberation Front group took responsibility for the act on its Web site Friday. The towers were brought down with a trackhoe."

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-64589804523959744302009-09-04T12:32:00.000-06:002009-09-04T12:32:38.733-06:00ELF Claims Responsibility For Radio Tower Sabotage - Seattle News Story - KIRO Seattle

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-22783509713024211592009-08-25T21:15:00.001-06:002009-08-25T21:16:17.076-06:00

Former DHS secretary Ridge discusses critical issues facing public safety: "What role do interoperable communications play?That’s a really sensitive point with me there. I am very disappointed that one of the most important recommendations from the 9/11 Commission Report, sanctioned by Congress, before which I testified and around which many great recommendations were made … that the very high

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-65983280846334462482009-08-07T12:48:00.001-06:002009-08-07T12:48:46.981-06:00

More Support Required to Fill Emergency Communication Gaps: "Limitations in communications for first responders rushing to a large-scale disaster, such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks or Hurricane Katrina, continue to linger due in part to delays in the establishment of a federal emergency communications center, which would provide assistance in overcoming those obstacles, congressional

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-81554462738158972132009-08-07T12:43:00.001-06:002009-08-07T12:44:05.118-06:00

Proposed alerting system sounds promising | Commercial Mobile Alert Service: "While considerable focus has been put on the need for better communications within the first-responder community, communications with the public being served and protected also needs considerable attention. In an increasingly mobile society, traditional alerting tools like the emergency broadcast system may not get the

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-62766084729863417132009-08-05T13:03:00.001-06:002009-08-05T13:04:02.457-06:00

US, Britain testing new ways to coordinate battlefield communications and track combat troops: "British military officials are testing new technologies that they say will make operations with the United States and other coalition partners more efficient and responsive to threats.More important, British officials say, they will be able to give a better accounting of troop locations on the

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-55940674881782805792009-08-04T19:06:00.001-06:002009-08-04T19:06:55.862-06:00

First-responder Communications Remain Vulnerable: "It will take more than the spectrum freed up by the DTV transition to fix the nation’s fractured first-responder communication systems. In a report to a Senate Commerce subcommittee, the Government Accountability Office provided a list of vulnerabilities, including antiquated phone lines, incompatibility between jurisdictions and facilities that

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-26510403206862419462009-08-04T18:52:00.001-06:002009-08-04T18:53:06.220-06:00

Schools Find Role in National Emergency Communications Plan: "A school district in Colorado launched a new two-way radio training program for all school staff on Monday, and became the first in the nation to formally align its school safety plans with the Department of Homeland Security's vision for interoperable radio communications to improve coordination among agencies responding to

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-85610726960036207342009-07-30T15:24:00.001-06:002009-07-30T15:25:01.871-06:00

Seybold's take: It's time for public safety to present a unified plan: "While the new administration was being formed, including the new FCC, it may have appeared that not much was happening in Washington D.C. with public-safety communications. But in reality a lot of positive things were taking place within the public-safety community and with commercial network operators."

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-23347185078158930622009-07-16T13:14:00.001-06:002009-07-16T13:14:24.652-06:00

California Planning Statewide Public Safety Interoperable Communications Network: "On Monday, California's Public Safety Radio Strategic Planning Committee (PSRSPC), that's composed of state emergency responders, held a public meeting to kick off the strategic planning process for a statewide interoperable communications network to connect emergency responders. California's goal is to build a

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-14955839488281295872009-07-08T18:44:00.001-06:002009-07-08T18:44:46.840-06:00

DHS Takes Step Forward on Interoperability: "The first pilot demonstrations of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Unified Incident Command and Decision Support (UICDS) system have been completed, Science Applications International Corporation, San Diego, Calif., an engineering and systems integration firm serving as prime contractor on the project, reported late last week.The first test

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-89043890868013518992009-07-02T15:11:00.001-06:002009-07-02T15:11:59.729-06:00

DHS Announces Sites for Multi-Band Radio Pilot: "The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate today announced the 14 lead organizations for the upcoming pilot phase of testing and evaluation (T&E) for the Multi-Band Radio project. The pilots comprise the final phase of a three-part T&E process that includes laboratory testing, short-term demonstrations, and

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-84855330664559939482009-06-29T09:39:00.001-06:002009-06-29T09:39:50.621-06:00

Public-safety task force begins 700 MHz work: "A public-safety task force met for the first time last week in an effort to establish requirements for 700 MHz broadband systems that can be used as national standards, potentially providing guidance to the FCC and to metropolitan areas or regions wanting to pursue their own network buildouts in the spectrum band.Participants in the process include

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-22109477064590598872009-06-29T09:37:00.001-06:002009-06-29T09:37:32.968-06:00

Emergency response to Metrorail crash shows post-9/11 gains: "First responders' effective handling of Monday's rail accident in Washington, coupled with the smooth rescue after a Hudson River plane crash in January, may indicate that the post-9/11 demand for better, faster emergency response is being met – at least in some of the nation's big cities.'The regional response that is required during

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-45071640534011073092009-06-22T23:31:00.001-06:002009-06-22T23:32:01.583-06:00

BAPCO help NPIA produce Guidance on Multi-Agency Interoperability: "The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) has recently published its ‘Guidance on Multi-Agency Interoperability’ having worked with staff from the Police, Fire and Ambulance Services to support the introduction of common practices and procedures to prepare front-line staff for the advances in communications

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-26119848657798912732009-05-30T14:28:00.001-06:002009-05-30T14:28:34.088-06:00

NCEC Open Discussion Leads to Details and Answers: "Both federal and local emergency response leaders opened the first formal session of the National Conference on Emergency Communications by inviting attendees to share openly their success stories as well as the challenges they face. More than 450 representatives from emergency response organizations are attending the conference, including

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-12480886322017038482009-05-30T14:22:00.001-06:002009-05-30T14:22:58.508-06:00

PSST responds to 700 MHz waiver requests: "The Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST) — the nationwide licensee of public safety's 700 MHz broadband spectrum — recently told the FCC that it supports the idea of local and state entities building networks early on the frequencies, but existing rules need to be changed to make such deployments practical.In separate waiver requests, the city of Boston,

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-5202080446435950192009-05-30T14:21:00.001-06:002009-05-30T14:21:27.562-06:00

FDNY Chief Cassano: Is New York ready for another 9/11?: "It's been nearly eight years since 9/11, and I wondered if New York was prepared for another large-scale incident. So I called New York City Fire Department Chief Salvatore Cassano and asked him point blank: Can the city respond to another terrorist attack?Cassano said the FDNY will operate at full capacity if the city again is the target

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-3461138181654234942009-05-30T14:18:00.001-06:002009-05-30T14:18:41.394-06:00

Florida National Guard trains communications experts for upcoming hurricane season: "The torrential rains in Florida gave a realistic backdrop to National Guard training this week, as Soldiers and Airmen prepared their emergency response efforts for the upcoming hurricane season. More than 100 members of the Florida National Guard completed three week-long courses in northeast Florida May 5-22,

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-83753672339439401262009-05-30T14:10:00.001-06:002009-05-30T14:10:51.199-06:00

New York City Wireless Network Goes Live Citywide: "New York City first responders have high-speed wireless connectivity anywhere across the city's more than 300 square miles, thanks to the newly deployed New York City Wireless Network (NYCWiN). The price tag was $500 million, paid to vendor Northrop Grumman to build the network, then operate and maintain it over the next five years. The New York

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-66324389810776651962009-05-29T10:45:00.001-06:002009-05-29T10:45:36.649-06:00

DHS creates bonds among first responders: "When first responders across the country have a technology need, they do not turn to vendors for help. These police, fire, emergency medical services and many others depend on the Homeland Security Department's Science and Technology Directorate's Office of Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC).Luke Berndt, the office's chief technical officer, says

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-29094972142304817232009-05-26T16:03:00.001-06:002009-05-26T16:03:28.150-06:00

Oregon Statewide emergency communications system proposal faces disconnect: "Lawmakers came to Salem two years ago to find a surprise waiting for them in Gov. Ted Kulongoski's budget: a $665 million communications system that would allow the state's public safety agencies to talk with one another on their radios.Democrats and Republicans balked at an expensive proposal that state officials had

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-60206994798472515872009-05-26T15:57:00.001-06:002009-05-26T15:57:44.255-06:00

We will be able to communicate better - Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman: "This week I want to provide an update on a project with great importance - Nebraska’s Public Safety Communications System. Many people have been involved in this effort and we are now moving into the final stages of development."Nebraska has been recognized for our efforts in emergency preparedness. We are planning to take a

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-89389919103816803242009-05-26T11:04:00.001-06:002009-05-26T11:04:49.447-06:00

CaaS: Communications-as-a-Service: "What do Web 2.0 social networks, Web conferencing services, and enterprise applications have in common? All three applications are being revolutionized and transformed by adding next-generation voice and rich-media features through CaaS, short for 'Communications-as-a-Service,' a hosted on-demand model for adding communications capabilities to applications and

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-58358191727473663192009-05-26T11:00:00.001-06:002009-05-26T11:00:56.529-06:00

Remarks by Secretary Napolitano to the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee: "Anyway, you know, because I thought you could just say: interoperability—come on. What's so hard about this? And have come to appreciate that it is not just a snap of the finger, although I also have come to suspect that it has to be easier than it's being made out to be in the sense of

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-49203775211632413202009-05-26T10:42:00.001-06:002009-05-26T10:42:14.837-06:00

Interoperable Public Safety Networks Take Many Forms, but What Is Mission Critical?: "Interoperability takes many guises, but the basic concept of communicating between and within U.S. agencies and jurisdictions is an essential issue that's being worked out, albeit slowly. Public safety agencies typically have operated independently, but 9/11 and other events showed the importance of sharing

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-36853174942583431752009-05-16T19:44:00.001-06:002009-05-16T19:44:54.990-06:00

Oregon emergency communications system proposal faces disconnect: "Lawmakers came to Salem two years ago to find a surprise waiting for them in Gov. Ted Kulongoski's budget: a $665 million communications system that would allow the state's public safety agencies to talk with one another on their radios.Democrats and Republicans balked at an expensive proposal that state officials had barely

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-9781367717322119012009-05-14T08:20:00.001-06:002009-05-14T08:21:06.168-06:00

New radios might have avoided injury: "West Chester Township’s [OH] police chief said today that a soon-to-be-completed radio system in Butler County might have helped prevent the communication problems that contributed to the serious injuries suffered by a Lockland police officer during a chase April 20 that started in West Chester and ended in Over-the-Rhine.AdvertisementThe comments were part

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-2623509860624942172009-05-02T13:32:00.001-06:002009-05-02T13:32:51.506-06:00

Little-known federal law is causing headaches for grant applicants: "Public-safety agencies vying for a portion of the $1 billion available through the Public Safety Interoperable Communications, or PSIC, grant program are encountering an unforeseen roadblock: the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. The law requires that any program that receives federal funds, such as the PSIC — which is

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-80252859113012457322009-04-20T22:07:00.001-06:002009-04-20T22:07:26.268-06:00

Verizon urges scrapping D-Block auction process: "Verizon Wireless is proposing Congress and the FCC scrap a plan to re-auction the 700 MHz D-Block and instead focus on a new plan to create a nationwide, interoperable, 4G broadband network for first responders, according to a company executive.Steve Zipperstein, Verizon's vice president for legal and external affairs and the carrier's general

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-57612189574809329692009-04-20T21:57:00.001-06:002009-04-20T21:58:14.544-06:00

A thorough analysis of Jordan's Emergency Communication Interoperability Plan reveals an inadequate status and proposes remedies.: "A new report from Arab Advisors Group analyzes Jordan's current Emergency Communications Interoperability Plans (JECIP), policies, Emergency Operation Plans (EOPs) and compares Jordan's Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR) communications readiness level

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-31097855971250651062009-04-07T19:35:00.001-06:002009-04-07T19:36:03.739-06:00

New York Statewide Wireless Interoperable Communications Network Refocused on Regional Systems: "New York state spent the second half of the Bush Administration and over $100 million developing a statewide wireless network it was hoped would provide public safety and public service agencies across the state with interoperable communications only to go back to the drawing board earlier this month.

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-23004594566614539402009-04-03T15:41:00.001-06:002009-04-03T15:41:18.918-06:00

AT&T lobbyist urges Congressional action: World governments need to do more to fight cyberterrorism and protect the Internet from attacks, because the Web has become so vital to commerce and communications, AT&T Inc.'s top lobbyist told reporters today."The [U.S.] government is not playing the role it should have all along," said James Cicconi, senior executive vice president of external and

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-9775994037689548822009-04-02T09:56:00.001-06:002009-04-02T09:56:11.855-06:00

NIST Announces P25 CAP Lab Evaluation Processes: "To help ensure that first responders, public safety officers and military personnel can always talk with each other no matter what communications equipment they are using (a characteristic known as interoperability), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have teamed up to create the

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-40493458786371643112009-03-23T17:30:00.002-06:002009-03-23T17:30:14.199-06:00

HK airport upgrades digital radio system: "The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has last week completed the deployment of its digital radio communication system.TETRA (TErrestrial Trunked RAdio), the digital radio communication system for Asia's busiest aviation hub, was provided by Motorola, the US-based communications company. Migration of the airport's analogue system to a new digital

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-27914487828719401542009-03-23T17:30:00.000-06:002009-03-23T17:30:08.460-06:00HK airport upgrades digital radio system - Network World

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-36784878970714660482009-03-23T17:22:00.001-06:002009-03-23T17:22:14.760-06:00

A Message that Washington Needs to Hear — and Heed: "Yesterday at the International Wireless Communications Exposition, keynote speaker Steve Zipperstein, Verizon Wireless‘ vice president of legal affairs and general counsel, outlined a plan for the network that would give the 10 MHz of airwaves in the 700-MHz band, the so-called D Block, to public safety, rather than auction it to commercial

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-44193482632811876622009-03-20T18:36:00.001-06:002009-03-20T18:36:11.274-06:00

Interoperable Communications Biggest State Challenge in Homeland Security, says NGA Survey: "The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) today released the results of its fifth annual survey of governor's homeland security advisors. The 2008 survey provides an overview of the homeland security landscape at the state level, both in terms of how states have structured

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-86281578970649573612009-03-20T18:31:00.001-06:002009-03-20T18:31:44.055-06:00

Lawmakers want more interoperability in emergency comms: "“We have spent a fortune on these communications devices,” Rogers said, adding that the efforts have not led to the needed interoperability of state, local and federal communications systems.“It appears to me that money obviously isn’t going to be the answer, it’s going to be having to force legislatively some coordination on

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-28671592181113072832009-03-20T18:24:00.001-06:002009-03-20T18:24:17.050-06:00

Interoperability: Surmounting the Tower of Babel: "One of the enduring findings of the 9/11 report was the fact that first responders on the ground in New York were unable to communicate readily with reach other in the first hours after the crisis. Congress responded by approving funds for an envisioned nationwide emergency communications system, but now lawmakers are wondering if taxpayers will

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-3429805426845420232009-03-20T18:19:00.001-06:002009-03-20T18:19:36.711-06:00

Wyoming Cleared for Use of Federal Frequencies: "On February 5, 2009, Wyoming’s emergency communications system became the first in the nation to be awarded space on the federal spectrum. The Public Safety Communications Commission (PSCC) has been working closely with the Departments of Interior and Homeland Security to secure this certification from the National Telecommunications and

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-88696042310307673272009-03-06T21:20:00.001-07:002009-03-06T21:21:03.827-07:00

Cyren Call No Longer Official Emergency Communications Advisor for PSST: "Cyren Call's role as emergency communications advisor has apparently run aground on the rocks of economic turmoil, a new administration and the 'indefinite hiatus in the regulatory processes toward creation of a nationwide network for public safety.'The company said Friday it will no longer be the official adviser to the

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-65675727938223146932009-03-01T00:10:00.001-07:002009-03-01T00:10:34.412-07:00

Officials eye a geospatial 'Virtual USA': "Federal and state authorities are collaborating on a project that would allow state and local caches of geospatial data to be interoperable and more useful with the goal of creating a 'Virtual USA' for emergency response purposes.The Homeland Security Department’s Science and Technology Directorate recently sponsored a first meeting where officials from

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-43774456737427402322009-02-28T23:37:00.001-07:002009-02-28T23:37:38.576-07:00

'Public agencies should adopt interoperability': "There is a snowballing chorus across various stake holders in Bangalore city that there should be an effective disaster management programme and it should be backed by robust communication tools and technology."..."Detailing how various government agencies should swing into action during a emergency, experts details that public safety agencies

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-30003819026971423802009-02-13T23:33:00.001-07:002009-02-13T23:33:37.632-07:00

Twisted radio beams could untangle the airwaves: "The human race is not only exhausting tangible resources such as oil. The radio frequency spectrum available for wireless communication is becoming the increasingly crowded, with virgin 'veins' of frequency running short. However, Swedish physicists say that twisting radio beams into a helical shape as they are transmitted could help ease the

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-18100676998410470232009-02-01T18:45:00.001-07:002009-02-01T18:46:22.499-07:00

Georgia Public-Safety Radio Network Years in the Making: "Having interoperable communications during an emergency can be priceless for first responders and the public, but rolling out the network can take years. The Georgia Interoperability Network allows statewide communication for first responders without requiring counties to replace existing radio equipment. By retaining the counties' current

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-28095294703463385642009-01-23T11:54:00.001-07:002009-01-23T11:54:51.791-07:00

Napolitano cites need to help state, local governments: "President-elect Obama's pick to lead the sprawling Homeland Security Department today pledged to forge better relationships with state and local governments, especially when it comes to dealing with the large price tag of some homeland security-related activities.Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano told the Senate Homeland Security and

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-22334203793090587152009-01-23T11:52:00.001-07:002009-01-23T11:52:47.262-07:00

Senate nears deal to delay digital TV transition: "The Senate appeared close to agreement late Thursday on a bill to delay next month's planned transition from analog to digital television broadcasting to June 12 — setting the stage for a vote early next week. Senate Republicans last week blocked Democratic efforts to push back the Feb. 17 deadline for the analog shutoff. The Democrats cited

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-13746305991042059762009-01-21T13:34:00.001-07:002009-01-21T13:34:45.911-07:00

APCO Asks Obama to Consider National Broadband Network Funding : "In a letter to President-Elect Barack Obama, Chris Fischer, president of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International, expressed the organization’s support for federal funding for the development of a national public-safety network in the 700 MHz spectrum."

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-21459898086316550002009-01-21T13:31:00.002-07:002009-01-21T13:32:12.634-07:00

Sprint Nextel Requests $2B for Emergency Network: "Sprint Nextel asked Barack Obama’s transition team to fund a $2 billion emergency network to make first responders better able to communicate during disasters. The company outlined its 5-year plan to Obama's transition team in a letter earlier this month."

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-3323444937532134662009-01-15T01:24:00.003-07:002009-01-15T01:27:41.005-07:00

Buncefield: Hertfordshire Fire And Rescue Service's Review Of The Fire Response: "Buncefield: Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service's review of the fire responseThe Explosion and fire at the Buncefield Oil Storage Depot involved 22 tanks. The main fires were extinguished in three days but the overall fire response lasted 26 days and 642 fire appliances were moved to the incident. This report sets

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-42905442124058716752009-01-11T08:52:00.001-07:002009-01-11T08:52:39.975-07:00

New York State Said to Be Close to Dropping Police Radio Project: "[New York] State officials are close to canceling a $2 billion contract to build a statewide wireless network for emergency agencies after critical tests on the network failed late last year, according to state officials briefed on the results.Lawyers for the vendor, M/A-COM, a subsidiary of Tyco Electronics, sent the state a

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-76922543276726968292009-01-06T08:23:00.002-07:002009-01-06T08:24:00.194-07:00

FCC's Plans to Boost Public Safety Wireless Interoperability Meets Obstacles: "Current FCC proceedings focus on creating a nationwide public-safety band for wireless communications among first responders. Ryan Hallahan and Jon Peha sum up the opportunities this rulemaking holds in their 2008 paper, Quantifying the Costs of a Nationwide Broadband Public Safety Wireless Network: 'The problems

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-66719651433950936662009-01-06T07:27:00.001-07:002009-01-06T08:18:21.580-07:00

PSST Pushes Emergency Spectrum Use: "The Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST) wants President-elect Barrack Obama to make a proposed shared interoperable emergency communications network part of his proposed economic stimulus plan, arguing it could create millions of jobs, upgrade emergency communications, and provide the broadband link to underserved communities nationwide that Obama is seeking."

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-90590586457239423432008-12-16T19:48:00.001-07:002008-12-16T19:48:34.882-07:00

PSIC Report Analyzes Proposed Projects: "Nearly 90 percent — $811.6 million — of the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant money will be spent on new equipment acquisition and deployment, according to a new report. The federal government in late November released a joint report that analyzes proposed projects for the nearly $1 billion PSIC grant program, which includes money for

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Governors Tackle Interoperability: "To help states ensure their communication capabilities are adequately prepared to respond to an emergency, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices announced that Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Massachusetts, New York and Washington have been selected to participate in the Public Safety Interoperability Communications Policy Academy: Focus on

KatoomRXChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662499382506387870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774706.post-63008792035145475612008-12-13T10:11:00.002-07:002008-12-13T10:11:53.112-07:00

IAFF, USFA publish new communications guide: "A new guide on communications safety and technology has been released by the IAFF and the USFA. The updated manual, Voice Radio Communications Guide for the Fire Service, was first published in 1996 and provides the latest information on communications technology and discusses critical homeland security issues and concepts."

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