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Enhancing Public Safety Communication: Interoperability Via Gateway Solutions

At the 2007 Technology Program Kickoff Conference, Tom Sorley, Deputy Director of Radio Communication Services in Houston, discussed the critical importance of interoperability among first responders, encompassing over 28,000 fire departments and 950,000 firefighters, alongside EMS and law enforcement agencies. He emphasized establishing operational needs before technical solutions, fostering relationships among agencies, and adhering to national interoperability standards as key to success. He outlined the types of gateways available and best practices for planning and implementation to ensure seamless communication during emergencies.

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Enhancing Public Safety Communication: Interoperability Via Gateway Solutions

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  1. COPS 2007 Technology Program Kickoff Conference Interoperability Through Gateways Tom Sorley, Deputy Director Radio Communication Services City of Houston Information Technology Department

  2. First Responder Community • 28,000+ Fire Departments • 950,000+ Fire Fighters • 6,000+ EMS Departments • 800,000+ EMS Personnel • 15,000+ LE Agencies • 700,000+ LE Officers

  3. Operability before Interoperability • Ensure the system you own is working properly before connecting it to other systems • Funding • Coverage • Technology • Consider the operational needs when planning the technical solutions

  4. Top Three Reasons for Interoperability Failures • Failure to establish effective working relationships with neighboring agencies • Failure to establish an interoperability vision or practice interoperability • Failure to commit to national standards or interoperability training

  5. Creating a Foundation for Interoperability • Requires a “Change Agent” • Support and commitment from Agency Head • Regular meetings to foster working relationships and trust • Establish, Execute and Follow Formal Governance Model

  6. Governance • Written Agreement • Shared Standard Operation Procedure • Memorandum of Understanding • Inter-local Agreement • Governance Committee • Representative Board • Council of Governments

  7. Governance Activities • Regular Meetings of Decision Makers • Establish “between meeting” communication process • Email list • Common Web site • Conference Calls • If individual or discipline-specific groups are formed must have periodic joint meetings between all groups

  8. Common Nomenclature • Frequency charts are generally not available during emergencies • First responders employ “Turn and Compare” method • Mismatched display names on radios = NO INTEROPERABILITY • www.NPSTC.org

  9. Gateways: Advanced Planning • Inventory area systems and frequency usage • Gateways do not provide coverage where none exists • Match technical solution to operational need • Constant need? • Large scale occasional need? • Small scale occasional need?

  10. Gateways: Advanced Planning • Work toward standardized channel names • Agree to program national interoperability channels in all applicable frequency bands • Acquire and pre-program proprietary radios with area system information

  11. Gateway Applications • Fixed Gateways • Overlapping coverage areas • Daily interoperability between static partner agencies • Suitable for connecting trunked radio systems • ACU1000 and others

  12. Fixed Gateway

  13. Gateway Applications • Mobile Advanced Gateways • Requires a technician • Extensive technician training required • Connecting trunked systems requires configuration • TRP1000 and others

  14. Mobile Advanced Gateway

  15. Gateway Applications • Mobile BASIC Gateways • First responder deployable • Some training required • Best suited to conventional systems • ICRI and others

  16. Mobile Basic Gateway

  17. Tom SorleyDeputy DirectorRadio Communication ServicesCity of Houston tom.sorley@cityofhouston.net832-393-9611

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