Can you hear me…now?
Paul Maracelli made this tag line famous as the spoke person for two major cellular companies — one highlighted Verizon’s nationwide coverage and the other to say Sprint’s reliability was within 1% of Verizon and will save you 50% over Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T’s rates. This tag line could also describe the communications during a multi-jurisdiction response.
I live just outside of DC in northern Virginia, known locally as the National Capital Region (NCR) or the DMV (DC-Maryland-Virginia). It is home to some 270 federal departments and agencies from three branches of the federal government, 11 jurisdictions in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
It is one of the most complex multi-jurisdictional regions in our country. Crossing a street in DC might take you through three police jurisdictions that each use their own communication systems.
In a previous Spotlight article, a colleague of mine provided an insider view of a 911-call center. Imagine now, police, fire, EMT and others arriving to major incident but not able to talk to each other. Look at the following incidents for real-life examples of multi-jurisdictional emergencies.
January 13, 1982
Less than a minute after taking off from National Airport, Air Florida flight 90 crashes into the Potomac River — killing 74; four passengers and one crew member survive the crash. Prior to crashing into the Potomac River, the plane strikes seven vehicles on a major bridge connecting DC and VA, killing four and injuring four. The U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Park Police, military personnel, and numerous local agencies all responded.
Thirty minutes later, the area’s subway system, Metro, would have its first fatal accident, when a train car loaded with 220 passengers derails, strikes a concrete barrier killing three and injuring 25.
September 11, 2001
Terrorist fly American Airlines flight 77 into the Pentagon, killing all 64 on board and another 125 in the Pentagon, bringing local, state, and federal responders from throughout the region.
September 16, 2013
Less than a mile from the United States Capitol, a lone gunman enters the Washington Navy Yard, and goes on a 30 minute shooting rampage killing 12 people.
January 12, 2015
Smoke breaks out in the underground portion of the Metro, killing one and injuring 84.
In report after report (NTSB, FAA, 911 Commission and others) these incidents share a common finding — lack of interoperability of radios between the responding departments and agencies.
What makes this even more disheartening is from fiscal years 2002 through 2015, DHS allocated almost $723 million through the Urban Area Security Initiative grant program to the NCR to build, sustain, and enhance regional emergency preparedness activities, including emergency communications interoperability.
Currently, federal, state, and local agencies in the NCR generally own, operate, and maintain their own land mobile radio (LMR) systems, which are primarily used by first responders, emergency-preparedness and management officials to transmit and receive critical voice communications during public safety incidents or disasters.
The meaning of “interoperability” continues to expand. It no longer simply refers to exchanging handheld radios between agencies at an emergency scene. It means requiring radio systems that work together through a gateway, either permanently or on an as-needed basis. It means ensuring that the radio system core comprises components that can be obtained from multiple sources and don’t become obsolete the moment a vendor decides a master site controller will no longer be manufactured or supported. Interoperability also includes the ability for multiple radio brands to work on a manufacturer’s infrastructure, which provides agencies choice in selecting equipment while also demonstrating good stewardship of taxpayer dollars. The ability to integrate entirely separate systems is critical to achieving large-area or statewide interoperability. It also ensures jurisdictions have access to public safety communication systems should they lose their master site. Regardless of how it is defined, we should demand that our federal government and public safety industry work together for the common goal of interoperability. We can’t afford not to. — Robert Stack, Director of Lexington Division of Enhanced 911
In the NCR, like many places across the country, it is not a matter if but when the next multi-jurisdictional incident will occur. Will those responding hear their command center and cries of those in need or static as they say “Can you hear me, now?”
Editor’s Note: At The Spotlight, we want to promote stronger partnerships in the security of our homes, hometowns, and homeland. The issue of interoperable communications is particularly vexing for the National Capitol Region, but is likely a problem no matter where you live. As partners in providing homeland and hometown security, ask your local governments what they are doing to solve this problem.
