ADRESSING FIRST RESPONDERS INTEROPERABILITY

American Homeland Security forces will be participating in the world’s first decentralized connectivity field trial at Washington and the Pentagon area.  First Responders are using different radio networks, during crisis and emergency. This phenomena becomes a problem, as the different agencies cannot communicate with each other directly, and need to use a center/gateway.

The problem of different radio networks is been demonstrated in almost every event where different forces are taking part. The most known example is the 9/11 attacks in New-York when the police, fire brigade, medical services and others on the scene were not able to communicate.

To overcome this operational problem, first responders and agencies decided to participate during the upcoming March in a field trial, there they will test their cooperation using decentralized connectivity technology enabling interoperability. Various Israeli companies technology address this need. Techmer and Acceleradio (“Dynamic Relay Systems (DRS)”) are some of the Israeli companies to offer this first responder’s agencies this technology. This technology enables the different agencies to continue using their current communications systems; however it allows them to connect with each other directly without using a center system.

For example, AcceleRadio’s technology automatically connects different radio systems used by different emergency units on scene, and DRS is a communications network that links up to existing tactical radio systems to ensure uninterrupted high quality conversation in all conditions.