Interoperability in Florida Bringing Down Barriers between Radio Systems December 14, 2004

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Floridas Interoperability Options Multiple
Tools in the ToolboxNovember 2006
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What is Interoperability?

• Communications interoperability is the ability of
  public safety agencies to talk across disciplines
  and jurisdictions via radio communications
  systems, exchanging voice and/or data with one
  another on demand, in real time, when needed, and
  as authorized.
• Dept. of Homeland Security
• The challenge in Florida
• Area covered 59,909 square miles
• Estimated of radio systems 150
• Estimated of dispatch centers 250
• Estimated of law enforcement and first
  responders 75,000

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Radio Interoperability Strategies and
Efforts(based on SAFECOM Interoperability
Continuum)
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SAFECOM Interoperability Continuumhttp//www.safe
comprogram.gov/SAFECOM/
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SLERS Third-party Subscribers

• Leverages States investment for benefit of other
  public safety agencies
• Provides direct interoperability with State law
  enforcement
• Six agencies using SLERS as their primary system
• -- Baker County -- Gulf County
• -- Franklin County -- Union County
• -- Glades County -- U. S. Social Security Admin.
• Three agencies for interoperability (up to 25
  radios)
• -- Broward Count Emergency Management Agency
• -- Hillsborough County
• -- Sumter County
• Other users U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
  Road Rangers

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Regional Domestic Security Task Forces (RDSTF)IO
Chairpersons
Leven Magruder, 850-891-5626
Capt. Randy Kerr, 352-264-6685
Tom Nudo, 850-784-6108
Tom Sorley, 407-836-2792
Pam Montanari, 727-582-2509
Bob Finney, 239-793-9498
Nancy Dzoba, 954-828-5698
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EDICS

• EMERGENCY DEPLOYABLE INTEROPERABLE
• COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
• Interoperable interface to secure and non-secure
  voice and data communication service
• For localized incidents that require disparate
  radios systems to communicate
• Radios must be able to reach their home radio
  system (permanent or portable/temporary system)
• System range is 1 1.5 miles (if used as
  temporary radio site)
• Custodial agencies Escambia Co, Tallahassee
  Fire, Alachua SO, Hillsborough Fire, Brevard SO,
  Lee County EM, Palm Beach SO, FDLE

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EDICS

• Nine trailers distributed throughout the state.
  Each trailer contains
• Motorola VHF-low band 2 each
• Motorola VHF-high band 2 each
• I-COM VHF-aircraft band
• Motorola UHF low band
• Motorola UHF high band 2 each
• ITT SINCGARS military
• Mitsubishi AMCELL satellite system
• Trans-Tel analog cellular PBX systems (2-5 bank
  PBX)
• Nextel interface with phone
• Motorola 800MHz trunked Type I, II/IIA,
• MA/COM EDACS 800 MHz
• FIN radio network configuration with canopy
  network access
• EDWARDS satellite connectivity package

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Mutual Aid Radio Cache (MARC)

• Provided by a grant from the State Fire Marshal
  to the Florida
• Fire Chiefs Association
• Eight units strategically located throughout
  Florida and operated by local jurisdictions.
• Each has
• VHF, UHF and 700/800 MHz portable radios
  (battery-powered)
• VHF, UHF and 800 MHz repeaters
• 100 collapsible tower
• Portable generator
• Custodial agencies
• North Bay Fire Control District Tallahassee FD
• Alachua County Fire Rescue Hillsborough County
  Fire Rescue
• Seminole County Fire Rescue Lehigh Acres Fire
  Control
• Martin County Fire Rescue

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Other Resources

• Transportable Systems
• SLERS, Pinellas and Polk Counties, others
• UASI-funded (5) Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Ft.
  Lauderdale
• Radio caches SLERS/FDLE, local agencies
• Mobile Command Vehicles Each has its own
  capabilities plus 81 were outfitted with a set of
  VHF, UHF and 700/800 MHz radios in 2005/06
• Specialized Communications Equipment (e.g., FDLE)

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Florida Interoperability Network

• Goals for FIN
• To enable first responders on disparate radio
  systems and frequencies to communicate directly
  with each other
• To provide resources that will serve first
  responders when they are out of their local
  service area
• To leverage the investments in existing systems
• To provide tools that can be used in planned
  interagency actions and emergency response
  situations as well as daily operations
• To have IO solutions that are always available
  and everywhere
• With the radio network in place and mutual aid
  build-out substantially completed, Florida is now
  poised to be the first state in the country to
  have a truly seamless, interoperable first
  responder radio system.

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Project Approach

• Improve interoperability statewide with two
  strategies
• Provide network connections (radio network)
  between all Florida dispatch centers and their
  radio systems with an interoperability tool to
• Connect disparate radio systems
• Provide intercom/conferencing capability between
  dispatch centers
• Allow remote access to radios at remote sites
• Build out an additional nine mutual aid channels
  throughout the state (on ramp to the network)
• All while serving all first responders and
  maintaining the autonomy of local systems

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Florida Interoperability Network (FIN) Overview
OMC Server
SIP Server
1....to....8
Dispatch Workstation
Typical Dispatch Centers
Operations Management Center (Main and Backup)
Regional SIP Server
Other Dispatch Location
Other Dispatch Location
Regional SIP Server (Qty. 7)
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Using FIN

• Always on, always there
• Uses of Network
• Use for everyday mutual aid communications
  between local agencies
• Planned events e.g. sporting events, VIP visits
• Pursuits
• Local emergencies
• Use for major events or emergency situations
• Super Bowl
• Fleetweek (Federal, State, and Local)
• Hurricane response and recovery

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Mutual Aid Build-out
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Status as of Nov. 1, 2006

• Radio Network
• Number of participating sites
• 226 dispatch centers (fire rescue, EMS and law
  enforcement)
• State Emergency Operations Center
• 9 EDICS (Emergency Deployable Interoperable
  Comm. Systems)
• Number of counties with a network participant 64
  
• Number of sites installed over 220
• Trainees Over 625 users trained by Motorola and
  over 400 by regional peer trainers
• Mutual Aid Build-out
• For known gaps, all 400 installations to be
  completed by Dec. 2006, followed by coverage
  testing
• Audits of existing mutual aid sites are being
  analyzed to identify unknown gaps that may
  require updating the equipment

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Communications Asset Management (CAM) Tool

• Developed by DOD
• For UASI grant cities/regions
• Will be expanded to State radio plan
• Program places equipment on an interactive map
• Web-based application
• Visualization of agencies, radio systems and
  tower locations for an urban area in a geographic
  map representation

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CAM Tool

• Agency icons reflect the highest level of
  interoperability they utilize
• Pop-up windows provide detailed information about
  agencies, radio systems, towers and
  interoperability for each icon
• Compatibility Tool shows communication
  interoperability between two selected agencies
• A pop-up window will identify the potential
  method(s) of interoperability.
• Interoperability matrix showing highest level of
  interoperability that is possible between all
  agencies in a matrix presentation
• Available to UASI cities at this time

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CAM Initial View
Agency Icon Legend
Map Layer and Tool Options
Map Context Reference (when using Zoom Feature)
Cursor Position
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Agency Layer (Default)
Cursor select Agency Icon, and Detail Information
Popup appears.
Bolded info can be selected to launch additional
Info Popups.
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Interoperability Methods Currently in Use
selected to launch popup.
Interoperability Methods listed in order of
Interoperability Continuum hierarchy. Systems in
use by Agency are listed next to IC Method.
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CAM Radio Systems View
Radio System Layer
Radio System Icon Legend
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Select Radio System Icon and Radio System Detail
Popup appears.
Select Individual Radio System Tower and Tower
Detail Popup will appear.
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Interoperability Layer
Color Displayed is for the Highest Level of
Interoperability used by Agency.
Interoperability Continuum Icon Legend
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Select Agency Interoperability Icon, and the
Interoperability Detail Popup appears.
Interoperability Methods are listed in hierarchal
order (P25 Standards Based representing the
highest level on the Interoperable Continuum).
Specific Agency Systems in use are listed
adjacent to applicable Methods.
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Click and drag the cursor between two agencies,
and a Compatibility Popup and line (connecting
the agencies) will appear. The line will be
colored according to the highest level of
interoperability that exists between the two
agencies.
Compatibility Layer
The Popup shows the possible methods of
Interoperable communications that exist between
the selected agencies. Again, bolded items can be
selected to provide added detail.
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CAM Compatibility Matrix
When Compatibility Matrix is selected from the
File Menu, the Matrix window appears showing
level of compatibility between Agencies.
The Intersection of agency rows is color coded
according to the level of interoperability
between agencies (see the Interoperability Legend
on the Map). Shown here are Blue -
Proprietary Grey - Gateway Yellow - Shared
Channels Red No Interoperability White -
intersection of agency with itself.
The Urban Area Agencies appear on both top and
side.
The details of the Inter-Agency Interoperability
can be viewed if you select the intersecting cell.
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Questions?

• Linda Fuchs
• Dept. of Management Services
• Email linda.fuchs_at_dms.myflorida.com
• Office 850-488-8036
• Cell 850-766-2419
• Carlton Wells
• Dept. of Management Services
• Email carlton.wells_at_dms.myflorida.com
• Office 850-922-7426
• Cell 850-766-3568
• SLERS and FIN web sites via
• http//dms.myflorida.com/eits/enterprise_public_sa
  fety