Chris Essid

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The tragic events of that day reaffirmed that interoperable emergency communications is a vital component for effective emergency response.

Over the past 10 years, the federal govern­ment and public safety agencies have invested significant resources to update the nation’s emergency communications capabilities—voice and data—to better prepare for and respond to any type of disaster. To encourage a coordinated approach and wise investments, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) has launched such key initiatives as the creation of a nationwide framework of public safety stakeholders to provide input into OEC’s initiatives and publication of the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP).

The NECP is a national road map for advancing public safety communications capabilities. It was developed by members of the public safety community from all levels of government, representing perspectives from all disciplines. Since the NECP’s 2008 release, the nation has achieved over 80% of the 92 recommended milestones.

The NECP was designed to go beyond the acquisition of technology and focus on the development of representative and empowered governance bodies responsible for the strategic planning and preparedness of emergency communications. We have made tremendous progress in this area: All states now have statewide interoperability governing bodies, each a mix of state, local and tribal public safety agencies, elected officials and associations that support the development, implementation and maintenance of the Statewide Communications Interoperability Plans. In addition, over 75% of all 56 states and territories now have full-time inter­operability coordinators. These Statewide Interoperability Coordinators are the single point of contact for public safety communications coordination and strategic planning within the states and territories.

Measurable progress: NECP Goal 1 focused on emergency communications in the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) regions. OEC partnered with these regions last year to observe their ability to demonstrate response-level communications during routine events. All the existing UASI regions at that time successfully achieved Goal 1 and provided useful insights into the methods that urban areas have used to advance their communications capabilities over the past decade.

NECP Goal 2 focuses on the ability of non-UASI regions to demonstrate response-level communications in a multi-jurisdictional event. This year, counties across the nation will work with their Statewide Interoperability Coordinators to submit self-assessments using real-world events or exercises. The results will provide public safety agencies with the performance and capability data necessary to build sound strategies for achieving and sustaining interoperability. These efforts will also enable more targeted grant and technical assistance support.

In the near future, OEC and our stakeholder partners will begin to assess the nation’s ability to meet the requirement set by NECP Goal 3: “By 2013, 75 percent of all jurisdictions are able to demonstrate response-level emergency communications within three hours, in the event of a significant incident as outlined in national planning scenarios.”

OEC will gather feedback and input from the public safety community on the best methodology for conducting this assessment and evaluating the data.

Updating the NECP: Even as OEC continues with NECP implementation, we are updating the plan to account for the progress made and to set new targets. Major changes will center on emerging technologies, such as wireless broadband, video and data capabilities, and NG9-1-1.

We are at the forefront of an incredible opportunity for public safety transition in communications with a planned nationwide public safety broadband network. Its creation will take significant planning, coordination, and resources at every level.

For police, fire, EMS and public safety communications professionals who depend on cellphones, smartphones, and wireless data devices to carry out their mission, there is no way to ignore that innovation has the potential to improve the way first responders operate. The promise of this technology is great, but the reality is that it is not yet at the level required by public safety nationwide. A dropped call, a gap in coverage, a busy signal is not an option in an emergency, and many areas of the country are still working on their existing systems.

As emergency communications and the technologies and infrastructure that support it move into the future, OEC and our stakeholders must continue to work together to ensure progress is made and citizens are provided the highest level of safety and security possible.

About the Author
Chris Essid is the director of the DHS Office of Emergency Communications. He can be reached at [email protected]. For more on OEC or to download a copy of the NECP, visit www.dhs.gov, keyword OEC.

Originally published in APCO International’s Public Safety Communications, Vol. 77(8):16, August 2011.