Emergency communicationGAO: new emergency responder network lacks critical features
A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report concludes that limitations in the government’s plans to create a nationwide broadband network for first responders will require the continued use of the existing system for at least another decade
A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report concludes thatlimitations in the government’s plans to create a nationwide broadband network for first responders will require the continued use of the existing system for at least another decade.
The new broadband network will allow first responders from different jurisdictions to communicate, however, according to the GAO report, the new network lacks critical capabilities that the existing land mobile radio (LMR) systems have. As a result, existing LMR systems, which are expensive and limited in range, will continue to be used even after the new mobile broadband network is implemented.
For instance the new network, with its designated LTE standard, does not support basic voice capabilities like push to talk, group talk, and talk around – features that first responders need.
With group talk, emergency responders can communicate with many individuals, allowing officials to quickly spread mission-critical information. Meanwhile talk around is a commonly used feature that enables communications between units when they are out of range of a wireless network or when working in a confined area.
Without these features on the new mobile broadband network, the GAO report argues that the existing LMR system must continue to be used.
On the other hand, the new emergency broadband communications network will allow for greater interoperability as well as higher data speeds that will permit streaming video and data applications.
During the response to the 9/11 attacks the shortcomings of the existing system were made apparent when firefighters, police, and other emergency personnel from different agencies were unable to communicate with one another as they all had radios with different frequencies and capabilities, complicating cleanup efforts.
In the aftermath to 9/11, officials have pushed to create a new network that can allow for greater interoperability in times of crisis.
In contrast to the GAO report, a recently released report by the Council of Economic Advisers said the new network will allow first responders to work more efficiently by increasing interoperability capabilities.
“With sufficient dedicated spectrum for public safety use, public safety personnel will have access to critical information even in emergency situations when commercial wireless networks are congested,” the report said.
