First Response and Public Safety Communications Developments and Technology Issues

The importance of wireless communications in emergency response has expanded in parallel with increasing reliance on mobile communications across all sectors of the American economy. The consequences of failure in emergency communications networks have also grown, as the nation witnessed on 11 September 2001, and in the days that followed, as first responders and other emergency workers struggled to communicate with each other. The need for robust emergency communications was again underlined by network failures in the wakes of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, in 2005. Fixing the problems of communications interoperability and operability that hampered response and recovery in these and other catastrophic events has been and remains a long-term goal of policy makers. This book discusses issues that have risen for Congress with the first responder network and next-generation communications for public safety. It also provides a more comprehensive planning method that would enhance the cybersecurity of public safety entities' emerging technology.