Interoperability through Mutual Aid Channels

1
Interoperability through Mutual Aid Channels

• Ernie Crist
• Harford County, Maryland
• David Wise
• Howard County, Maryland

2
Central Maryland Area RadioCommunications
Project

• (CMARC)

3
CMARC MembersFederal, State Local Public
Safety Agencies

• Cities Annapolis Baltimore
• Counties Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll,
  Harford, Howard Queen Annes

4
CMARC Jurisdictions
City of Annapolis
Baltimore City
Anne Arundel County
Baltimore County
Carroll County
Harford County
Howard County
Queen Annes County
5
Project Background

• Wireless Radio Interoperability Long Standing
  Problem
• Before After 9/11, Baltimore Metropolitan
  Council Maryland Emergency Management Agency
  (MEMA) identified gaps in Regions ability to
  respond to terrorism Radio Interoperability
  cited as critical problem

6
Project Background

• Opportunities for funding emerged
• Baltimore Urban Area Initiative
• COPS Office
• FEMA
• CMARC Project Team rejuvenated

7
Interoperability Problems

• Public Safety Radio Systems Are
• Limited by Jurisdictional Boundary Lines
• Not easily networked
• Limited by available channels technology

8
Interoperability Solutions

• Radio sharing
• Sharing SYS Keys
• Patching (including use of Integrator)
• Use of National Calling/Tactical Channels
• Does not require special technology / equipment
• Increases capacity (more channels for radio
  transmissions)
• Fast easy to use

9
CMARC Goals

• Deploy infrastructure for Region-wide use of
  8CALL 8TAC channels (Obj On street portable
  radio coverage)
• Pursue technology for user friendly network
  management
• Explore band bridge options (to tie together UHF,
  VHF Fed.
• call and tactical channels)

10
Project Management

• P.M. Oversight Team formed with the following
  sub-teams
• Technical Team (Technology Related issues)
• Users Group (Operating Procedures)
• Finance (Grant Budget Activities)
• Project Manager consults with all participating
  agencies
• Decisions based on group consensus
• Part-time consultant utilized

11
Project Phases

• Phase I
• Deploy equipment at limited number of sites to
  cover most critical public private
  infrastructure
• Use MEMA as Control Point
• Activate tactical channel repeaters via low-tech
  DTMF decoders
• Develop user operating procedures
• Demonstrate system capabilities via testing,
  exercises field use
• Cost - 1 million

12
Project Phases

• Phase II
• Deploy equipment at sites to cover entire region.
• Budget - 2 Million
• Procure Deploy Network Management System.
• Budget - 5 Million

13
Project Phases

• Phase III
• Enhance network management technology
• Upgrade subscriber radios
• Procure mobile site for region
• (Cell On Wheels)
• Periodic training exercises

14
User Operating Procedures

• Easy to understand
• Include system use flowcharts
• Consistent with Statewide procedures
• Plain English terminology
• Monthly tests

15
User Operating Procedures

• System Use Parameters
• For responders from different jurisdictions or
  agencies that need radio interoperability.
• To improve coverage during situation requiring
  radio interoperability
• To add capacity to existing radio system

16
Concept of Operations

• MEMA is Control Point monitors 8CALL
• Requests to activate 8TAC coordinated by MEMA (to
  avoid interference)
• Local dispatch activates repeaters and controls
  assigned 8TAC
• All repeaters de-activated at conclusion of
  incident

17

• System
• Use Scenarios

18
CMARC CHART I

• Use of CMARC for
• Incident Command/Unified Command
• During Catastrophic
• Emergency Incident

19
CMARC Chart I
A police or fire communications manager will
notify dispatch center of a large scale emergency
request to use one or more of the National
Tactical Channels.
8-CALL
A police or fire communications manager uses
8-CALL to request MEMAs activation of 8-TAC
channels.
Local Dis. Center
Maryland Emergency Management Agency MEMA assigns
announces use of appropriate 8-TAC channels to
all CMARC users.
8-CALL
Dispatch center or command personnel request the
use of additional 8-TAC channels.
20
CMARC Chart I contd.
RINS channel 8-TAC direct (Low power talk
around channels for Intra-agency Inter-agency
operational communications).
PSAP/Dispatch Center will monitor, assign
control tactical channels.
8-TAC
Incident Command
Incident Command System Branches
8-TAC
RINS 1
8-TAC
OR
Highest level of Police Operational Command
RINS 2
D-1
RINS 3
D-2
8-TAC
RINS 4
D-3
Highest level of Fire/EMS Operational Command
RINS 5
D-4
8-TAC
RINS 6
Planning, Logistics Finance/Administration
Emergency Communications/Sharing Across Agency
Lines
21
CMARC CHART II

• Use of CMARC for an event
• involving personnel from multiple
• jurisdictions in need of radio
• interoperability.

22
INCIDENT Rescue, crowd control, etc involving
multiple jurisdictions
CMARC Chart II
County/City Dispatch Center
Incident Command
Jurisdictions A B
Request for 8-TAC for Incident Command
MEMA assigns 8-TAC Channels
8-TAC D and/or RINS can be utilized
for operational subgroup.
Jurisdiction A
Jurisdiction B
8-TAC OR RINS
23
CMARC CHART III

• Use of CMARC for
• mobile incident
• (multi-jurisdictional pursuit)

24
County/City Dispatch Center
CMARC Chart III
A police officer notifies dispatcher of a
multi-jurisdictional vehicle pursuit and requests
permission to continue the pursuit utilizing the
8-CALL channel.
County/City Dispatch Center
PSAP/Dispatch monitor the activated 8-CALL
8-TAC channel.
MEMA announces the use of 8-CALL on a temporary
basis.
8-CALL
25
CMARC Chart III contd.
Assisting units from surrounding
jurisdictions/agencies are informed of the
pursuit and are directed to switch their radios
to 8-CALL.
8-CALL
26
CMARC Chart III contd.
Once the pursuit has become stationary MEMA will
inform the users to switch to the appropriate
8-TAC channel designated for use by the
jurisdiction in which the pursuit ended.
RINS 1
8-TAC D-1
RINS 2
AND OR
8-TAC D-2
RINS 3
8-TAC
8-TAC D-3
RINS 4
8-TAC D-4
RINS 5
The dispatch center through which the pursuit is
passing will contact communications.
RINS 6
Emergency Communications/Sharing Across Agency
Lines
27
Project Problems

• Scope Creep
• Technical Deliverables Vs.
• User Needs
• EVER Changing Technology
• Sharing Control of System

28
Project Bonuses

• Sharing of Info. Resources
• Group Problem Solving New Ideas
• Increase in Communications
• Between Levels of Government
• Between Agencies (Fire, Police, Public Works,
  etc.).
• Between Technicians Users
• Consolidated Plan For Future

29
TAC-STACKNo Band Left Behind

• The Future?

30
TAC-STACK Concept

• Group of Base/Repeater stations operating on core
  group of National TAC interoperability
  frequencies
• These Mutual Aid Channels are links between
  different frequency bands are independent of
  proprietary operating systems

31
TAC-STACK Concept

• Deployed for maximum coverage, consistent
  performance between bands
• Frequency re-use maximized (Key issue
  simultaneous use without interference for
  multiple, unrelated incidents)

32
National Interoperability Frequencies

• 8TAC
• 8CALL
• 8TAC1
• 8TAC2
• 8TAC3
• 8TAC4

• VTAC
• VCALL
• VTAC1
• VTAC2
• VTAC3
• VTAC4

• UTAC
• UCALLa
• UCALL
• UTAC1a
• UTAC1
• UTAC2a
• UTAC2
• UTAC3a
• UTAC3

33
Technical Concept
34
Questions?
35
(No Transcript)