Emergency Communications Interoperability

The federal and state governments have acted to make emergency communications interoperability a priority in efforts to improve safety for first responders and to coordinate emergency response. (FA-01 through FA-03)

The Emergency Planning Council has been actively engaged in supporting emergency communications interoperability. The standing ETC has been charged with developing the TICP and with advising the Emergency Planning Council on its progress. (FA-06 and FA-07)

The ETC has completed initial preparation of the TICP. (FA-09) Emergency Communications Interoperability 5

Emergency first responders and support agencies are well represented on the ETC. (FA-12)

The OES has made important contributions to communications interoperability through its participation on the ETC and its assistance with grant funding, including funds to obtain a gap analysis for the TICP. (FA-13 and FA-14)

Significant progress has been made toward improving emergency communications interoperability in the County Operational Area. (FA-15)

A completed gap analysis will be important to the continued improvement and timely implementation of the TICP. (FA-16)

While communications interoperability training will be a major component of a May 2011 disaster exercise, coordinated, continuing, interoperability training has yet to be implemented for first responders. (FA-17 and FA-18) Recommendations

Documents provided by the ETC indicate that the Operational Area TICP was completed in October 2010 in conformance with a template provided by Homeland Security.

The TICP includes detailed inventories of the availability and capability of two-way radio equipment used and shared by all the participating agencies in the County. Instructions for accessing the equipment and contact information are also included. This equipment is also available for assignment to assisting agencies from outside the County.

“Gateway devices” are those which make communication possible between emergency responders who do not share the same radio frequencies. These devices are part of the extensive TICP inventory.

According to information provided by the ETC, the County and all cities in the County are represented on the committee. Some cities are directly represented and others are represented by the Sheriff’s Department and/or the County Fire Department. Committee Emergency Communications Interoperability 3 participants currently include the following agencies and organizations: • Amateur Radio Emergency Service • California Emergency Management Agency • California Highway Patrol • City of Fillmore Fire Department • City of Ojai • City of Oxnard Police and Fire Departments • City of Port Hueneme Police and Fire Departments • City of Santa Paula Fire Department • City of Simi Valley Police Department • City of Ventura Police and Fire Departments • County of Ventura • County of Ventura Fire Department • County of Ventura OES • County of Ventura Sheriff • United States Navy

According to documents provided by the OES, that office administers two Homeland Security grant programs. Those programs are the Ventura County Homeland Security Grant Program, intended to enhance regional preparedness, and the Oxnard-Thousand Oaks Urban Area Security Initiative Grant Program, intended to provide regional preparedness in high-threat, high-density metropolitan areas.

In fiscal year 2010, the County, through the OES, allocated $734,329 from the Urban Area Security Initiative Grant Program to enhance interoperable communications. These funds were directed to the following projects: • the purchase of radios for first responders and area hospitals • the licensing and installation of a countywide radio frequency and related equipment in dispatch centers to facilitate interoperable communications among users not sharing the same frequencies • an interoperable communications gap analysis

According to documents provided by the ETC, the following improvements to emergency communications interoperability have been achieved in the County Operational Area: 4 Emergency Communications Interoperability • a TICP that complies with Homeland Security requirements has been prepared with the participation of all committee members • a Standardized Interoperable Field Operations Guide complying with Homeland Security requirements has been updated with current and appropriate information • a simulcast upgrade is underway that will provide 60% more wireless radio coverage and increased functionality for first responders • a narrowband radio upgrade, mandated by the Federal Communications Commission, is in process; it is tied to the simulcast project and will require the upgrade of all emergency radios in the County • a microwave upgrade that will increase microwave network sites from six to eighteen, to cover the entire County, is scheduled for completion in 2011 • radio traffic will run through the microwave network which will also handle current and future upgrades such as data and video transmissions

The ETC has approved a Request for Proposal outlining the gap analysis requirements to be met by potential consultant contractors. The Request for Proposal has been approved by the County’s purchasing authority and is awaiting distribution. The analysis is intended to guide future efforts to implement the TICP by the target date of 2017, as imposed by the California State Communications Interoperability Plan.

The OES has planned a countywide disaster exercise, scheduled for May 2011, that will, in part, stress communications interoperability.

The Grand Jury was unable to locate evidence of a coordinated countywide effort to provide continuing interoperability training to first responders. Findings