Kentucky's First Responders: Removing Barriers to Reach Interoperability

September 7, 2004

As we near the 3rd anniversary of September 11, 2001, Kentucky is aggressively working to remove barriers to allow for true interoperability for emergency and public safety first responders in the bluegrass. The goal of the effort is to improve communication interoperability which saves lives and reduces property loss in and around the scene of a disaster. Those efforts took a big step forward on August 4th in Frankfort, when Kentucky's Office of Homeland Security organized a conference of city, county and state first responders to begin laying the groundwork for an interoperable communication solution statewide.

The conference was attended by state and local officials who applied for homeland security grant funding through Kentucky's Office of Homeland Security. The main objective of the conference was to educate and inform public safety official regarding public safety interoperability in all levels of government and disciplines of public safety. Following the conference, the quarterly meeting of the Kentucky Wireless Interoperability Executive Committee (KWIEC) was held and several key initiatives were approved. Including:

• Approval of HB226 Reporting Format Template that agencies can use to submit the information about their communication systems as a requirement of HB226.
• Endorsement of a Statewide Wireless Voice Mutual Aid Plan
• Approval to pursue a strategic initiative for a Statewide Wireless Data Network
• Approval to support a tactical initiative to improve communications interoperability using networked voice gateway technology solutions

Kentucky's Executive Director of Homeland Security, Erwin Roberts, is working with KWIEC and the Commonwealth Office of Technology to get the most out of federal dollars now coming into Kentucky for homeland security. According to Roberts, "The solution we envision will be addressing the needs of both local first responders and state agencies. And it's more than purchasing equipment that can provide for effective communication. The effort to help make Kentucky safer is requiring all first responders to see themselves as one team and be open to the idea of adopting shared ideas and common ways of planning and communicating."

So far, the Office of Homeland Security has received over 220 grant applications from local and state offices for requests in excess of $130,000,000. Of the requested funds, roughly 60% were for interoperable communications equipment, while the remaining 40% represent various other critical needs that will be considered for funding. "By approaching these grant requests from an enterprise perspective, the Commonwealth could save tens of millions of dollars over funding individual solutions in cities and counties and give our first responders a better overall communications network," Roberts said.

Over the next few months, KWIEC will be working to create a statewide communication interoperability plan so that no life is lost because public safety personnel cannot communicate with one another.

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