SCIP Monthly Update August 2009

Survey results ...

August 14, 2009

State’s Interoperability Vision

The State of Maine will have a firmly established, formally managed and maintainable communications environment, based on technology, protocols, training and usage, that will provide seamless communications capability to all emergency management, first responder, and response support organizations at the local, regional and State levels, enabling them to exchange information via voice and data means, as required by standard NIMS response procedures, to provide effective, coordinated and timely all hazards response to our citizens.

State Interoperability Communications Coordinator

The Communication Survey results: The results can be accessed on the MEMA website: Go to programs and then Communications.

This is how you rated the Interoperability Continuum in your own communities.

Preliminary results of the Survey question #4:

Usage:

Excellent: 10%
Needs Improvement: 01%
Average: 11%

Comments:

See training
Always room for improvement good training between many organizations so we are ready on actual events
We have responded to two cities, several towns, three Counties, and have been able to communicate to all incidents with other Fire Departments
Planned usage goes well, every incident locally goes well
We need to do more exercises
We use this extensively for all hazards operations
Locally we use ICS daily
Hard to use if it doesn’t work
We do very well with what we have

If you haven’t received a State of Maine Conops Disk, please contact Steven Mallory at (207)624-4476 or email: steven.mallory@maine.gov.

Where can I learn more about Interoperability?

Go to: http://www.safecomprogram.gov

Five tips for Communications Unit Leader (COML) Training:

The Incident Radio Communications Plan is also referred to the ICS Form 205
The COML student must also satisfactorily complete IS 700a - IS 800b and ICS 100 - ICS 300.
The COML should be knowledgeable of local, regional, state communications plans and Tactical Interoperable Communications Plans (TICP), if available
The COML should also know system site locations
The COML should also have knowledge of the local topography

Communications Unit Leader(COML) Training

There will be another COML Training class on November 17-19, 2009; this class will be held in Saco. Further details will be coming out shortly…

SOP Project

On August 27th MEMA will begin meeting with Washington County for an All Hazards Communications Plan project.

Transit Survey:

On August 11th, MEMA sent out a survey to our partners. The specific focus is on transit organizations and entities to determine operability. Our goal is to develop a stakeholders group to ensure transit agencies interoperability issues are identified and a strategic plan to address them.

If you are a Transit Agency and did not receive the survey please contact Steven Mallory at MEMA.

U.S.-Canada Cross Border Interoperable Communications Workshop

On May 13 – 15, 2009, the Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) and Public Safety Canada (PS Canada) hosted the first US-Canada Cross Border Interoperable Communications Workshop. This event brought together public safety communications practitioners and policymakers from both the U.S. and Canada to Niagara Falls, New York, to discuss enhancing interoperable communications on and along the common border.

OEC and PS Canada organized the workshop as an opportunity for participants to identify existing gaps in cross border public safety communications and to develop solutions for enhancing interoperable communications capabilities. More than 150 participants, including Statewide Interoperability Coordinators and representatives from States along the U.S. northern border, contributed to three days of discussions and presentations. This included in-depth breakout sessions on the issues of spectrum coordination, air and marine interoperability, and administrative and operational solutions to interoperable wireless communications.

One of the several plenary sessions focused on challenges State and local governments face in establishing statewide interoperability while adhering to laws and regulations within the coordination zone. Such restrictions can contribute to the already daunting challenge of developing and implementing systems, plans, and governance structures at the State level. Terry LaValley from the Vermont Department of Public Safety and Scott Bradford from the Montana Department of Administration shared some of their experiences in tackling these challenges and in maximizing the use of available resources to establish operability and interoperability.

OEC and PS Canada will release a summary of proceedings documenting the more than 20 potential best practices and 30 follow-on action items identified at the workshop. This includes a number of commitments by Federal leadership in attendance for expanding support for these efforts further into the emergency communications community and with other government leaders.

Contact:

Steven Mallory
(207)624-4476

MAINE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY