Tuesday Wrap-Up
The Telecommunicator’s Role in Managing Emergency Incidents and Events
Presenter: Stephen Martini, ENP, Director, Williamson County, Tennessee, Emergency Communications District
How does the frontline telecommunicator or supervisor make proper notifications and play an active role at the beginning of a critical incident that involves emergency management? This session focused on the importance of using ICS concepts for any incident or event handled by the telecommunicator in order to better manage responder safety, improve communications, and coordinate the overall response whether it is a simple traffic stop or an active shooter incident.
Some key points:
- Understanding the primary roles of key players during an incident or event
- Effective resource management and clear channels for reporting and decision-making
- Understanding the concepts of scalable and expandable capabilities of ICS and how to strategically plan ahead
- Review of emergency support functions
- Overview of EOC activation levels and how communications is an integral part of the response
- The importance of situational awareness by the telecommunicator and the impact an incident may have on the emergency management response
– Covered by Christine Massengale
FCC Regulatory Update
Presenter: David Furth, FCC, Deputy Chief of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau
In this annual update from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), David Furth, Deputy Chief of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, began by describing recent developments in 9-1-1 location issues, including wireless location accuracy, location-based routing, and improved location for enterprise communications systems. He then discussed a number of current FCC topics at a high level such as 9-1-1 network reliability, 9-1-1 fee diversion, text-to-911, emergency alerting and public safety spectrum. The session concluded with Q&A moderated by APCO Chief Counsel Jeff Cohen.
– Covered by APCO’s Government Relations Office
Protecting Public Safety Against TDoS/DDoS Attacks
Presenters: Tim Lorello and Sean Scott, SecuLore
The two main techniques being used to deny citizen access to 9-1-1 are telephonic denial of service (TDoS) and distributed denial of service (DDoS). TDoS attacks can impact the ability for PSAPs to receive 9-1-1 calls from citizens by flooding the network with phone calls. DDoS attacks can shut down a PSAP’s data communications, making it impossible to retrieve and share information.
The essence of TDoS attacks is to flood the phone lines. To be clear, TDoS are not: swatting, pocket dials, or children’s 9-1-1 calls. Two types of TDoS attacks are: “old school” (a bunch of people flood a PSAP with phone calls) or Voice over IP (VoIP) farms (internet phone calls). Typically, the hackers offer to stop for a ransom. In October 2016, there was a large scale TDoS attack against multiple states using a nefarious link that was distributed by Twitter. This attack made it known to the world that a TDoS attack against a PSAP is a very real threat and we should prepare for more events like these.
DDoS attacks are also real threats to PSAPs. Presenters offered the comparison of a DDoS attack and a toll gate. Typically, traffic is allowed through the gate in a reasonable time. However, if roads are flooded with other traffic, roads are congested and traffic cannot move. This is analogous to DDoS attacks. When computer networks are congested with traffic, data cannot flow. Though PSAP networks are not the “internet,” there are several touchpoints from networks that can touch the internet. These touchpoints to the internet can be vulnerable to cyberattacks.
There are several lessons ways to mitigate these types of attacks:
- Make sure that cyber solutions are included in any RFP.
- Analyze the type and location of data coming into the PSAP.
- PSAPs need to empower IT teams, security teams and ourselves.
– Covered by Megan Bixler
Hurricane Maria: Emergency Communications Response in Puerto Rico
Presenters: Jay English, APCO International; Jarrett Devine, FEMA; Jeremy Johnson, DHS NCC; Chris Tuttle, DHS OEC; Dustin Ventresca, U.S. Secret Service.
Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on the morning of Friday, September 21, 2017, ravaging the island. For many reasons, both reported and unreported, the road to recovery was a logistical nightmare.
An antiquated electrical grid meant their communications systems didn’t have a chance. Of the 2,500 cell tower sites scattered across the island, only 4 percent (or 100) were operational. What few land lines still existed were completely down. This meant that 96 percent of citizens were not able to call 9-1-1. Interestingly, even prior to Maria, Puerto Rico’s PSAPs weren’t using radios to communicate with the boots on the ground; rather, they would make a phone call to the closest unit for dispatch. This presented a unique challenge to the federal organizations tasked with assisting because the manner in which Puerto Rico provided their services differed so wildly from those typically seen stateside. The lack of communication didn’t just affect citizens – it made it virtually impossible for responding agencies to coordinate their response upon arrival.
Getting resources to the island presented additional challenges. The military was using the airport to move assets for other operations, so resources had to be shipped by barge. Heavy rains that followed the hurricane continued to wash away already fragile roads. This meant surveying the damage had to be done largely by small aircraft and drones. The largest vehicle that could manage these roads was a Jeep Wrangler. If supplies couldn’t fit in that, it had to be flown in – another challenge compounded by the microclimates that existed throughout the mountainous landscape across the island.
Lastly, there was a lack of a pre-coordinated response – specifically, the Puerto Rico National Guard. When you have an area where the entire population is affected, the priorities of that type of response shift. They all had their own families and property that needed the same level of care. Simply put, everyone was a victim.
-Covered by Brendan T. Sears
First Responder Network Authority: Partnering With Public Safety to Drive Network Innovation
Presenter: Dave Buchanan, Executive Director, Public Safety Advocacy, First Responder Network Authority
Dave Buchanan told APCO 2018 that FirstNet is on a mission. And like a lot of missions this one requires journeys. This month Engagement Program Workshops are traveling to public safety agencies in Virginia, Guam and Minnesota.
It’s part of what Buchanan calls a pivot for FirstNet. Heretofore rolling out the nationwide dedicated public-safety communications network has meant 56 states and U.S. territories were the focus of coordination. But for the rest of this year and going forward, FirstNet is trying to show, tell and learn from 60,000 law enforcement agencies across the land.
Buchanan said these agencies have a lot of questions. There’s a “craving from public safety to hear from experts as they travel around the country to bring the FirstNet conversation to where public safety is.’’
It’s a two-way street. FirstNet will bring subject matter experts to local, state and tribal agency representatives to explain the best way to optimize the network. At the same time, FirstNet officials seek to learn how the network can be built out to best serve first responders and public safety communications professionals. Decisions regarding future investments and advocacy will be made based on what they learn during the engagement programs, Buchanan said.
In addition to the programs, Buchanan is engaging via a new podcast – “Public Safety First” – that features public safety professionals and discusses how they use the new dedicated network.
– Covered by Rick Goldstein
Views From the Exhibition
Plenty went on at APCO 2018 on Tuesday including a breakfast to kick it off, a general business session settling the new executive committee and a block party on Fremont Street. Meanwhile, the exhibition hall hummed with activity of vendors showing high tech ware and attendees considering the possibilities. Julie Heimkes, of Winbourne Consulting and an APCO Editorial Advisory Committee Member, spoke with several of the attendees roaming the exhibit hall.
Among the most common refrains from attendees is they are here on a mission from their agencies. Those missions were to find out more information about products that their agencies are looking to acquire and bring back the information to the boss. They felt the hall was a great opportunity for them to see several products in one location.
Kevin, a 10-year APCO member: “I love the online daily updates, even when I cannot attend the conference I read the updates and look at the product links.”
Pat, a 30-year APCO member: “I use this show to look for new technology and see if there is something that may help my agency.”
Martina, a first-time attendee: “The show floor is overwhelming and amazing at the same time, I am new to public safety and did not expect anything like this.”
Kevin, a 10-year APCO member: “I love the career center and presentation theatre – one of the best additions to the show!”
– Covered by Julie Heimkes