Push for first-responder interoperability begins: "As the nation pays close attention to its ability to deal with potential disasters; interoperability -- the ability for various emergency responders to communicate efficiently during a crisis -- has been on the forefront of discussions. To address interoperability capabilities, millions of dollars in Homeland Security Department grants are expected to become available in Missouri in July. Hoping to secure some of these funds to help address that issue locally, about 25 representatives of counties in the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A region met in Concordia last Wednesday."

WOWT | Communication Fix: "ore than $23 million in federal Homeland Security grants will be used to bolster emergency communications across Nebraska. That word came Friday from Governor Dave Heineman. More than $18 million will go to 75 counties outside of greater Omaha, which this year was designated as a separate metro security area."

Buffalo (MN) Mesh Network: "Buffalo is an early adopter of a technology known as a 'mesh network,' a wireless system that Schaumburg-based Motorola Inc. found so promising that it recently bought a leader in the field, MeshNetworks Inc. Buffalo's network, switched on two months ago, was the first under the Motorola name. ... Maitland, Fla.-based MeshNetworks, on the other hand, was just a step beyond a start-up when Motorola bought it earlier this year for $169 million. The firm was created in 2000 after buying mesh network rights from ITT Industries Inc. (which had originally designed the technology for the U.S. military). Its system is operating in five other cities: Medford, Ore., Cocoa Beach, Fla., Garland, Texas, Portsmouth, United Kingdom, and, on a test basis, Las Vegas.

The mesh starts with a network of radio transmitters that blanket a city, usually attached to light poles. The more hills and buildings--and the bigger the city--the more radios needed. In Buffalo, a flat town of 13,000 people, there are 83 radios spread out over 11.5 square miles. In addition, seven Buffalo police cars have mesh radios and 20 public works employees have mesh-enabled laptops in their vehicles."

IBM upgrades Fresno police communications systems - Computerworld: "By the end of June, police officers in Fresno, Calif., will begin using an improved emergency communications system that will give them the ability to view real-time video and receive photographs of suspects and other information as they respond to reports of crimes and other incidents. The new system, which is being built by IBM, is part of a project to augment a 7-year-old data communications system using the latest technologies. In an announcement today [4/4/2005], IBM said the system will also provide improved radio communications and allow officers to hold instant messaging conversations with colleagues in the field and at their stations."

Congressman Thompson Meets With Firefighters: "WASHINGTON, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson, (D-MS), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security met with representatives of various fire service associations to discuss funding for FIRE grants, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response programs (SAFER), communications interoperability and the first responder bill.

Congressman Thompson stated, 'The Administration's budget cuts for firefighters are highly insulting and a slap in the face to the men and women who have devoted their time and effort to protect Americans from danger. It's imperative that we have full funding for the FIRE grants and SAFER programs, as they are programs that are critical to addressing the needs of fire services.' The fiscal year 2006 budget, reduces funding for the FIRE grant program by 25 percent, and suggests eliminating funding for the SAFER program.

Congressman Thompson also noted that congress is still working on achieving a First Responder's Bill that would reform grant funding for those called first to respond to terrorists attacks. In addition to the First Responders Bill, Representative Thompson mentioned his co-sponsorship of H.R. 1251, the Communications Interoperability Bill, introduced by Congresswoman Lowey which would require additional funding for first responders so they could effectively communicate with one another at disaster sites."

Six Field Communications Vehicles to Improve Coordination at Major Emergencies: "Public Safety Secretary Edward A. Flynn recently announced the deployment of six regional fire safety field communication vehicles as part of the Massachusetts Regional Homeland Security Strategy.

'The 9/11 Commission identified interoperability -- the ability for commanders to communicate with each other at the scene of a major emergency -- as one of the top issues for public safety managers,' said Flynn. 'These six field communications units will be used to address interoperability issues among all public safety personnel at major incidents.'"

Massive federal wireless project [IWN] delayed: "The federal government has advised prospective vendors that it has delayed its schedule and changed its requirements for a multibillion-dollar makeover of federal wireless voice and data communications. In a 25-page amendment to the request for proposals for the Integrated Wireless Network, Justice Department procurement officials extended the due date for proposals and asked vendors to submit two types of cost proposals based on different deployment plans.

Today’s changes follow a proposal amendment issued March 2 that extended the potential duration of the project, which has an estimated cost of $10 billion, from five years to up to 15 years. Today’s amendment calls for bidders to present one “funding limited” deployment plan for the nationwide wireless voice and data system, along with an “unrestricted funding” approach to building the system. "

RAND | How Prepared Are State and Local Law Enforcement for Terrorism?: "After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created. It is aimed at unifying federal capabilities and protecting the country from future terrorist attacks.

Within DHS, the Office of State and Local Governments Cooperation and Preparedness (SLGCP) is charged with coordinating first-responder terrorism preparedness efforts and working with state and local first responders to improve terrorism preparedness in such areas as training, exercises, and equipment support. SLGCP is also responsible for directing terrorism-preparedness grant programs at the federal level for all emergency response providers and for measuring programmatic performance and improvements in domestic preparedness.

To meet this charge, DHS (and SLGCP) need to collect information on how first responders and other emergency responders are meeting the challenges of their new terrorism-related responsibilities. To help in this effort, the RAND Corporation, with support from the National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, surveyed 209 local and all 50 state law enforcement agencies, achieving response rates of 81 and 78 percent, respectively."

Finding the Interoperability SWEET - by Charles Werner: "For decades, interoperable communications have been a documented public safety problem. Following 9/11, this communications nightmare was brought to the forefront. Fortunately, the combination of federal funding and new technology availed many affordable solutions for first responders. This article provides an overview that can be deployed by any discipline (Fire, Law Enforcement and EMS)."

Radio woes stymie Arizona security: "More than three years after the 9/11 attack, Arizona's terrorism response system remains stymied by a communications clog that also hampered rescue efforts in the World Trade Center.
Put simply, firefighters, police officers and other emergency workers sometimes cannot talk to each other because their radio systems aren't synchronized. That problem emerged Tuesday as the dominant complaint at a statewide Homeland Security Summit that drew more than 200 Arizona civil defense leaders to downtown Phoenix. "

IETF eyes 'Net emergency communications: "The IETF has kicked off an effort to develop communications protocols needed to support emergency communications over the Internet. The new IETF working group is called Emergency Context Resolutions with Internet Technologies (ECRIT). ECRIT is looking for a way to route emergency calls over the Internet similar to the way in which 911 calls are routed over the public switched telephone network (PSTN). If successful, ECRIT would have a significant effect on service providers, including traditional wireline and wireless carriers, ISPs and start-up VoIP providers, because they would need to upgrade network hardware and software to support any new system."

An important new report on interoperability: "Toward Interoperable First Response - Wireless services that accommodate disparate federal, state, and local systems are key to a coordinated first response to US public-safety threats."

State of Georgia Interoperability Initiatives: "Today Governor Sonny Perdue announced two projects designed to improve communication between Georgia law enforcement and first responders towards during emergency situations. Public safety agencies communicate over different frequencies including VHF, UHF and 800 MHz. The variety of communication methods cause difficulty for neighboring jurisdictions to request assistance during major incidents. According to members of Georgia's first responder community, reliable communications that cross jurisdictional lines is a key initiative on the local, state and national level. "

SAFECOM Announces Tool for Creating Statewide Interoperable Communications"The Department of Homeland Security’s SAFECOM Program and the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility recently announced a tool with a step-by-step process for developing a locally-driven statewide strategic plan for enhancing communications interoperability. The Statewide Communications Interoperability Planning Methodology, which can be downloaded from SAFECOM’s Web site, is based on the strategic planning approach jointly developed and tested by the Commonwealth of Virginia and OIC/SAFECOM to create the Virginia statewide interoperability plan in 2004."

Agencies train for mass casualties: "Some 800 first-responders and law officers from about 20 agencies - who don't all speak the same language - are training here this month as part of a Tucson Fire Department mass casualty training program. The agencies range from police, who speak in a '10-code,' to area fire departments and medical personnel who speak their own language, along with federal agencies and private industry."

Police: Manhunt marred by poor communication: "Atlanta's police chief Friday said last week's deadly courthouse shooting and the subsequent manhunt for a suspect points to the need for improvements in communications and leadership protocol during emergencies."

Colorado state system funding: "State grant funds totaling $13 million to improve the local and state communications network in rural areas are now available, and Cortez may apply for the funds that would enable fire and police responders to exchange clearer messages in areas with bad reception. The funds were opened up by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs in cooperation with the Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Department of Information Technology. The monies will go toward updating the state's Digital Trunk Radio system infrastructure, including microwave towers and site equipment, said Barbara Kirkmeyer, spokesperson for DOLA. The DTR system's construction began in 1998, providing a single system in Colorado establishing radio communication among public safety and emergency responders. The system's building and design has been done through partnerships between state local agencies."

'Interoperability' goal of Big Sky 11: "In the end, Montanans should be safer. In the meantime, counties are struggling to lay the groundwork for a statewide communication system that will cost millions and is still years from reality."

Homeland Security Funds Split California Interests: "At first blush, a vote to allocate $5.6 million for an emergency radio system to link Alameda and Contra Costa counties signaled unprecedented regional cooperation driven by homeland security concerns. But beneath the sunny veneer of the Feb. 9 vote by a two-county committee that administers federal grant funds for the East Bay is a fragile alliance that continues to feel the strain of partners clamoring to make sure their individual needs are met."

Homeland funds split East Bay: "OAKLAND - At first blush, a vote to allocate $5.6 million for an emergency radio system to link Alameda and Contra Costa counties signaled unprecedented regional cooperation driven by homeland security concerns."