Interoperability: Stop Blaming the Radio

摘要

One of the most pressing first responder issues emerging in the post- 9/11 era is the need to improve emergency scene radio communications. This concern actually pre-dates the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001, and has been a commonly cited issue, in dealing with nearly every disaster or incident of major significance, for many years. The one word repeatedly heard in describing the problems relating to disaster scene communications is interoperability. Without full consideration of all the causal factors, the charge has been to fix the oft-cited frustration of field responders being unable to communicate and all the blame has gone to interoperability. The 9/11 attacks were a catalyst for an unprecedented amount of money spent on radio hardware. The numbers are staggering: estimates range up to five billion dollars in homeland security grants to enable and facilitate emergency communications. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 again sent first responders looking for communications improvements. This article challenges first responders to look beyond technical solutions and consider other factors impeding emergency scene communications.