Coming In Loud and Clear
Oct 1, 2005 12:00 PM, BY PAUL ROTHMAN
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, radio interoperability continues to be one of the most critical challenges facing first responders. Local, state and federal agencies have the immediate need to talk with one another to coordinate life-saving, security and resource mobilization activities — despite often using incompatible radio equipment.
The Project 25 standard (P25) — the standard for interoperable digital two-way wireless communications products and systems — began in 1989 to provide specific, detailed criteria for the design of public safety communication systems. There have been recent complaints from the public safety community about P25 equipment not meeting standards.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Homeland Security Department's SAFECOM program is assessing whether new two-way radio equipment and systems available on the market meet the industry's interoperability standards with the “P25 Conformity Assessment Program.”
The program's aim is to prevent incidents in which local police agencies purchase new interoperable radios only to find that the radios are not compatible with other P25 systems. “While many communications products available to the public safety community claim adherence to P25 standards, that claim has been based solely on the manufacturers' certification of their own products,” DHS says in its interoperability newsletter. “There are currently no formal processes to ensure that equipment complies with P25 standards.”
SAFECOM's mission is to serve as the umbrella program within the federal government to help local, state, tribal and federal public safety agencies improve public safety response through more effective and efficient interoperable wireless communications.
DHS grants for emergency communications systems require that the newly purchased systems be P25-compliant. The NIST/SAFECOM program will certify P25 products proven to meet the standards.
The first step of the conformity assessment program will be to establish a third-party certification process for P25 equipment. The third parties will conduct testing by NIST-accredited independent laboratories to evaluate compliance with the P25 standards. Suppliers whose products pass the test will make formal declarations of P25 conformity that are available to the public, ultimately creating a master list of P25-compliant equipment, according to DHS.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2008 Penton Media Inc.
Story Missing Your Link?
Is the above story missing a link? Is it missing a link to your company, or your website? If this is the case please e-mail us and we'll add the link as soon as possible. Thank you!
advertisement
