MORE ON DHS' SAFECOM PROGRAM

Oct 1, 2005 12:00 PM

Inadequate and unreliable wireless communications have been issues plaguing public safety organizations for decades. In many cases, agencies cannot perform their mission-critical duties because they are unable to share vital voice or data information via radio with other jurisdictions in day-to-day operations and in emergency response to incidents including acts of terrorism and natural disasters.

Communications interoperability is the ability of public safety agencies to talk across disciplines and jurisdictions via radio communications systems, exchanging voice and/or data with one another on demand, in real-time, when needed, and as authorized.

As a public safety practitioner-driven program, SAFECOM is working with existing federal communications initiatives and key public safety stakeholders to address the need to develop better technologies and processes for the cross-jurisdictional and cross-disciplinary coordination of existing systems and future networks. The customer base includes over 50,000 local and state public safety agencies and organizations. Federal customers include over 100 agencies such as law enforcement, firefighting, public health and disaster recovery.

SAFECOM'S near-term initiatives include developing a process to advance standards necessary to improve public safety communications and interoperability. It also hopes to integrate coordinated grant guidance across all agencies; provide training and technical assistance; and to create a one-stop shop for public safety communications and interoperability.

The program also plans to develop, test and evaluate existing and emerging technologies for improved interoperability.

For more information, visit http://www.safecomprogram.gov.

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