Oregon governor names council for public safety communications interoperability

According to Webster’s Dictionary, “inter” means “between,” “reciprocal” and “shared by or derived from two or more.” “Operability” means “to perform a function.” Put together as “interoperability,” the word means compatible communication in its purest form.

In the case of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber’s new statewide council on interoperability, it means tying public safety offices together with a wireless communications system, allowing them to communicate simultaneously among themselves during an emergency.

Interoperability among agencies is key to disaster management. Currently, public safety agencies with a variety of radios cannot all communicate with each other during an emergency because varied jurisdictions use different frequencies and bandwidths for wireless communications.

A law enforcement agency, for example, may not be able to directly communicate with the Oregon Department of Forestry administration to find out where homes and structures need to be evacuated during wildfires. Oregon’s new interoperability system would allow faster total communication among agencies and also “patch” in other emergency agencies responding to the same wildfire from different areas.

On Sept.10, in remarks that he made when signing of the executive order establishing the Statewide Interoperability Executive Council, Kitzhaber said: “In the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, everyone living in Oregon should expect public safety professionals to protect life and property, mitigate damage, and provide emergency assistance during disasters. To do their job effectively, these professionals depend on mission-critical information relayed via wireless communication systems.”

Kitzhaber added: “No Oregonian should ever lose their life in an emergency because public safety professionals were unable to adequately communicate with each other. Interoperable communications systems are the cornerstone of being able to provide a coordinated response to such emergencies.”

The council will plan for the creation of a wireless communication system that supports public safety at all levels, giving nearly every safety office communication capabilities beyond what they now possess.

The Statewide Interoperability Executive Council will consist of two members of the legislative assembly with interest in the public safety and wireless communications systems and 12 members from the following organizations:

• Oregon State Police

• Office of Emergency Management

• Department of Forestry

• Department of Corrections

• Department of Transportation

• Department of Administrative Services

• Department of Human Services (for emergency medical services)

• Oregon Military Department

• Oregon Fire Chiefs Association

• Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police

• Oregon State Sheriff’s Association

• Oregon Association of Public Safety Communications Officials/National Emergency Number Association

• Other federal, state and local organizations as deemed appropriate by the council.

According to Mike Zanor, chief information officer for the council, the first meeting of all appointed members will be held on Dec. 1 and will study the creation of a wireless communication system that would support public safety agencies at all levels and allow jurisdictions to contact each other, at any time before, during and after an emergency.

In addition, the council will direct planning, designing and implement guidelines, best practices and standard approaches to address the public safety communications issues, along with recommending funding strategies that support development of a statewide system.