Interoperable Public Safety Communications: A Wicked Problem?
Communication comes from the Latin word commūnicāre. This means to share, divide out; communicate, impart, inform; join, unite, participate in, literally to make common. Just about everyone has taken a basic human communications class where verbal and non-verbal communication methods are explored in depth. Even at the most basic level, communicating a simple message between two individuals can prove difficult. With so many components to a message there are a number of variables which must be effectively achieved in order to deliver the intended communication. Add technology to this mix and the problem becomes even more complex.
On September 10, 2001, for me and my co-workers the term homeland security was a foreign concept. However, like most of us in the public safety community we quickly learned following the events on 9/11 just what homeland security was and how we were now thrust into the mix of having to improve our communications and operational capabilities. This came full-circle for me when the Arizona Diamondbacks made it to the 2001 Major League Baseball World Series against the New York Yankees. This was the first major sporting event at a national level that would test our mechanisms.
For me, I was told to make sure “everyone can communicate with everyone else.” Seemed like a pretty tall order given the limitations in technology at the time, territorial issues between police, fire, and EMS, and relatively non-existent operational plans to support this directive. At the time, I just considered this a problem I had to solve. We did, probably not with the most comprehensive or complete strategies but at the end of the series we managed to secure necessary communications in the post-9/11 environment.
Looking back, many of the national and local events that have occurred since 9/11 have continued to highlight the deficiencies with effectively establishing interoperable public safety communications. Just about every after action report and improvement plan always seems to note the lack of effective communications. This is usually noted in the delivery of messages through traditional human interaction and also how technology was not effectively used to allow first responders to communicate with each other. This begs the question – is interoperable communications a wicked problem?
By its very nature a wicked problem is a complex issue which is often difficult or impossible to solve. Based on my nearly 20 years in the business of public safety communications, I am inclined to think that this may be a wicked problem that is often considered ‘solvable’ by policy makers. Despite our efforts in the business to employ new technology, increase training for first responders, develop more comprehensive operational plans, work more collaboratively, and train and exercise to improve our capabilities, this may just be a problem that will persist and maybe should be added to the list of homeland security wicked problems.
Reading The 9/11 Commission Report there are several instances where all facets of communication were noted as needing improvement. Having deployed our resources to the Hurricane Katrina and Rita responses I learned first-hand how complicated a multi-discipline, multi-jurisdictional response can be when being asked to establish interoperable communications. Perhaps one of the most recognized benchmarks is the SAFECOM Interoperability Continuum which is used to measure interoperable communications. Looking this over, we know we are making progress but with so many variables (much like the standard human communication cycle model) it is problematic to have all of these work 100% all of the time with dynamic and ever-changing conditions.
To be fair, the homeland security community is making significant strides and recent examples demonstrate that our efforts are working. The 2013 Boston Marathon response was a great lesson in just how far we have come with being able to make communications work when needed. As the DHS Office Emergency Communications’ National Emergency Communications Plan states, interoperable communications is best defined as when:
Emergency responders can communicate -
As needed, on demand, and as authorized;
at all levels of government; and
across all disciplines.
We are making progress but solving it may be impossible. A wicked problem is one in which requirements constantly change making a solution difficult to achieve. Interoperable communications is a constantly changing environment. Technology, physical environmental conditions, who is responding, what capabilities do they bring, who is trained, etc. are all variables which must be factored into any response to develop a comprehensive solution. Just as saying we have ‘solved’ human communications is impossible (which we have been struggling with since the beginning of time); the homeland security community may never truly ‘solve’ fully achieving interoperable communications.
I do not say that to be negative or less than optimistic, I think it is just important to realize that regardless of how much is spent or how much technology is thrown at a problem, there are just some problems that are so inherently complex and wicked that saying we have ever solved it may not be practical. Sure, we will continue to improve and get better, that is our goal and objective, but we must be realistic that ever achieving 100% completion in a field that has constantly changing requirements will be a persistent challenge. These wicked problems that face the homeland security enterprise will require creative thinking, intelligent designs, collaboration, and alternative perspectives to achieve true success.
