Need For Emergency Data Standardization - Government Technology: "The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and the COMCARE Emergency Response Alliance outlined their shared vision for next generation emergency communications in a letter addressed to Denis Gusty, the Disaster Management Program Manager at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office for Interoperability and Compatibility. Representatives from NENA and COMCARE called on DHS to lead the development of a next generation emergency data standardization project that would facilitate the exchange of data from a wide variety of emergency information sources."

WUSA9.com | Improvements For Area Fire Departments Since Sept. 11: "Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Chief Ronald Mastin says there has been great progress on building on regional cooperation since the attack at the Pentagon six years ago. While thought of as a successful operation, reports found there was room for improvement in communications and interoperability. Northern Virginia fire departments have been working together on a daily basis for more than 30 years. Some of what those departments have learned is helping pave the way for the future. D.C. Fire and EMS now has a Fire Operations Center that helps with coordination and communications for major emergencies and special days like Tuesday. In operation Tuesday, the center kept up on intelligence briefings and monitored emergency calls. "

abc7news.com: Bay Area Cities Unveil Emergency Communications System: "Different Bay Area police and emergency agencies are a step closer to being able to communicate with each other during an emergency. It's something called interoperability, and not having it is a real problem. Imagine the challenge when a cop in San Francisco can't use the radio to talk with an officer in Oakland. Oakland Police dispatchers currently can communicate with some jurisdictions, but in a widespread emergency the ability to talk directly to everyone affected would be essential. 'We're here today to say that we all get it,' said Oakland mayor Ron Dellums. Public safety officials from San Jose to San Francisco gathered at Treasure Island to recall the lessons of 9/11 and Katrina, as well as Loma Prieta and the East Bay hills firestorm."

City disappointed in pace of Wi-Fi network setup: "In the wake of Chicago's decision to call off its municipal Wi-Fi plan, officials in Aurora are turning critical of the recurring delays in setting up their own wireless network. It's been nearly a year since California-based MetroFi began installing Wi-Fi antennas on light poles across the city. It is now September 2007, the month during which city officials predicted the network would be completed. According to those same officials, MetroFi has only installed 149 of the 600 to 900 antennas that will make up the finished network."

Input: Heavy spending ahead for public safety interoperability: "State and local governments will spend an estimated $5.5 billion on interoperable public safety communications between 2007 and 2012, including $3.4 billion from federal sources, according to a new report from Input Inc."

Bapco Journal: interoperability - the case for ensuring joined-up communications: "In an exclusive article for the BAPCO Journal, Dave Rogers, Airwave's fleetmapping consultant & interoperability adviser, discusses the potential benefits of communication between Britain's emergency and council services

For central and provincial governments alike, the ability to communicate has always been vital for the dissemination and enforcement of power. Without his whistle, the 'bobby peeler' was an individual, effectively helpless in the face of even moderately concerted resistance. The whistle elevated the policeman to become part of a much larger whole and criminals knew that once it had sounded, any numerical advantage would soon come to an end. In short, it is the ability to communicate effectively that allows modern, social institutions to function as a cohesive unit."

Virginia Tech Reports on IT Performance During Shootings: "An internal review of Virginia Tech's information and communications infrastructure in the wake of the April shootings found that the campus telecommunication systems were 'dramatically stressed during the initial response period but performed adequately,' according to a report in The Roanoke Times. .... The report said that local cellular networks became congested and blocked calls during the initial response period to the shootings, according to the Times. It also found 'deficiencies in interoperability and coverage of police, fire, and rescue radio communications.' "

Bridge crash report lists radio problems -- Chesapeake Bay: "Rescue workers from five state agencies were unable to communicate with each other by radio when they responded to a fatal crash on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in May, though officials said command procedures in place mitigated the issue.

'We're not aware that it materially affected the incident,' said John Contestabile, the Maryland Department of Transportation's director of engineering and emergency services. Battalion Chief Michael Cox, a spokesman for the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, said rescue workers from his county and from Queen Anne's County had radios that used the same technology.

Although the state agencies didn't, commanders were able to manage the response by using protocols developed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Cox said. Representatives from each agency assembled at a command post so that decisions made there could be communicated to all rescue workers in the field, Cox said."

FCC continues debate over public safety network: "At a conference of public safety groups earlier this month, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin said the FCC’s decision to authorize a nationwide wireless broadband network for first responders is historic. But he also pointed out that rules are not yet set for how that network will be shared with commercial providers and possibly other public safety networks."

Appropriators question funding for emergency wireless project: "The integrated wireless network, known as IWN, is currently one of the most expensive items in Justice's information technology basket and it is at high risk of failure, the report stated. Unless the deficiencies are addressed, such a system 'may not be developed and the resulting separate agency communications systems may not be adequate in the event of another terrorist attack or natural disaster.'

The House-passed appropriations bill, H.R. 3093, would fund the project at $81.3 million -- the same as the agency's budget estimate. But the Senate measure, S. 1745, would provide $76.3 million. The program got $89 million in fiscal 2007.

In the Senate committee report, lawmakers expressed concern about 'lagging progress, as well as the recurring costs of the conversion' to narrowband operations. The panel also noted that an aging infrastructure has been an impediment to implementation."

Burbank, Glendale Seek Link: "BURBANK — The future of a multi-agency response system in Burbank and Glendale is safe, even as Los Angeles County is pursuing a countywide network of its own. Conflict arose earlier this year as it became apparent that Burbank, Glendale and four other cities participating in the Interagency Communications Interoperability System, known as ICIS — which allows public safety departments to communicate across jurisdictional lines — were competing against the county for federal funding. advertisement

While county officials are seeking money for a planned network — called the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System — local system participants are also vying for federal help to finance maintenance and upgrades for an infrastructure that has been in place since 2003. That bred uncertainty among legislators in Washington, D.C., as competing requests came in from county and local officials pursuing similar technologies with similar goals in the same area."

Virginia to Cache First Responder Radio Systems - Government Technology "Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today announced that the commonwealth will establish three strategic radio caches in Chesapeake, Fairfax County, and the Harrisonburg region to improve the state's ability to establish communications in the wake of a disaster or other large-scale emergency."

Missouri law enforcement agencies will get funding: "SIKESTON — Local law enforcement agencies are among those receiving federal Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program Interoperable Communications Grant funding but have not yet received official word along with how much they will get."

Homeland defense: Network system is broken: "The Pentagon’s ability to help civil authorities respond to a disaster or terrorist attack is hobbled by a “fractured national communication system” that remains an impediment six years after the Sept. 11 attacks, the nation’s homeland defense leader said this week.

Testifying before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Thursday, Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart said communications problems make it more likely federal forces will be needed in a regional disaster.

“Whether responding to a disaster of natural or manmade origins, collaboration among interagency partners at all levels of government is built upon the cornerstone of communications,” Renuart said.

But six years after communications breakdowns kept rescuers in the dark on Sept. 11, “our nation continues to struggle with two distinct communications issues: interoperability and survivability,” he said."

Homeland Security chief defends timing of communications grants: "Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Wednesday defended the government's timeframe for issuing nearly $1 billion in grants to bolster emergency communications.

'We've been funding these kinds of things for years,' Chertoff said, noting that federal money has been flowing to build a system that can communicate across jurisdictions since 2002, one year after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. 'I think it would be wrong to suggest that somehow we've been sitting on our hands for five years when we've built an awful lot of this system already."

Finding a Signal - Helena IR: "By all accounts, Augusta’s first responders cover a wide swath of terrain that stretches east and west from the Continental Divide to Cascade County, and north and south from the Sun River to Highway 200. Covering several hundred square miles, it’s one of the largest and more rural districts in Lewis and Clark County. It’s also one where radio and cell-phone coverage can be spotty, posing a challenge to first responders."

Bapco Journal: UK police radio communications standard begins roll-out: A new national standard for radio communications, known as AirwaveSpeak will begin roll-out to the police service in the England, Wales and Scotland. AirwaveSpeak is part of a broader strategy by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) to assist police forces to increase efficiency, enhance interoperability and support frontline policing.

Firefighters Rip Giuliani, Call Him 'Urban Legend': "The International Association of Firefighters has gone on the offensive against 'America's Mayor' Rudy Giuliani, releasing a 13-minute video that viciously rips into the former New York mayor, who has been using his leadership demonstrated on September 11th to urge people around the country to support him in his quest to become President of the United States."

Inside Bay Area - Skeptics question radio network - "HAYWARD (CA)— Proponents of a regionwide public safety radio network like to use the two antennae high atop Walpert Ridge as a Tower of Babble-like metaphor for the Bay Area's communication problems.

One tower belongs to Alameda County, the other to the city of Hayward. But because they serve incompatible systems, their close proximity doesn't help when a county deputy wants to radio a message to a city police officer. ... Before they solve the technological problem, organizers of the proposed new government network, to be called the East Bay Regional Communications Authority, are having a tough time getting through the political one. More than 30 local governments in Alameda and Contra Costa counties are being asked to commit some money and agree to a joint powers authority that is being questioned for its vagueness."

Uncle Sam Gets A (Second) Life - Government - "The Department of Homeland Security also said it might set up a [Second Life] virtual island for the Safecom program, which is an integration and engineering project for connecting wireless first-response system across federal, state and local agencies. This comes a couple of years after the private island named "Response" was created in Second Life to simulate emergency response behavior to threats. Funded by DHS, the Synthetic Environments for Emergency Response Simulation (SEERS) project provides mission rehearsal and virtual prototyping tools for the emergency response community."

Lieberman and Collins express serious concerns over ‘major weaknesses’ in disaster communication plans for US first responders: "Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., and Ranking Member Susan Collins, R-Me., have expressed disappointment that the Department of Homeland Security has not moved more efficiently to improve its interoperability communications program and warned that without a strategic approach and firm leadership first responders will continue to be imperiled because of an inability to communicate effectively during an emergency or disaster.

In a letter dated April 24, 2007, to Department Secretary Michael Chertoff, the senators expressed serious concern about the ability of first responders at all levels of government to communicate during a disaster. "

More on Interoperability Scorecards from the Heritage Foundation: Improving Emergency Communications: Lessons from Grading America's Cities: "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released Tactical Interoperable Communications Scorecards: Summary Report and Findings on January 3, 2007. The report assesses 75 metropolitan areas' progress in strengthening communications systems for dealing with all types of emergencies, from terrorist incidents to natural disasters."

Interoperability inoperable: "... Now comes a report from Congress’ investigative arm, the Government Accountability Office, that concludes that much work remains to improve communications interoperability across the nation. ... But Koontz and other interoperability experts see the barrier not so much as a technology issue but as a management hurdle."

Walking the Talk (4/11/07) Government Executive: "Interoperability among first responders is a state of mind. That is, the ability of emergency incident commanders to talk to their counterparts in other jurisdictions and disciplines is not simply a matter of buying new equipment."

DHS to be flexible in allocation of $1B to states: "The Homeland Security Department plans to release details shortly on how it intends to allocate to states a new $1 billion fund designated for interoperable public safety communications.

The department aims to be flexible to help states that already have made investments in new radio systems, a DHS official said. Congress has mandated that DHS make the funding available to states by Sept. 30."

Interoperability plans garner additional $400M : "The growing pool of federal dollars for interoperable public safety communications grants could get even bigger, even though the nearly $3 billion spent to date has largely failed to improve first responder communications around the country.

Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, an independent Democrat from Connecticut, and ranking member Susan Collins (R-Maine) added $400 million for interoperable public safety communications to a non-binding budget measure. The Senate passed budget resolution for fiscal 2008 provides a blueprint for follow-up spending bills."

Cabinet departments fail to create network: "A partnership begun in 2004 by the Justice, Homeland Security and Treasury departments to create an Integrated Wireless Network has 'fractured' and is at a 'high risk for failure,' according to a government report issued yesterday. Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine said that despite years of development and more than $195 million in funding, the project 'does not appear to be on the path' to providing the seamless interoperable communications system envisioned.

'The causes for the high risk of project failure include uncertain and disparate funding mechanisms for IWN, the fractured IWN partnership and the lack of an effective governing structure for the project,' Mr. Fine said. "

Improving Emergency Communications: Lessons from Grading America's Cities: "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released Tactical Interoperable Communications Scorecards: Summary Report and Findings on January 3, 2007. The report assesses 75 metropolitan areas' progress in strengthening communications systems for dealing with all types of emergencies, from terrorist incidents to natural disasters.

Grades are important—citizens have a right to know how well their communities are doing—but for the Administration and Congress, the report holds more important lessons for learning how best to help states and local communities contribute to building a national disaster preparedness and response system that will make all Americans safer. The report found that federal programs that empower local communi�ties are more effective than programs that just throw money and mandates at them."

DHS ponders foray into Second Life: "The Homeland Security Department is considering setting up an outpost in Second Life, the virtual Sims-like world that has attracted 3 million registered users since 2003.

The landscape of this digital universe, founded by Linden Research Inc. of San Francisco, is rapidly changing. When it was first launched, Second Life was a motley shire where trolls, hobbits and elves—and other less savory grid dwellers—frolicked. Now it is becoming a legitimate corporate meeting place for corporations, universities and, increasingly, government agencies. Federal agencies that have set up islands on Second Life include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Congress [GCN.com, Quickfind 745].

DHS is just at the point of having informal discussions with one company about setting up a virtual island for its Safecom program, said Tony Frater, DHS’ deputy director of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility. “But we haven’t taken the plunge,” he said. "

Homeland Security official acknowledges the importance of analog radio: "In another area, communications, David Boyd, director of command and control systems at DHS, said analog communications may be better than digital in some cases. Digital, Boyd said, requires a 'high degree of fidelity' -- if the signal isn't strong enough, digital may not work. Analog, however, can be more forgiving and may be best suited for some uses. 'You have to think about what you are trying to do,' he said."

Counties to create emergency radio system: "San Francisco, San Mateo, Contra Costa and Alameda counties are partnering to create a $307 million emergency radio system that will allow the region’s public safety and transit agencies to communicate on the same frequency."

Sununu adds amendment to public-safety communications bill: "Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.) is pushing an amendment to a homeland security bill that would ensure Internet Protocol-based solutions are not excluded from government grants aimed at making public-safety communications interoperable. Sununu’s proposed amendment is expected to be voted on this week in Senate floor action on a bill to implement unfinished recommendations of the 9/11 Commission."

The Technology Trap: "Governance, not technology, is the key to interoperability" - Jim McKay

"One of the main issues raised during the first Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International (APCO) conference in 1935 was interoperability. Then it was called 'inter-city communications,' said APCO President Wanda McCarley, but was essentially the same thing -- only on a lesser scale."

Police Chief Magazine - Chertoff Interview: "Grossman: You have the Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance Program (ICTAP) and you're using scorecards to ensure communications will work when they're needed. What do you have planned as a continuation of that program? For example, will technical assistance be provided to help agencies carry out some of these plans?

Chertoff: Let me divide the challenge into two areas. First is the technological challenge and the second is the governance challenge. We have made over $2 billion available in grants for communications bridging, or gateway, equipment that allows people to talk across different elements of the spectrum. That kind of grant funding will continue to be eligible. Another element is governance. Communities have to agree on some common rules of the road, which isn't a question of money but a question of everybody getting in the room and signing on to a common plan about what codes you use and who gets to talk to whom and what the rules of the road are. The scorecards are going to help communities recognize that they have to get their people together and finally sign off on a governance plan. We are also looking at promulgating standards for the next generation of digital equipment, P25 equipment, so that when communities make acquisitions they'll know which standards to seek."

Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) Grant Program: "On February 16th, the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) and the DHS Office of Grants & Training signed an agreement for management of the $1B grant program known as PSIC. This link accesses the document directly (3.5 MB)."

Control of $1B interoperability fund debated: "The Homeland Security Department has no clear authority at this time over a $1 billion fund for public safety agency interoperable communications equipment that it has been publicizing as a first responder grant program, according to a Congressional Research Service memorandum.

The Feb. 12 memo was addressed to Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., in response to her request for further information about the fund. DHS said in a Feb. 5 fact sheet released with its fiscal 2008 budget request that it will be co-administering the interoperability grants program with the Commerce Department."

Arlington OEM Deputizes Ham Radio Group to Assist with Emergency Communications: "Twenty-five volunteers have graduated from a year-long course of weekly radio communications exercises and stand ready to assist Arlington County Government with crisis communications and response. The local Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) volunteers have received their RACES certificates of graduation from Arlington's Office of Emergency Management. The certificates qualify them to help in emergency situations such as weather catastrophes and terrorist attacks. "

Lawmakers keep eye on communications grant program: "House lawmakers on Friday pressed Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to establish guidelines for a new $1 billion grant program to help emergency responders buy communications equipment than can work across jurisdictions.

The Homeland Security and Commerce departments are supposed to co-administer the program, which is to be funded with proceeds from selling radio spectrum this year. But House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and ranking Republican Peter King of New York said the departments have been unable to agree on management of the program."

McCain to introduce legislation for public-private 700 MHz network: "Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) yesterday announced his intention to introduce legislation calling for a public-private broadband network at 700 MHz that would promote communications interoperability between first-responder agencies nationwide on 30 MHz of spectrum slated to be auctioned in a year."

House panel aims for fresh look at homeland security (1/25/07): "As the new Congress revs into gear, Democrats and Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee are likely to take a fresh look at programs dealing with biometrics, cyber security, technology innovation, communications, cargo-scanning equipment and border security, according to sources, aides and lawmakers. Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, for example, continues to champion the need for Congress to provide state and local governments with billions of dollars in new funds to purchase and deploy emergency communications equipment that can work across jurisdictions."

Police Won’t Use $140 Million Radio System - New York Times: "For more than 10 years, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been working to correct a major hindrance to police work in the subway system: a radio network that keeps transit officers underground from talking with officers patrolling the streets above. The goal was simple but potentially revolutionary: replace an antiquated radio system with a network that would make it possible, for instance, for an officer chasing a suspect down a subway stairway to radio ahead to other officers. Last October, after spending $140 million, the authority completed the installation of the system citywide. But it has not been turned on.

That is because the Police Department refuses to use it, saying the new system is hobbled by widespread interference that garbles communication and creates areas where radios cannot receive properly. “What you get is distorted audio,” said Joseph Yurman, a communications engineer for New York City Transit. “You can hear it, but it sounds as if you’re talking through a glass of water.”"

US State and Local Governments’ Spending on Technology to Improve First Responder Communications to grow 7% over next five years: "Despite the high priority placed on public safety by governments at all levels, first responders continue to struggle to communicate with peers in other agencies or jurisdictions as part of coordinated emergency response efforts. State and local governments must address both the technology and organizational issues that prohibit interoperability among public safety communications systems, says a new report by independent market analyst firm Datamonitor.

According to the report “Government Technology – Fostering Interoperability in Public Safety Communications,” spending by US state and local governments on communications technology for first responders will rise from $3.2 billion in 2006 to $4.4 billion by 2011 as public safety agencies look for ways to collaborate and share information during critical situations."

Upgrade of Houston PD radios may wait 5 years: "Five years after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington made clear how important it was for local law enforcement and emergency responders to communicate in a disaster, the city of Houston remains outside a regional radio network of more than 500 agencies. More than 10 years after city officials began talking about the need for 'interoperability,' a Houston police officer still cannot push his mike button and talk directly to patrol deputies at the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Instead, officers must rely on county dispatchers to send out the call. When county dispatchers are not monitoring that channel, a city dispatcher must contact his counterparts by phone."

NYC says law hurts radio efforts - Newsday.com: "New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged Congress on Monday to scrap a rule on emergency radio transmissions that he argues hurts his city, which has invested millions of dollars in upgrading police and fire communications since the 2001 terror attacks."

Faulhaber - Solving the Interoperability Problem "Public safety radio communication provides the essential link by which fire, police, EMS and other emergency personnel respond to life- and property-threatening situations. Communications enables the situational awareness, command and operational control without which the response of multiple agencies to an emergency is less than useless. Key to this communications capability is interoperability: the capability of first responders from different agencies to communicate during emergencies."

DHS: Interoperability has improved, but needs to be better: "Tactical interoperable communications among first-responder agencies has improved noticeably in recent years but considerable work remains to regionalize interoperability capabilities, according to a 179-page report released this week by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

DHS made scorecard assessments of 75 urban and metropolitan areas in the county, based largely on exercises conducted in each area. Interoperability policies have been established in all of these areas and first-responder cooperation in the field is strong, but leadership often is not formalized and communications links between agencies need to be tested regularly, according to the report."

Chertoff pledges more progress on emergency communications interoperability: "Homeland Security Department secretary Michael Chertoff cited a newly released report card rating cities’ progress on achieving interoperable emergency communications as a guide to further work in the field to plug gaps over the next two years rather than an indictment of laggard cities.

“We’re going to identify the [interoperability performance] gaps and get them to where they need to be,” Chertoff said, as he released the scorecards. “What we are talking about is getting beyond the basic level to advanced [interoperability preparedness].”

He cautioned against using the report card scores to compare cities’ performances in the field across the board, because of varying regional characteristics. Citing such variable factors as the role of skyscrapers and land features in causing problems for radio communications, Chertoff warned that direct comparisons among cities would be “like comparing apples to oranges.”
"

Baton Rouge officials say report biased: "WASHINGTON — Baton Rouge-area emergency response officials on Wednesday rebuffed a U.S. Department of Homeland Security report saying the region had one of the worst metropolitan systems in the nation for communicating by radio during disasters. Although acknowledging varying levels of equipment compatibility and financial resources, officials in an eight-parish region near Baton Rouge studied by the federal government contend that they are making strides in what is called “interoperability.” The local governments tested their systems last summer, an exercise that came off with few communication mistakes, participants said."

DHS: Remarks by Secretary Michael Chertoff at a Press Conference on the Nationwide Interoperable Communications Assessment: "Secretary Chertoff: ... As we begin 2007, this is a good opportunity to talk about interoperability, which is a major concern for homeland security. ... What is interoperability? Well, simply put, it's the ability of first response agencies — whether they be fire, police or emergency medical services — to communicate with each other during an emergency or a disaster. This means having radios that can talk to each other. But it also means having established operating procedures for communication and clear lines of authority. This is an issue in which we've been focused on for the last couple of years and, in fact, it's an issue which the 9/11 commission identified in its final report as one of the priority 'must dos' for all levels of government.

Interoperability, though, is more than just a matter of technology. People tend to think about it as, we've just got to find the right radio or the right communications device, and then everybody can talk to everybody else. But, in fact, true interoperability also involves matters of governance; policy making; standard operating procedures; such as knowing where you get your radios and who is entitled to talk to who; training, so that people know how to use the equipment; and exercising, so that we can evaluate where performance continues to need work."

6 of 75 cities get top disaster rating: "On Sept. 11, 2001, New York fire battalion chief Dennis Devlin issued an urgent plea: His men were in 'a state of confusion' and needed more working radios immediately. Yet, more than five years since Devlin and 342 other members of the city's fire department perished at the World Trade Center, the government says only six U.S. cities have fully answered the late fire chief's call by adopting advanced emergency communications systems. New York is not one of the six, according to the scorecard by the Homeland Security Department that was to be released Wednesday.

A draft portion of the report obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press gives the best ratings to the Washington, D.C., area; San Diego; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Columbus, Ohio; Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Laramie County, Wyo. The lowest scores go to Chicago; Cleveland; Baton Rouge, La.; Mandan, N.D.; and American Samoa. The report includes large and small cities and their suburbs, along with U.S. territories."

seMissourian.com: Story: Decision to buy vans splits regional security panel: "Two Chevrolet Suburbans, equipped with the latest in communication technology -- tools that can communicate with just about anyone, anywhere in case of a disaster.

The price tag: up to $300,000 each.

In the first year of the new Homeland Security 'regionalization' concept in Missouri, these are the items the local Regional Homeland Security Oversight Committee has recommended the majority of its $1,040,357 state allocation be spent on. The decision was one that divided the 13-member committee -- seven for, six against."

FCC Proposes Nationwide Broadband Interoperable Public Safety Network: "The FCC Wednesday adopted a Ninth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes a national interoperable broadband spectrum in the 700 MHz band which would have a centralized approach to maximize public safety access. In addition, the initiative seeks to promote the deployment of advanced broadband applications, related radio technologies, and modern, IP-based system architecture. "

Statewide radio interoperability carries hefty price tag: "State emergency managers estimate it will cost $7 billion to achieve statewide interoperable communications for first responders, according to a new survey published by the National Emergency Management Association. The group also believes it will cost $1.5 billion to build, retrofit and upgrade emergency operations centers nationwide, which includes expenditures for equipment, software and personnel. These are nerve centers where emergency managers, police, fire and medical supervisors gather to coordinate their activities in responding to a disaster. Nearly $400 million is needed for urgent improvements to state operations centers, and $1.1 billion for local operations centers, the report said. "

Emergency communications interoperability at DHS questioned: "Democrats who will assume leadership roles on homeland security when the new Congress convenes in January are questioning Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff's recently stated goal for having interoperable emergency communications systems nationwide by the end of 2008. Two Democrats, including incoming House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), wrote in a letter Dec. 8 to Chertoff that his 2008 goal 'demonstrates a misunderstanding of the challenges and scope of achieving interoperability among federal, state and local levels of government. The reality is that interoperable communications systems will require a complicated and expensive process that cannot be executed without real knowledge, leadership and funding on the federal level.'"

Interoperability is Achievable, Survey Suggests - Government Technology: "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces the results of a nationwide survey of first responders and law enforcement that assesses progress in achieving interoperable communications. The national interoperability baseline survey was issued to 22,400 randomly selected law enforcement, fire response, and emergency medical services (EMS) agencies, and confirms that roughly two-thirds of emergency response agencies across the nation use interoperable communications at varying degrees."

Airports cargo detection 9/11 commission seen as top priorities for Dems: "In the House, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, is likely to become the next chairman of the panel. Thompson’s areas of interest include interoperability for first-responder communications, strengthening border security and protecting rails and mass transit systems from terrorists. "

Chertoff gets ahead of Hill, sets interoperable radio goals (11/28/06): "During the September hearing, Chertoff said one of the biggest problems is that state and local officials had not agreed on what kind of interoperable equipment to buy. 'This is not, frankly, a technology issue, this is an issue of having community leaders come to an agreement,' he said. Chertoff added that Homeland Security would complete a survey by the end of 2006 asking all 50 states and the 75 largest urban areas what kind of interoperability gaps they have. He said the results would allow the department to give Congress 'a much more specific answer about what funding needs are required.'"

Federal Times: "First responders across the nation should be able to communicate on interoperable radios by the end of 2008, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Nov. 28. Chertoff set a preliminary deadline of interoperable communications at all major cities by the end of 2007, and said that all states should have that capability one year later. He said Homeland Security needs to finish setting specifications so localities know what kind of radios and other technology to buy."

Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff puts interoperability on fast track in cities : "Forty-six U.S. cities should have interoperable communications in place for first responders by the end of 2007, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Tuesday. All 50 states should aim to have interoperable systems for public safety by the end of 2008,' Chertoff said during a keynote speech at the National Grants and Training Conference in Washington."

DHS science chief backs digital solution to communications woes (11/30/06): "A top Homeland Security Department official said Thursday he has arrived at a conceptual solution for addressing communications barriers among federal, state and local emergency responders. The decades-long problem can be tackled through a universal digital communications backbone capable of linking currently incompatible systems, said Jay Cohen, the recently confirmed undersecretary for science and technology at DHS. He spoke during a Washington conference on information-sharing strategies sponsored by the Arlington, Va., Association for Enterprise Integration."

SAFECOM Releases 2006 National Interoperability Baseline Survey Findings: "The Baseline Survey assessed capacities across a wide array of factors, making it the first survey derived from a comprehensive definition of interoperability. The survey was designed in partnership with the emergency responder community, and founded on the five elements depicted in SAFECOM’s Interoperability Continuum—governance, standard operating procedures, technology, training and exercises, and usage of interoperable communications."

DHS science chief backs digital solution to communications woes (11/30/06): "A top Homeland Security Department official said Thursday he has arrived at a conceptual solution for addressing communications barriers among federal, state and local emergency responders. The decades-long problem can be tackled through a universal digital communications backbone capable of linking currently incompatible systems, said Jay Cohen, the recently confirmed undersecretary for science and technology at DHS. He spoke during a Washington conference on information-sharing strategies sponsored by the Arlington, Va., Association for Enterprise Integration."

National Governors Association Report: "To help governors address the urgent need for reliable communication in emergency situations, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) today [11/28] released Strategies for States to Achieve Public Safety Wireless Interoperability. The brief guides governors in their efforts to improve wireless interoperability—the ability of public safety agencies to share information using radio communication systems to exchange voice and/or data on demand in real time, when needed and as authorized."

Crowded Airwaves: Air to ground communications: "Air to air communication is critical for safe aircraft operations. And, because of standards in training, equipment and frequency allocation, air to air communication is generally reliable. Air-to-ground communication, on the other hand, is not quite as reliable and can lead to serious problems during normal aircraft operations.

There are over 17,000 state and local law enforcement agencies in the United States. For very practical reasons, each agency has its own radio frequency or frequencies. Moreover, each state and local agency is influenced by a political parent organization, such as a municipal police force, and is ultimately managed by a city. When making budgetary choices, organizations spend money for public safety-related technologies at vastly different rates. The combination of local choices and the need to have independent radio frequencies has created technological fragmentation in public safety."

Eddie Reyes - Keeping the City of Angels safe: An inside look at the L.A. Regional Tactical Communications System: "In my last column I highlighted the South Carolina State Interoperability Project, commonly known as the “Palmetto 800 Trunked Radio Network and I received lots of positive feedback from some of the readers that follow this column. I especially want to thank the fine folks from South Carolina who contacted me as well as a Sheriff’s Deputy from Des Moines, IA. So I thought I would try my luck again this month and take readers across the country, literally, to the Los Angeles region and focus on their communications and interoperability solutions."

DHS pulls back $5 million from communications project (10/6/06): "The Homeland Security Department in late August decided not to spend $5.3 million that had been set aside for a digital interoperable communications tool used to coordinate emergency response with local governments. DHS spokesman Larry Orluskie said a final decision on whether to shut down Disaster Management, an 8-year-old project designated by the Office of Management and Budget in 2002 as one of 24 e-government initiatives, has not been made. But the department is 'saving a lot of money by cutting down on repetitive systems,' he said."

Survey and mapping system closes communications gap: "Ever since the attacks of Sept. 11, one problem that has dogged first responders at all levels of government is the lack of interoperable communications. But a tool developed at the Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center-San Diego is being used to tackle the problem—not by spending a lot of money on new equipment and trying to figure out who gets priority allocation of scarce resources, but by tracking the equipment already out there and identifying how it all fits together. "

10-4 on your 10-20, or was that a 10-11?: "'Interoperability' is tough to say without stuttering. Since 9/11, stuttering has also accompanied efforts to achieve interoperability in the field, where first responders need to communicate effectively across departments, jurisdictions and even states when emergencies or catastrophic events occur.

A common-sense strategy announced this week by Gov. Tim Kaine offers one small but refreshing step forward."

The Seattle Times: Democrats claim Reichert caved on emergency communications: "From the day he was sworn in to Congress in 2005, Rep. Dave Reichert has positioned himself as the first friend of first responders: the police, firefighters and emergency medical crews called in when disaster strikes."

FCW.com - Congress wants emergency comms office at DHS: "Congress is calling for the Homeland Security Department to establish an Office of Emergency Communications to tackle the kind of long-standing problems that hindered first responders on Sept. 11, 2001, and again in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

The office, working under the purview of the assistant secretary for cybersecurity and communications, would centralize and coordinate emergency communications work at DHS and promote interoperability among public safety systems at federal, state and local agencies."

Wired for Trouble: "'You have to understand that IWN is a law enforcement network; it is not necessarily a first responder network,' responds an industry official. State and local officials won't have a huge presence in the day-to-day operations of IWN. 'It's a different community,' the official adds. While interoperability with state and local agencies is not the focus of IWN, it will incorporate the specifications of Project 25, a nationwide public-private standards-making body for land mobile radios. Plus, there's another federal program to address nationwide radio interoperability at that level: Project Safecom, a DHS-funded communication standards effort."

Marking 9/11 with an eye to security: "Emergency communications. Chertoff said the 10 largest cities had 'command-level interoperability,' which means various departments - fire, police, EMTs - can talk to one another as well as to state and federal officials if necessary. Other cities have this level of communication as well, but not all.

'Some communities have it because they've reached an agreement about... what the rules will be about how you run the integrated system,' Chertoff said. 'But some communities can't agree... . We are doing a study... which will evaluate and test interoperability in all 50 states and the 75 largest urban areas. It will identify where things have been done and where things have not been done, and that will be a pretty good road map for how to close those remaining gaps.'"

Training, Not Technology, Seen As Key To 9/11: "... According to the official Federal Emergency Management Agency's report on the reactions of first responders to the New York City, Pentagon, and Shanksville, Penn. accident scenes, it was the presence or lack of an organized command structure – and by extension, a communications structure – that helped determine the success of the operations. Within New York City, a temporary command post set up within the lobby of the WTC 1 tower within four minutes was destroyed when the second plane hit WTC 2; the collapse of WTC 1 destroyed the more permanent command center housed in a building across the street."

As a firefighter at Ground Zero and now with GSA Michael Pena pushes for better emergency communications: "On Sept. 11, 2001, Michael Pena was off duty, but not for long. After news spread of the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pena, one of three lieutenants with the Fire Department of New York City’s Rescue Company 1 in Manhattan, an elite group on the order of the Navy Seals, reported to the scene just as the south tower collapsed.

His experience with communications issues at the local level has left him sounding frustrated. “The main problem with communications in New York City is not the technology but rather the human factor of the police department and the fire department not wanting to communicate with each other,” he said. .... “It did change a little after 9/11, with the integration of radios placed in both police department and fire department supervisor cars to be able to communicate with each other on the command level. This is where the interagency communication needs to be, not on the operational level between firefighters and police officers.” "

Lessons Learned - Are There Any?: "Communications interoperability was one of the nightmares of 9/11. The cops couldn’t talk to the firemen, the firemen couldn’t talk to the cops, and sometimes they couldn’t talk to each other. This is not a technological problem. The solutions are available as off-the-shelf equipment. The barrier to a solution is the same as it has always been - political. Instead of asking “how do we do this?” the question is usually “who will be in charge?” "

Secretary Chertoff on September 11: Five Years Later: "... And I will tell you in a very straightforward way, the obstacle here is not technological; we have the technology. The obstacle is that we need to build procedures across governments and among agencies where we have agreement about what the rules of the road are going to be."

Training, Not Technology, Seen As Key To 9/11: "... According to the official Federal Emergency Management Agency's report on the reactions of first responders to the New York City, Pentagon, and Shanksville, Penn. accident scenes, it was the presence or lack of an organized command structure – and by extension, a communications structure – that helped determine the success of the operations. "

Gateways — the good, the bad and the ugly: "Today's gateways have lots of functionality, such as being able to connect any device that produces an audio signal (voice) and pass that transmission (message) to any other device that is capable of receiving audio signals. Those audio devices include portable and mobile public safety radios, telephones (landline, cellular and satellite), the internet or a local area network (LAN), dispatch consoles, CB radios, family service radios, you get the hint."

Who's Who in an Emergency: "Credentialing efforts for emergency responders are branching out to include telecommunications and utilities specialists, nurses and other private-sector workers.

But questions remain about who will pay for the initiatives and how extensive they will be. The Homeland Security Department has begun work on two aspects of credentialing. First is the effort to define and organize emergency responders into categories, such as hazardous-materials firefighters, psychiatric nurses and water rescue specialists."

Virginia Establishes State Communications Interoperability Committee: "Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today signed an Executive Order establishing a State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) to help coordinate the commonwealth's efforts to allow public safety agencies to communicate with one another through secure and reliable communications programs and systems

The SIEC will continue to keep relevant organizations involved in decisions on interoperable communication efforts. It will be comprised of various associations that represent the local first-responder perspective, a critical element that allows the SIEC to serve as a voice for that community. "

House passes emergency-communications bill: "The U.S. House of Representatives [on 7/25] overwhelmingly passed a bill that would create a national interoperability office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and mandates that equipment purchased with DHS grants comply with interoperability standards."

Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: "The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has approved legislation Thursday authored by Chairman Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ranking Member Joe Lieberman (D-CT) that would reform the nation’s emergency management system to enable it to better prepare for and respond to a disasters. Entitled the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, the bill would implement many of the findings of the Committee's Hurricane Katrina report, including reconstituting FEMA, improving emergency staffing, strengthening enhancing planning and preparedness, facilitating better communications and interoperability capabilities among emergency responders, improving emergency assistance programs, and reducing waste, fraud, and abuse. ...

[It would] Enhance emergency communications capabilities by consolidating several communications programs within a new Office of Emergency Communications within FEMA, requiring a national emergency-communications strategy, coordinating establishing dedicated grants to states and localities for interoperable communications, and regularly assessing the operability and interoperability of the communication systems that are essential for disaster response. "

DHS communications project faces cancellation (7/28/06): "A digital interoperable communications tool used to support hurricane response faces cancellation by the Homeland Security Department, according to sources close to the initiative. DHS reportedly issued an order in mid-July to Ohio-based nonprofit government contractor Battelle to immediately stop development work on Disaster Management, an 8-year-old project that the Office of Management and Budget designated in 2002 as one of 24 e-government initiatives."

ARRLWeb: Emergency Communications Bill Includes Amateur Radio as Interoperability Agent: "A bill to enhance emergency communication at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) includes Amateur Radio operators as part of an overall effort to provide interoperability among responders. The 21st Century Emergency Communications Act of 2006 (HR 5852), an amendment to the Homeland Security Act of 2002, passed the US House this week on a 414-2 vote and has gone to the Senate. Its sponsor, Rep David G. Reichert (R-WA) -- who chairs the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Science and Technology -- says his legislation is designed 'to improve the ability of emergency responders to communicate with each other' -- interoperability."

U.S. Conference of Mayors - Survey": "As the nation approaches the five-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11 and the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, led by Conference President and Dearborn Mayor Michael A. Guido, held a media forum at the National Press Club today discussing the state of disaster preparedness in America's cities. .....

Survey Results:

Survey responses were received from 183 cities representing 38 states in the nation, and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Cities with populations up to 100,000 comprise the largest group of respondents (104); cities in 100,001 to 300,000 population range comprise the next largest group (49). Twenty- nine (30) respondents are in the 300,001 and up range.

Some of the key findings of the survey include:

1. When asked have cities received sufficient federal resources to achieve full communications interoperability -- so that first responders can talk to each other and key assets, 80 percent said no. This figure was fairly consistent for all population ranges.

2. When then asked how far away cities are from having full communications interoperability, the average response was 4 years."

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Awards $42.2 Million Contract to SRA: "SRA International, Inc. (NYSE: SRX), a leading provider of technology and strategic consulting services and solutions to federal government organizations, announced that it has been awarded a competitive contract by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide strategy and execution support services to the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC). The task order, awarded under the General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedule, has an estimated value of $42.2 million over 45 months if all options are exercised."

MARS Wins Major Homeland Security Task:: "Ham radio operators in the Military Affiliate Radio System will provide emergency backup communications for the Transportation Security Administration under a formal agreement announced by Army MARS Chief Kathy Harrison. Airport protection during the current hurricane season will be the immediate focus, Chief Harrison said. She added that the new collaboration with the TSA “is likely to expand to other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) areas” in the future. A “Memorandum of Understanding” signed by the two agencies--and already in effect--provides for use of MARS networks, manpower and equipment to maintain communications during the initial 72 hours of incidents involving aircraft, mass transit and pipelines. MARS is also tasked to provide interoperability with other communications systems."

Grants will boost interoperability policy: "Five states will get U.S. grants to improve their policy co-ordination on interoperable communications for first responders and other agencies. The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the SAFECOM program, the communications program of the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement Tuesday that Alabama, Indiana, Minnesota, Montana and Washington would get $50,000 each 'to support governors and other state and local policymakers in developing state-wide interoperability plans for wireless communications.'"

Sacramento Metro Fire rips its radios: "The head of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District has blasted the way the county's radio communication system is being updated, saying it jeopardizes public safety and puts the lives of firefighters and other emergency workers at risk.

'The situation has become critical to public safety,' Chief Don Mette said recently in a sharply worded letter to county officials.

Mette said there have been times when there were not enough channels to adequately serve firefighters and law enforcement officials. He also said the system sometimes has spotty reception, even in populated areas."

Inbuilding coverage in the Big Apple: "On May 31, The Durst Organization announced that it has upgraded communications within its portfolio of Manhattan high-rise buildings to facilitate two-way radio communications for first responders, including the Fire Department of New York, Emergency Medical Services, New York Police Department and others."

Senate committee seeks acceleration of interoperability funds: "Senate Commerce Committee members yesterday decided by voice vote to approve an amendment to the massive communications bill making $1 billion in interoperability funds available to first-responder agencies this fall."

OASIS approves new standards for emergency communications: "The Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) has approved new emergency data interoperability standards aimed at drastically improving critical data sharing among emergency first responders, government officials and law enforcement authorities. In an announcement [yesterday], OASIS said the new Emergency Data Exchange Language Distribution Element (EDXL-DE) Version 1.0 has been approved as an OASIS Standard. That means it will now be used by emergency management systems vendors to help create data bridges among incompatible systems used by first responders and others."

Project MESA back on track: "Project MESA, or Mobility for Emergency and Safety Applications, finally received the vendor support it has been seeking the last four years. A Project MESA working group meeting in Boston in April resulted in five new proposals brought forth by manufacturers as potential technologies for the next generation of public-safety communications systems."

Roadblocks hamper emergency response system coordination: "Achieving interoperable communications — a Holy Grail of sorts for first responders — is easier said than done. That was the consensus of information technology experts who met earlier this month in Washington, D.C., for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers’ midyear conference. Participants in a panel discussion said progress has been slow and erratic."

IWN Update: "“By providing near-instant communication availability and system response, highly reliable communications, and physical and encryption security features that minimize interception of sensitive communications, IWN will make law enforcement and protective operations more effective, efficient and safe,” said Justice CIO Vance Hitch in a statement.

IWN spending could range from $3 billion to $30 billion over the life of the contract, which could extend as long as 15 years."

Unofficial poll of CIOs finds states woefully behind: "Government interoperability and disaster preparedness experts painted a bleak picture of how much progress states have made toward communications interoperability since Hurricane Katrina blasted the Gulf Coast last year. Fewer than a third of the 350 attendees of a National Association of State Chief Information Officers conference this month said states were better prepared today to deal with a major disaster than they were before Katrina. "

General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin Awarded Phase Two Contracts for Integrated Wireless Network (IWN): "The Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and the Treasury announced today the award of second-phase system integration contracts for the Integrated Wireless Network (IWN) to General Dynamics C4 Systems of Scottsdale, Ariz. and Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems and Solutions of Gaithersburg, Md. Today’s award allows the companies to continue on to the third and final phase of the selection process for the IWN systems integrator."

Inability to communicate major flaw in storm response (Shreveport): " .... 'Participants recommended that land line, Internet, commercial radio and television, fiber optic, fax, two-way radio, cellular voice and text, satellite telephone, OnStar, and HAM radio should be considered in an integrated response. System failures are hard to predict, so participants felt that all available channels of communications should be used to reinforce a detailed common communications plan for each region,' the report says"

FCW.com - State CIOs skeptical of hurricane readiness: "On the first day of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season, the ability of government at the federal, state and local levels to deal with major disasters is no better than it was when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region last year. That is the overwhelming consensus of government and private-sector technology experts who convened in Washington, D.C., this week for a conference sponsored by the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. CIOs and other top technology leaders from 38 states, Guam, and the District of Columbia are among the 280 conference participants."

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — In these last days before the June 1 start of hurricane season, forecasters and disaster-response planners are coming to the dispiriting conclusion that few lessons were learned last year from Katrina, Rita and Wilma. ... Most city, state and federal emergency management authorities still can't communicate by phone or radio in a crisis because a $2-billion special outlay for "interoperability" is mired in legislative wrangling or being spent without federal coordination.