The need for real-time information is critical for day-to-day and emergency response operations where multiple jurisdictions and disciplines interact. Plenty of homeland security related information exists at the local, tribal, state, and Federal levels, but since equipment investment decisions have been made based on the specific operational needs of individual agencies without benefit of any national strategy or standards, this information is often trapped in silos. As a result, potentially critical information often does not make it into the hands of the people who need it the most.
While these efforts represent important progress, the Nation’s ability to seamlessly share information across localities, states and regions is still limited. To address this problem, Keenwire is working with local, tribal, state, and Federal agencies to build on the shift away from proprietary, siloed systems toward standards-based, commodity-driven, open architecture technologies. This shift from proprietary systems allows technologies to connect more easily across disciplines and jurisdictions for emergency response operations.
Public safety’s use of wireless technology has evolved considerably from two-way radios to highly sophisticated information technology solutions deployed in the field. This ranges from on-scene geographical databases during fire response, chemical hazard databases, and the distribution of images from security cameras of robbery suspects and more.
While mobile data technologies such as packet radio, CDPD, and most recently wireless telephony “3G” networks have helped link public safety units in the field to their resources, such solutions are often inadequate, or too costly for any but the most demanding applications.
Broadband wireless networks owned and operated by public safety agencies are a feasible and surprisingly cost-effective way to meet public safety requirements.
The solution from first response providers is that they need more spectrum to extend and enhance their existing systems. The solution from the wireless telephone companies is, “Just wait until we get our “3G” systems up and running. The response from Keenwire is, “How can we help today?”