State and Local Keynote: Ensuring Operational Success – Keeping Up With the Demand for Interoperable Emergency Communications

Wednesday, May 25th
1:00pm1:30pm

Auditorium

About the Session

Physical security and cybersecurity professionals often seek to provide a multilayered approach to safeguarding their companies, organizations, personnel, facilities, systems and reputations. Solutions are often complex and multi layered. This same model, combined with a sense of urgency, is required to support interoperable emergency communications.

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, “Interoperability” is the ability of emergency response agencies to talk to one another via communication systems – to exchange voice and/or data with one another on demand, in real time, when needed and as authorized; however, a significant number of after action reports from various major incidents or events identify multiple instances where communications (voice, data, video) has completely failed, strained response operations or caused a significant breakdown in processes.

Understanding the whole emergency communications ecosystem is an essential first step to any daily activity (organizational mission), special event, first amendment activity, national special security event, DHS Special Event Assessment Rating rated events or natural/manmade disasters. Providing uninterrupted communications – operable, interoperable and continuity of communications, combined with a well thought out P.A.C.E. (primary, alternate, contingency and emergency) plan, is crucial to ensuring operational success.

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