Why Interoperability is Essential for County Government

1
Why Interoperability is Essential for County
Government

• Jeff Arnold
• NACo Deputy Legislative Director

2
Why Interoperability is Essential for County
Government

• Operability before interoperability
• What really is interoperability?
• Voice, data and records
• Horizontal and vertical
• Who gets to decide?
• How do you know where you are?
• What does it have to do with continuity?

3
Why Interoperability is Essential for County
Government

• Things to think about
• First response
• Second response
• Jail
• Hospital
• Data
• Records
• Mutual aid

4
Why Interoperability is Essential for County
Government

• Other things to think about
• Offsite records retention
• Out of region assistance
• Other resources

5
Why Interoperability is Essential for County
Government

• Urban/Metro assessment
• Good progress
• Uneven
• Governance
• SOPs
• Training, exercise, usage

6
Best Practice Interoperability Examples

• Mike Sumnicht
• Motorola
• Maricopa County, AZ

7
Six Degrees of Interoperability
8
San Diego County REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS
SYSTEMRCS Overview
9
Regional Communications SystemVision

• To provide seamless wireless communications and
  interoperability for public safety/service
  agencies serving 3,000,000 people in San Diego
  County and Imperial County.
• No one should lose their life or property because
  public safety personnel cannot communicate with
  each other.

10
San Diego County RCSAt a Glance

• 18,000 users
• Over 200 agencies
• 68 sites
• 150 frequency pairs (power of sharing)
• 95 coverage requirement
• Achieving 97
• Participants share ongoing network operating
  costs
• High speed mobile data to be implemented

11
Regional Communications SystemProven Benefits of
RCS Approach

• The RCS provides key benefits to users
• Interoperability.
• Improved user safety
• Increased efficiency of diminishing resources.
• Enhanced wireless coverage.
• Enhanced disaster communications capability.
• Economies of scale and scope.

12
Regional Communications SystemShared Governance

• Partners approved a Participating Agency
  Agreement.
• San Diego County Board of Supervisors authorized
  RCS Board of Directors to administer system.
• Member agency representatives select the RCS
  Board of Directors.
• 13 members Chief/Department Head level fire,
  law, public service, representing their peer
  agencies.
• No politicians on Board of Directors.

13
Regional Communications SystemMilestones -
Timeline

• December 1992
• March 1995
• March 1996
• December 1996
• May 1998
• December 1999

• Board of Supervisors approved the RCS Business
  Plan.
• Governing bodies signed the Participating Agency
  Agreement.
• Board authorized contract with Motorola
  financing of remaining RCS components.
• Construction of 43 radio system transmission
  sites began.
• Participating agencies began using the RCS.
• Project Completion - San Diego County

14
Minnesota Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency
Response (ARMER)ARMER Overview
15
ARMER (Minnesota)Phased Approach
16
ARMER (Minnesota)At a Glance

• Phase 1 2
• Approximately 63 sites in 9 counties
• 17,000 users
• 158 dispatch positions at 20 centers
• Phase 3
• Adds 52 sites and 23 counties
• Zones in Rochester and St. Cloud
• Primary funding from E9-1-1 surcharge
• New sources being sought
• High speed mobile data to be implemented

17
Department of Homeland Security

• Tactical Interoperable Communications Scorecards
  Summary Report and Findings
• http//www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/grants-scorecar
  d-report-010207.pdf
• 170 page Summary and Findings Report

Intermediate Implementation
Early Implementation
Advanced Implementation
Established Implementation
18
Department of Homeland Security
19
DTV / 700MHz Funding Update

• No less than 1B for Public Safety Agencies for
  Interoperable Communications Systems no later
  than September 30, 2007
• DOC/NTIA in consultation with DHS (MOU)
• This program is to fund equipment that utilize
  the 700 MHz spectrum band or enable other
  equipment to utilize the band.

20
DTV / 700MHz Funding Update

• 20 match requirement from non-federal sources is
  a condition of the grant.
• Consistent with SAFECOM Guidance
• Consistent with state interoperability plans and
  state/urban area homeland security strategies
• High risk areas to get priority for a portion of
  the funding

21
Summary and Discussion

• Interoperability requires a vision
• Data and records interoperability becoming as
  important as voice
• Governance can be more difficult than funding and
  technology
• What are the other obstacles?

22
Contacts

• Jeff Arnold
• jarnold_at_naco.org
• 202-942-4286
• Mike Sumnicht
• michael.sumnicht_at_motorola.com
• 480-596-3894

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Backup slides
24
Regional Communications System Parties - Cost

• Local, county, state and federal participants
• Agencies may join as equity partners or as
  customers
• Currently over 200 government agencies and 13
  dispatch centers receiving RCS service
• SD County and Imperial County network cost 125
  M
• Participants share ongoing network operating
  costs
• Current Network Operating Charge (NOC) - 26.50
  per radio/month
• Estimated system life is more than 15 years

25
Regional Communications SystemTechnical Summary
- Data

• Voice and data systems are separate networks
• 29 Data System Repeater sites
• Motorola 800 MHz
• 19.2 KBPS (currently under contract to upgrade to
  96KBPS)
• Supports other frequency spectrum
• Wireless Network Gateway
• Supports TCP/IP
• Permits various data applications, including AVL
• Data network provides significant growth
  capability
• 95 Coverage requirement exceeds 97.

26
Regional Communications System User/Revenue Growth
Exceeds expected capacity
27
Regional Communications SystemWireless Design
Goals

• The RCS design goals
• Improve compatibility with existing 800 MHz
  systems.
• Provide highly reliable wireless voice and data
  networks.
• Provide minimum 95 wireless coverage of the
  roadway network.
• Provide wireless data access for computer
  applications, including
• Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)
• Law enforcement databases
• Computerized dispatch operations