Cover Story

Are we there yet?

By Donny Jackson (donald.jackson@penton.com)

Public-safety communications infrastructure has improved greatly since 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. But questions persist as to whether the policies and plans currently in place are adequate for another event of that magnitude....

Features

Free flow

By Lynnette Luna

Vendors and operators work to solve the transmission bottleneck in emergency alert systems....

A wild ride

By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)

Coordination and communication were crucial to suppression during Jesusita Fire. ...

Keen vision

By Leonhard Korowajczuk and Jasper Bruinzeel

Analytics technology is providing public-safety agencies with new ways of using surveillance video....

Get your ducks in a row

By Todd Perdieu

Don't wing it when planning a system migration....

Calm after the storm

By Charles Rubin

Weather damage leads to a system upgrade....

Best in class

By Jay M. Jacobsmeyer, P.E.

Why public safety is endorsing 4G LTE for 700 MHz broadband data....

First Word

Seeing is believing

By Glenn Bischoff (glenn.bischoff@penton.com)

What is surprising is that some people still question whether this nationwide broadband network for public safety is needed. I think this is because they generally are content with their current data capabilities and have yet to grasp broadband's potential....

Dispatches

Solution may be near for prepaid wireless 911 funding dilemma

By Glenn Bischoff

The advent of prepaid wireless phones created a nasty problem for the 911 emergency communications sector. Where wireless operators collect 911 fees from their monthly subscribers, they cannot collect from prepaid customers because those customers don’t have billing plans; they simply purchase minutes through various retail outlets....

TerreStar readies for launch of next-gen satellite

By Donny Jackson

Satellite-communications provider TerreStar Networks is scheduled to launch a next-generation satellite tomorrow that is expected to bring satellite functionality to everyday devices, including consumer wireless handsets and — eventually — LMR radios used by public-safety personnel....

Fire departments dropping pagers in favor of emergency dispatch solution

By Lynnette Luna

Some fire departments and rescue squads are dropping their pagers in favor of an emergency dispatch solution that allows messages to be transmitted onto a host of mobile devices that fire officials already carry around....

DHS announces final phase of multiband radio testing

By Mary Rose Roberts

The U.S. DHS Science and Technology Directorate announced the 14 lead organizations for the upcoming pilot phase of testing and evaluation for the multiband radio project....

Genachowski sworn in as FCC head

By Donny Jackson

New FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski was sworn in today, providing the agency with its first permanent chairman in five months and marking the end of Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein's tenure on the commission....

Flow Mobile seeks 700 MHz waiver for North Dakota

By Donny Jackson

Flow Mobile, a North Dakota–based wireless startup company, has asked the FCC for a 700 MHz waiver that would let it build a broadband wireless network that would demonstrate the viability of a public/private shared network for public safety in North Dakota and other rural states....

View from the Top

Uniting under P25

By Brenda Herold

History has established P25 as a fully vetted, adopted and vibrant standard that continues to expand and grow with new technological enhancements and innovation created specifically with public-safety users' needs in mind....

On the Line

Other side of paradise

By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)

Given Hawaii's topology and hydrology, the Honolulu Fire Department's search-and-rescue team has to deal with a wide — or is it wild? — array of calls....

Gear

Mesh network powered by trees detects fire dangers

By Mary Rose Roberts

The U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have tested a wireless environmental-monitoring system used to help first responders prepare for wildfires and disastrous events....

OnSite ERT tracks firefighters at scene

By Mary Rose Roberts

ERT Systems recently released OnSite ERT, a rapidly deployable system for tracking emergency personnel and equipment at a scene, said company president Dennis Carmichael. ...

Gear

New products, including a data radio for utilities, smart energy products, and a FIPS-certified mobile VPN....

Cognitive and Software-Defined Radios

Learn about cognitive and software-defined radios from Etherstack, Thales Communications, Motorola, and Harris RF Communications....

OnStar system alerts first responders about serious injuries

By Mary Rose Roberts

OnStar has developed an Injury Severity Prediction system that will let OnStar advisors alert first responders when a vehicle crash is likely to have caused serious injury...

Proxim introduces new backhaul solutions for video surveillance

By Lynnette Luna

Proxim Wireless introduced a 4G backhaul product line for both the point-to-point and the point-to-multipoint markets in the commercial, wireless ISP and government sectors....

Final Word

Licensees beware

By Alan Tilles

A number of issues have been distorted on the Web. Narrowbanding, rebanding, construction rules, carrier obligations are but a few of the confused issues. When industry members rely on these misinterpretations of law, licenses can be lost, fines can be imposed and opportunities can be missed....