During natural or man-made disasters, communications among first responders, public safety officials and government agencies is crucial. Losing that ability can only mean chaos.

In this report:

Software tools give public safety agencies a common view during emergencies

The 2001 terrorist attacks and natural disasters during the past few years, such as Hurricane Katrina, brought that point home quite clearly.

Eight years after the 2001 terrorist  attacks, significant progress has been made toward improving public safety communications, but there is still a lot of ground to cover, government and industry officials agree.

Increased funding to state and local governments, advances in radio technology, and the release last year of the Homeland Security Department’s National Emergency Communications Plan — which outlines a strategy to improve public safety communications throughout the country — have contributed to more effective communications among various jurisdictions.

However, as former DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff said recently during a panel discussion on public safety communications interoperability in Washington, many jurisdictions differ on issues such as the use of gateways that connect current and emerging radio technology and governance processes that allow diverse groups within regions to communicate.

Moreover, officials must resolve the issue of turning over radio spectrum in the 700 MHz band to public safety and first responders, Chertoff said. The dedication of spectrum would eventually allow first responders to use a broader set of handheld devices that can transmit data, voice and video for greater situational awareness. That information would help first responders and commanders make more informed decisions.

Source: GCN.com