Cincinnati COPS ICTP Grant: "The news that Cincinnati is getting nearly $6 million to upgrade communication equipment has at least one Northern Kentucky fire chief beaming. 'I am ecstatic that my friends from the city of Cincinnati got this grant,' Covington Fire Chief Joe Heringhaus said. The reason for Heringhaus' joy is that the grant money stands to directly benefit his and seven other Northern Kentucky cities. "

Pennsylvania Releases Results of Radio System Review: "The Rendell Administration today [9/9] released the results of an independent review of the Statewide Public Safety Radio System along with the Administration's comprehensive plans for addressing issues identified in the review that will affect the system's successful completion. The review, conducted by public safety communications consultant iXP Corp., found that although the project has challenges to overcome, the technology will work and the Commonwealth should continue to move forward."

Panel reviews integration of communications systems: "[SAFECOM] accomplishments include the RapidCom Initiative, which provides training to 10 urban areas in how to respond to emergency situations. The program is a 'catalyst for these areas to begin to institutionalize routine training and exercises, governance meetings, standard operating procedures, and more frequent use of interoperable communications,' [Dr. David] Boyd said. "

"SAFECOM expects to publish an architectural framework by the third quarter of fiscal 2005, Boyd said. It also closed a request for proposals period Tuesday for a means to develop an accurate assessment of the situation and expects to begin work no later than December, he said.SAFECOM expects to publish an architectural framework by the third quarter of fiscal 2005, Boyd said. It also closed a request for proposals period Tuesday for a means to develop an accurate assessment of the situation and expects to begin work no later than December, he said."

Experts Urge Leadership, Funding to Resolve National Communications Interoperability Crisis: "Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and co-chair of the U.S. House Law Enforcement Caucus, today joined other experts at a New Millennium Research Council (NMRC) panel presentation in calling on Congress and the Administration to act now on public safety communications interoperability issues."

Kentucky Homeland Security Grants to Improve Communications: "Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher has announced that the majority of the FY2004 $35 million in Homeland Security grants that the state has received will be put towards improving communications for first responders and will bring Kentucky closer to having a statewide voice and date interoperable network."

Responders sound off: "State and local first responders and emergency officials said nationwide interoperable communications need sustained funding and attention from Congress."

Gaps in communication: "If the airliner hijackings of Sept. 11, 2001, drove a dagger into the nation's heart, the news that followed was a splash of salt on its wound."

Contra Costa Times does an in-depth review of communications interoperability. Despite conclusions about September 11th that may or may not be well founded, the reporters dive deeply into the subject.

Jackson County (MI) Emergency exercises: "... Radio communications, or interoperability, was identified as a shortfall in a county emergency needs assessment last year. For the terrorism exercise, participants relied on Nextel and state-police lent radios, which created a few hitches. ... If it went perfectly, it wouldn't have been an effective exercise because we wouldn't have learned anything,' said Lt. Steve Rand, Emergency Management Section director. "

Michigan State Police & Project Management: "Costly IT project failures are expensive and all too common. The Michigan State Police department is dealing with one potential problem by developing a Project Management Office and a funding template. It's hoped the template will solve a long-standing dilemma: IT projects often flop due to lack of foresight and failure to develop a funding stream that addresses long-term maintenance and upkeep issues. "

Panel OK's $12.2m for communications gear: "Concord, N.H. - A state advisory panel yesterday approved spending $12.2 million in federal homeland security funds to buy portable and mobile radios that would enable firefighters and emergency responders statewide to talk with each other and police. The Homeland Security Grant Review Board also unanimously voted to spend $600,000 in homeland security money to equip the state's 10 regional hazardous materials teams."

First responder network grows quietly: "Battelle Memorial Institute today demonstrated its Disaster Management Interoperability Service, a network backbone for connecting first responders that has quietly gained nationwide acceptance over the past year. The demonstration, in Arlington, Va., was part of a briefing on Battelle's research into biodefense technologies. More than 735 organizations have adopted DMIS, and a handful of states, including Connecticut, Florida and Maryland, have chosen to roll out the system statewide. According to Battelle officials, DMIS has been used in nearly 50 actual disasters, including Hurricanes Isabel and Charley. "

Franklin County (PA) struggles to define radio communications requirements anew: "Firefighters, police and other first responders expect to better handle emergencies with the new equipment because they'll be able to communicate directly with each other. Currently, radio communication across different agencies and municipalities is very difficult. There also are 'dead spots' where communication fails. "

Public safety wireless experts talk the talk: Attention in the government technology arena has shifted gradually during the past decade to developing plans or business cases before any investments or implementation. This has been an attempt to leave behind the big-money failures and stand-alone systems that officials are now working to overcome. Public safety officials, who usually cross multiple levels of government and jurisdictions, must agree on the plans, and they are still working on that concept.

"The equipment itself is a means to an end, not the end, and the really important part is being able to establish what the needs are, what the gaps are, and those needs themselves follow from a command incident structure," said William Jenkins, director of homeland security and justice issues at the Government Accountability Office. "If that foundation is not laid out, the equipment is almost irrelevant because even if you have the right equipment...if I call it 'red channel 2' and you call it 'purple channel 5,' we don't realize we can talk to each other."

Jenkins testified last month about public safety interoperability before the House Government Reform Committee's National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations Subcommittee.

Kentucky wants interoperability: "The Kentucky Governor's Office of Technology is considering a statewide public safety interoperability plan, including development of an architecture and standards to ensure that new wireless systems will interoperate. The Kentucky Wireless Interoperability Executive Committee will make recommendations to the chief information officer on strategic wireless initiatives for public safety voice and data communications interoperability. "

Homeland Security - Business is good: "GlobalSecure Holdings Ltd., a District-based private-equity investment firm that has bought three homeland security companies in the past year, last week wrapped up raising $23.5 million. Armed with this cash, it's aggressively searching for more companies in this field. "

Public safety wireless experts talk the talk: "'The equipment itself is a means to an end, not the end, and the really important part is being able to establish what the needs are, what the gaps are, and those needs themselves follow from a command incident structure,' said William Jenkins, director of homeland security and justice issues at the Government Accountability Office. 'If that foundation is not laid out, the equipment is almost irrelevant because even if you have the right equipment...if I call it 'red channel 2' and you call it 'purple channel 5,' we don't realize we can talk to each other.'
Jenkins testified last month about public safety "

Lawmaker calls for quicker communications upgrades: "The head of a House panel on national security on Tuesday said federal and state officials are moving too slowly to ensure that 'first responders' to emergencies have communications systems that enable them to talk to each other.

In a new report on first responders, the Government Accountability Office concluded that the main barrier to resolving wireless interoperability 'has been the lack of effective, collaborative, interdisciplinary and intergovernmental cooperation and planning.' "

Bill Would Create Information-Sharing Office In Homeland Security Department : "Legislation to create an Office of Information Sharing within the Department of Homeland Security was introduced in the Senate on Wednesday. The bill, known as the Homeland Security Interagency and Interjurisdictional Information Sharing Act of 2004, is sponsored by Susan Collins, R.-Maine, and Joseph Lieberman, D.-Conn., the chair and ranking minority member of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, which oversees government IT policy. The legislation also contains provisions to aid first responders in financing interoperable communications equipment. "

High-tech tool improves incident planning and response for homeland security: "An enhanced high-tech, collaborative mapping tool is helping law enforcement and emergency management officials better coordinate event and incident planning and real-time response."

Safecom to assess public safety wireless communications: "Homeland Security Department officials expect to release a solicitation later this month related to a nationwide evaluation of public safety wireless communications."