PHOTO PAUL RAMIREZ Will first responders buy into a proposal for private management of public safety frequencies?

Over the past year, several reports have been compiled and responded to, and several regulatory actions have taken place that will profoundly impact fire and rescue communications for the foreseeable future. Decisions made during the latter half of 2005 and the beginning of 2006 have addressed several topics of import ranging from the current status of the 911 system to projected plans for the emergency services radio spectrum. Here's a look back at how, where and why these decisions impact the future of fire and rescue communications.

PHASE II ENHANCED WIRELESS 911
On June 6, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) reported that three-fourths of Americans are now covered by enhanced wireless 911 service, which provides responders with location and/or calling number information. Although this ratio represents an 8 percent increase over a six-month period, NENA also reported that more than one-third of all communications centers still do not receive the location of the cellular caller, and that half of all counties nationwide receive neither the number nor the address. Perhaps of more concern was a March 27 General Accounting Office report stating that some states may take another five years or longer to completely roll out these services, and that some communities may never be covered. Because cellular calls are now the predominant means of emergency notifications, these gaps in service can prove critical.

THE INTERNET & 911
Another increasingly popular way of communicating: voice over Internet providers, or VOIP. As reported in the July 2005 issue of FireRescue [see "System Upgrade," p. 62] the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took action last May to establish guidelines for IP-enabled 911 service. Although strides have been made in this area, some critics cite a lack of enforcement as hampering the effort.

On June 8, the House of Representatives passed the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act of 2006, which, in addition to addressing cable TV, further defined responsibilities of both VOIP and conventional carriers for the support of Internet-based 911 service, and authorized the FCC to ensure that these rules were followed. Items addressed included making provision of E 911 services by VOIP carriers mandatory, and requiring conventional telephone companies to make technology and network access available to allow VOIP connection to the current 911 infrastructure. Some states, such as Tennessee, are working outside the federal arena and have already taken steps to establish authority to collect 911 fees from VOIP customers similar to those already remanded by wireless and wire lines users. Since many 911 fees are telephone based, any loss of customers equates to a loss of revenue to public safety providers.

In addition to the current impact and implications of VOIPs, it appears that related technology may have a long-term future when it comes to 911 service. Although some estimates place residential VOIP growth at 900 percent over the next three years, it may be that in the future, much of the equipment that handles 911 calls, from the telecommunications infrastructure to the Public Safety Answering Point, will be based on VOIP technology. Although a good deal of telephone switchgear is currently digital, much of the network design that supports 911 services comes from an analog age. Some think that in this time of telematics and intelligent transportation systems (ITS), a new infrastructure is in order. Last May, the U.S. Department of Transportation solicited input and project management services for its "Next Generation 911" initiative, designed to integrate existing consumer-driven telephone features with public safety.

PHOTO RON JEFFERS The addition of the 700-MHz band and rebanding of 800-MHz should provide for additional usable communications resources.

700-MHZ RADIO SPECTRUM/800-MHZ RADIO SPECTRUM REBANDING
As progress continues in relocating the remaining television stations that occupy portions of the 700-MHz band deeded to public safety, Morgan O'Brien, co-founder of Nextel, has drawn up a proposal that would radically change the way these new resources are deployed. Even before any significant systems have been rolled out, O'Brien has recommended that an additional 30-MHz of spectrum be added to what is already the largest chunk of airspace ever assigned to fire, rescue and law-enforcement agencies. Although the call for additional channels is not unusual, the manner in which O'Brien suggests they be managed is.

The proposal, which was presented at the International Wireless Communication Expo in Las Vegas on May 17, asks that this additional spectrum be leased to and developed by the private sector, as a means of developing technology and funding to support the public sector networks. As promising as this sounds, turning the idea into a reality may take some effort. If there's one thing public safety officials hate more than budget cuts, it's loss of control; asking them to relinquish management of any public resource to a for-profit organization goes against the established grain. We are five years past the Sept. 11 attacks, and turf battles are still as common a roadblock to interoperability as technology.

O'Brien's identification with Nextel also rubs some the wrong way. Nextel was heavily involved in the 800-MHz radio interference issue, and its proposal for relief was occasionally criticized because the way in which it redistributed resources appeared to give the company an advantage in the wireless market. 

For a time, Nextel was also aggressively marketing itself to municipalities as an alternative solution to two-way radio; however, since last season's rash of devastating storms and the merger of Nextel with Sprint last August, the company's focus has shifted to providing another layer of communications for first responders. Time will tell if this newest venture will usher in a new way of thinking or become a minor footnote.

In the interim, rebanding of the 800-MHz spectrum in order to better insulate public safety users from wireless telephone interference has begun; however, there have been some delays and some of the originally announced deadlines have been missed to allow for additional planning. On a positive note, the group serving as the official 800-MHz transition administrator recently announced the availability of a "fast track" option for users who meet certain criteria. If this option works as advertised, it should expedite the conversion process and help transfer needed funds to end users.

HURRICANE DISASTER COMMUNICATIONS
No overview of fire and rescue communications would be complete without a review of what we learned from hurricanes Katrina and Wilma. Although much news was rightfully focused on the overall devastation and loss of life, there were significant public safety issues that escaped national coverage. In Louisiana, 911 service was lost because of network failure between communities and the central office that processed and routed 911 calls, even though there were three diverse routes between those locations. As has often been said when reviewing Murphy's Law, Murphy was an optimist.

PHOTO GORDON NORD JR. Command vehicles address the technical needs of interoperability, but political issues are often harder to solve.

Wireless telephones were not without their trials either. Cellular service was spotty; it worked in some places, but not in others. Cell sites went dead when the batteries drained or the generators ran out of fuel. Most emergency power resources had not factored in the duration of the commercial power loss. Blocked roads and flooding kept crews from reaching sites and restoring operations. Carriers deployed resources into the affected regions, but the magnitude of the disaster exceeded their capacity. Cingular recently announced the roll-out of two additional mobile command centers, while other carriers have made similar improvements in readiness. Still, future storms that hit before the region has fully recovered will certainly put resources to the test.

Although the scale of the hurricanes' devastation was widespread, dealing with it remained a local matter well after the storms had passed. One of the more common complaints from jurisdictions at the time involved their inability to recharge portable radio or cell phone batteries. Units were almost constantly in use, and facilities with power were limited.

Another common concern: the lack of relief for telecommunicators. Facilities were insufficiently staffed to handle the initial call load and therefore were ill prepared to provide relief for personnel who literally lived at the 911 center for almost a week. Some eventually walked off the job because of stress, never to return. Many had damaged homes or families that were relocated out of state.

PHOTO MICHELLE FRENCH Fire and communications organizations have both been taking a hard look at improving mutual aid systems.

MUTUAL-AID PLANNING
In response to these issues, two pre-eminent organizations, NENA and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International, are pooling their resources to create a Telecommunicator Emergency Response Team task force, which will study the issues and recommend ways that communications centers can establish local, statewide and regional mutual-aid programs.

This initiative adds to the considerable amount of attention the fire service paid to mutual aid during the past year. In July 2005, FEMA, through the NIMS Integration Center, began work on the Intrastate Mutual Aid System (IMAS), designed to update plans and agreements within individual states, some of which have historically been little more than informal agreements. Ten states are currently participating, with 10 more hopefully joining in the future. The International Association of Fire Chiefs has also been involved in planning interstate mutual aid and will report on the progress made by its Mutual Aid System Task Force this fall.

If all of this seems complicated, the FCC has attempted to sort things out. In March 2006, the commission announced the creation of a Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau in an effort to streamline and consolidate public safety operations. According to a statement released by Chairman Kevin J. Martin, the purpose of this bureau is "to provide a single central hub for the development of policies and rules to promote reliable communications for public safety, national security and disaster management." The bureau will combine functions that had previously been managed in seven different operating areas and will contain policy, public communications and operations, and systems analysis divisions.

TECHNOLOGY ROLL-OUT
Despite the past year's focus on process, there have also been some attempts to place technology at first responders' disposal. Specifically, radio vendor M/A-COM has contracted with the City of New Orleans to implement an IP-based interoperability solution that links communications between the city and surrounding parishes. Future expansion is projected to include state, federal and military services as well, and is targeted at providing more robust and reliable communications during future hurricane seasons. Further, on June 15, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the start of a pilot program designed to provide New York City's emergency services with advanced wireless devices. During the competitive phase of what is thought to be a five-year, $500 million dollar project, wireless providers Motorola and Northrup-Grumman will showcase their competing technologies in an effort to win a contract with the program.

Involving numerous other governmental agencies, the scope of the initiative is widespread and integrates diverse requirements, such as radiological monitoring, electronic blueprints and mapping, and firefighter location accountability. When viewed on a municipal level, this may be one of the more ambitious undertakings ever proposed, based upon the scope of work and the number of tasks to be accomplished.

FUTURE DIRECTION
Where does the future of fire and rescue communications rest? Only time will tell. In addition to the demands placed upon services by first responders, we are entering an age of consumer driven improvements, where services and devices available for interpersonal communications will be looked upon as means of contacting emergency services. Author Arthur C. Clarke once said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." It will be interesting to see what the future holds.

Barry Furey is the director of the Raleigh-Wake Emergency Communications Center in Raleigh, N.C. He has more than 35 years of experience in public safety, both in the management of PSAPs and as a volunteer fire officer. He is also a life member of APCO and the author of the communications chapter of the sixth edition of "The Fire Chief's Handbook."