interoperability continuum brochure 2

8/7/2019 Interoperability Continuum Brochure 2

1/5


2/5

Interoperability OverviewEmergency respondersemergency medical services (EMS), re-rescue personnel, and law enorcement ocersneed to share vital

data or voice inormation across disciplines and jurisdictions to successully respond to day-to-day incidents and large-scale emergencies

Many people assume that emergency response agencies across the Nation are already interoperable. In actuality, emergency responders

oten cannot talk to some parts o their own agencieslet alone communicate with agencies in neighboring cities, counties, or states.

Developed with practitioner input by the Department o Homeland Securitys SAFECOM program, the Interoperability Continuum is

designed to assist emergency response agencies and policy makers to plan and implement interoperability solutions or data and voice

communications. This tool identies ve critical success elements that must be addressed to achieve a sophisticated interoperability solu

tion: governance, standard operating procedures (SOPs), technology, training and exercises, and usage o interoperable communications.Jurisdictions across the Nation can use the Interoperability Continuum to track progress in strengthening interoperable communications

To drive progress along the fve elements o the Continuum and improve interoperability, emergencyresponders should observe the ollowing principles:

Gain leadership commitment rom all disciplines (e.g., EMS, re-rescue response, and law enorcement).

Foster collaboration across disciplines through leadership support.

Interace with policy makers to gain leadership commitment and resource support.

Use interoperability solutions regularly.

Plan and budget or ongoing updates to systems, procedures, and documentation.

Ensure collaboration and coordination across all Interoperability Continuum elements.

Interoperability Continuum ElementsInteroperability is a multi-dimensional challenge. To gain a true picture o a regions interoperability, progress in each o the ve inter-

dependent elements must be considered. For example, when a region procures new equipment, that region should plan and conduct

training and exercises to make the best use o that equipment.

Optimal interoperability is contingent on an agencys and jurisdictions needs. The Continuum is designed as a guide or jurisdictions

that are pursuing a new interoperability solution, based on changing needs or additional resources.

GovernanceEstablishing a common governing structure or solving interoper-

ability issues will improve the policies, processes, and procedures

o any major project by enhancing communication, coordina-

tion, and cooperation; establishing guidelines and principles; and

reducing any internal jurisdictional conficts. Governance struc-

tures provide the ramework in which stakeholders can collaborate

and make decisions that represent a common objective. It has

become increasingly clear to the emergency response community

that communications interoperability cannot be solved by any one

entity; achieving interoperability requires a partnership among

emergency response organizations across all levels o government.

As such, a governing body should consist o local, tribal, state,

and Federal entities as well as representatives rom all pertinent

emergency response disciplines within an identied region.

Individual Agencies Working IndependentlyA lack o coordina-

tion among responding organizations.

Informal Coordination Between AgenciesLoose line level or agen-

cy level agreements that provide minimal incident interoperability.

Key Multi-Discipline Staff Collaboration on a Regular BasisA

number o agencies and disciplines working together in a local

area to promote interoperability.

Regional Committee Working within a Statewide Communications

Interoperability Plan FrameworkMulti-disciplinary jurisdictions

working together across a region pursuant to ormal written agree

ments as dened within the larger scope o a state planpromot-

ing optimal interoperability.

Standard Operating Procedures

Standard operating proceduresormal written guidelines or

instructions or incident responsetypically have both operationa

and technical components. Established SOPs enable emergency

responders to successully coordinate an incident response across

disciplines and jurisdictions. Clear and eective SOPs are essential

in the development and deployment o any interoperable commu-nications solution.

Individual Agency SOPsSOPs exist only within individual agen-

cies and are not shared, resulting in uncoordinated procedures

and/or incompatible data systems among agencies that can hinder

eective multi-agency/multi-discipline response.

Joint SOPs for Planned EventsThe development o SOPs or

planned eventsthis typically represents the rst phase as agencies

begin to work together to develop interoperability.

Joint SOPs for EmergenciesSOPs or emergency level response

that are developed as agencies continue to promote interoperability


3/5

gional Set of Communications SOPsRegion-wide commu-

cations SOPs or multi-agency/multi-discipline/multi-hazard

sponses serve as an integral step towards optimal interoperability.

ational Incident Management System Integrated SOPsRegional

OPs are molded to conorm to the elements o the National

cident Management System.

Technology

chnology is a critical tool or improving interoperability, but it is

t the sole driver o an optimal solution. Successul implementa-

n o data and voice communications technology is supported by

ong governance and is highly dependent on eective collabo-

ion and training among participating agencies and jurisdic-

ns. Technologies should meet the needs o practitioners on the

ontlines and should address regional needs, existing inrastruc-

re, cost vs. benet, and sustainability. The technologies described

thin the Continuum must be scalable in order to eectively

pport day-to-day incidents as well as large-scale disasters. Many

mes, a combination o technologies is necessary to provide

ective communications among emergency responders. Security

d authentication challenges are present in each technology andust be considered in all implementation decisions.

ata Elements

wap FilesSwapping les involves the exchange o stand-alone

ta/application les or documents through physical or electronic

edia (e.g., universal serial bus devices, network drives, emails,

xes). This process eectively creates a static snapshot o in-

rmation in a given time period. Though swapping les requires

nimal planning and training, it can become dicult to manage

yond one-to-one sharing. With data requently changing, there

ay be issues concerning the age and synchronization o inor-

ation, timing o exchanges, and version control o documents.

ch o these issues can hinder real-time collaborative eorts. In

dition, the method o sharing les across unprotected networks

ses security concerns.

ommon ApplicationsThe use o common proprietary applica-

ns requires agencies to purchase and u se the same or compatible

plications and a common vocabulary (e.g., time stamps) to share

ta. Common proprietary applications can increase access to in-

rmation, improve user unctionality, and permit real-time inor-

ation sharing between agencies. However, the use o common

oprietary applications requires strong governance to coordinate

erations and maintenance among multiple independent agencies

d users; these coordinated eorts are urther compounded as the

gion expands and additional agencies use applications. Com-

on proprietary applications also limit unctionality choices as all

rticipating agencies must use compatible applications.

stom-Interfaced ApplicationsCustom-interaced applications

ow multiple agencies to link disparate proprietary applications

ing single, custom one-o links or a proprietary middle-

are application. As with common applications, this system can

crease access to inormation, improve user unct ionality, and

rmit real-time inormation sharing among agencies. Improving

on common applications, this system allows agencies to choose

their own application and control the unctionality choices. How-

ever, i using one-to-one interaces, the use o multiple applications

requires custom-interaces or each linked system. As the region

grows and additional agencies participate, the required number o

one-to-one links will grow signicantly. Proprietary middleware

applications allow or a more simplied regional expansion; how-

ever, all participants must invest in a single one-o link to t he

middleware, including any state or Federal partners. Additionally,

custom-interaced applications typically require more expensive

maintenance and upgrade costs. Changes to the unctionality o

linked systems oten require changes to t he interaces as well.

One-Way Standards-Based SharingOne-way standards-based

sharing enables applications to broadcast/push or receive/pull

inormation rom disparate applications and data sources. This

system enhances the real-time common operating picture and is

established without direct access to the source data; this system can

Usage Planned EventsRegional Incident

Management

Daily Use

Throughout Region

LocalizedEmergency

Incidents

Training &Exercises

General

Orientation onEquipment and

Applications

Single Agency

Tabletop Exercisesfor Key Field and

Support Staff

Multi-Agency

Full FunctionalExercises Involving

All Staff

Regular Comprehensive

Regionwide Training

and Exercises

Multi-Agency

Tabletop Exercisesfor Key Field and

Support Staff

TechnologySwap

RadiosShared Channels Proprietary Shared

SystemGateway Standards-Based

Shared System

VOICE

ELEMENTS

DATA

ELEMENTS

Swap

Files

Custom-Interfaced

Applications

One-WayStandards-Based

Sharing

Common

Applications

Two-Way

Standards-Based

Sharing

StandardOperating

Procedures

Individual

AgencySOPs

Joint SOPs

for Planned Events

Regional Set of

CommunicationsSOPs

Joint SOPs

for Emergencies

National Incident

ManagementSystem

Integrated SOPs

GovernanceKey Multi-Discipline

Staff Collaborationon a Regular Basis

Regional Committee

Working within a StatewideCommunications Interoperability

Plan Framework

Individual Agencies

WorkingIndependently

Informal

CoordinationBetween Agencies

LimitedLeadership,Planning,andCollaborationAmongAreas

withMinimalInvestme

ntintheSustainabilityofSystemsandDocumentation

also support one-to-many relationships through standards-based

middleware. However, because one-way standards-based shar-

ing is not int eractive, it does not support real-time collaboration

between agencies.

Two-Way Standards-Based SharingTwo-way standards-based

sharing is the ideal solution or data interoperability. Using

standards, this approach permits applications to share inormation

rom disparate applications and data sources and t o process the in-

ormation seamlessly. As with other solutions, a two-way approach

can increase access to inormation, improve user unctionality, and

permit real-time collaborative inormation sharing between agen-

cies. This orm o sharing allows participating agencies to choose

their own applications. Two-way standards-based sharing does not

ace the same problems as other solutions because it can support

many-to-many relationships through standards-based middleware.

Building on the attributes o other solutions, this system

eective in establishing interoperability.

Voice Elements

Swap RadiosSwapping radios, or maintaining a cache o

radios, is an age-old solution that is time-consuming, manag

tensive, and likely to provide limited results due to channel a

GatewayGateways retransmit across multiple requency

providing an interim interoperability solution as agencie

toward shared systems. However, gateways are inecient

they require twice as much spectrum because each partic

agency must use at least one channel in each band per co

talk path and because they are tailored or communicatio

the geographic coverage area common to all participating

Interoperability Continuum


4/5

Shared ChannelsInteroperability is promoted when agen-

cies share a common requency band or air interace (analog or

digital), and are able to agree on common channels. However,

the general requency congestion that exists nationwide can place

severe restrictions on the number o independent interoperability

talk paths available in some bands.

Proprietary Shared Systems and Standards-Based Shared

SystemsRegional shared systems are the optimal solution or

interoperability. While proprietary systems limit the users choiceo product with regard to manuacturer and competitive pro-

curement, standards-based shared systems promote competitive

procurement and a wide selection o products to meet specic user

needs. With proper planning o the talk group architecture, in-

teroperability is provided as a byproduct o system design thereby

creating an optimal technology solution.

Training & Exercises

Implementing eective training and exercise programs to practice

communications interoperability is essential or ensuring that the

technology works and responders are able to eectively communi-

cate during emergencies.

General Orientation on Equipment and ApplicationsAgencies

provide initial orientation to their users with regard to their

particular equipment and applications. Multi-agency/multi-juris-

dictional operations are oten an aterthought to this training, i

provided at all.

Single Agency Tabletop Exercises for Key Field and Support Staf f

Structured tabletop exercises promote planning and identiy

response gaps. However, single agency activities do not promote

interoperability across disciplines and jurisdictions. Additionally,

management and supervisory training is critical to promoting

routine use o interoperability mechanisms.

Multi-Agency Tabletop Exercises for Key Field and Support Staff

As agencies and disciplines begin working together to develop

exercises and provide eld training, workable interoperability solu-

tions emerge. Tabletops should address data and/or voice commu-

nications interoperability and ocus on eective inormation fow.

Multi-Agency Full Functional Exercises Involving All StaffOnce

multi-agency/multi-discipline plans are developed and practiced

at the management and supervisory level, it is critical that all sta

who would be involved in actual implementation receive training

and participate in exercises.

Regular Comprehensive Regionwide Training and ExercisesOptimal interoperability involves equipment amiliarization and an

introduction to regional/state interoperability at time o hire (or

in an academy setting). Success will be assured by regular, com-

prehensive, and realistic exercises that address potential problems

in the region and involve the participation o all personnel.

Despite the best planning and technology preparations, there is al-

ways the risk o the unexpectedthose critical and unprecedented

incidents that require an expert at the helm who can immediately

adapt to the situation. Within the Incident Command System,

these specialists are called Communications Unit Leaders. The

role o the Communications Unit Leader is a critical unction that

requires adequate training and cannot be delegated to an indi-

vidual simply because that person knows about communications

systems. Rather, the proper training o these individuals is o sig-

nicant importance to a regions ability to respond to unexpected

events, and it should prepare them to manage the communications

component o larger interoperability incidents by applying the

available technical solutions to the specic operational environ-

ment o the event.

Usage

Usage reers to how oten interoperable communications technolo

gies are used. Success in this element is contingent upon progress

and interplay among the other our elements on the Interoperabil-

ity Continuum.

Planned EventsEvents or which the date and time are known

(e.g., athletic events and large conerences/conventions that involve

multiple responding agencies).

Localized Emergency IncidentsEmergency events that involve

multiple intra-jurisdictional responding agencies (e.g., a vehiclecollision on an interstate highway).

Regional Incident ManagementRoutine coordination o respons

es across a region that include automatic aid re response as well

as response to natural and man-made disasters.

Daily Use Throughout RegionInteroperability systems are used

every day or managing routine as well as emergency incidents. In

this optimal solution, users are amiliar with the operation o the

system(s) and routinely work in concert with one another.

Leadership, Planning, and

CollaborationIn addition to progression along the ve elements o the Interoper

ability Continuum, regions should ocus on planning, conducting

education and outreach programs, and maintaining an awareness

o the specic issues and barriers that aect a particular regions

movement towards increased interoperability. For example, many

regions ace diculties related to political issues and the relation-

ships within and across emergency response disciplines (e.g.,

EMS, re-rescue response, and law enorcement) and jurisdic-

tions. Leaders o all agencies and political sub-divisions should

help to work through these challenging internal and jurisdictional

conficts as well as set the stage or a regions commitment to the

interoperability eort. Additionally, leaders must be willing tocommit the time and resources necessary to ensure the sustained

success o any interoperability eort. For example, ongoing main-

tenance and support o the system must be planned and incorpo-

rated into the budget.

In addition, collaboration should involve other agencies and organi

zations that may be critical in supporting the mission o emergency

responders. Examples include emergency management agencies,

the National Guard, public works, educational institutions/schools,

transportation, medical acilities, and large private acilities.

Continued from Technology - Voice Elements


5/5

SAFECOM is a communications program o the Department

o Homeland Security. SAFECOM provides research,

development, testing and evaluation, guidance, tools, andtemplates on interoperable communications-related issues

to local, tribal, state, and Federal emergency response

agencies. The Ofce o Emergency Communications (OEC)

supports SAFECOMs development o grant guidance,

policy, tools, and templates, and provides direct assistance

to local, tribal, state, and Federal practitioners. The Ofce

or Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC) supports

SAFECOMs research, development, testing and evaluation,

standards, and tools such as reports and guidelines. OEC

is an ofce within the Directorate or National Protection

and Programs. OIC is an ofce within the Science and

Technology Directorate.

_1 _18 _ 11 ; _31.3 _ _3.1 _ .3

_ _ _1 ; _ .8 _ .1 _1 . _ . 1

_ 1 _ _ ; _ . _ . _ . _ 1 . 1Visit www.saecomprogram.gov or call 1-866-969-SAFE

SustainabilityCommunications interoperability is an ongoing process, not a one-time investment. Once a governing body is set up, it must be pre-

pared to meet on a regular basis, drawing on operational and technical expertise to plan and budget or continual updates to systems,

procedures, and training and exercise programs. I regions expect emergency responders to use interoperable equipment on a daily

basis, supporting documentation and the installed technology must be well-maintained with a long-term commitment to upgrades and

the eventual replacement o equipment.

Lastly, an interoperability program should include both short- and long-term solutions. Early successes can help motivate regions to

tackle more time-consuming and difcult challenges. It is critical, however, that short-term solutions do not inappropriately drive the

planning process, but unction in support o a long-term plan.

National FrameworksAs an evolving tool, the Interoperability Continuum supports the National Preparedness Strategyand aligns with national rameworks in-

cluding, but not limited to, the National Response Framework, the National Incident Management System, the National Emergency Com-

munications Plan, and the National Communications Baseline Assessment. To maximize the Interoperability Continuums value to the

emergency response community, SAFECOM will regularly update the tool through a consensus process involving practitioners, technical

experts, and representatives rom local, tribal, state, and Federal agencies.

interoperability continuum brochure 2

Documents