Interoperability in the Commonwealth of Virginia

1. Interoperability in the Commonwealth of Virginia

2. What is Interoperability? Interoperability The ability of emergency response officials to share information via voice and data signals on demand, in real time, when needed, and as authorized. For example When communications systems are interoperable, police and firefighters responding to a routine incident can talk to each other on scene to coordinate efforts. 

3. Why is Interoperability Important?

4. Mission & Vision Mission Improve public safety communications in the Commonwealth of Virginia through enhanced voice and data communications interoperability. Vision By 2015, agencies and their representatives at the local, regional, state, and federal levels will be able to communicate using compatible systems, in real time, across disciplines and jurisdictions, to respond more effectively during day-to-day operations and major emergency situations.

5. Effective Governance Structures The Commonwealth’s stakeholder driven approach to Strategic Plan Implementation…

6. VA’s Interoperability Governance Structure

7. Role of the CICO SCIP Program Management - Leverage all components of the statewide governance structure to facilitate the development and update of the SCIP - Drive and coordinate the effort to implement the SCIP by setting timelines and project plans for making progress against the Initiatives Outreach - Maintain a database list of SME stakeholders across the State. - Liaise among the Federal government, State agencies and officials, bordering States’, regional and local emergency response community (including UASIs) and Tribal Nations. - Be the point of contact for the Federal government and industry on statewide interoperable communications - Participate in interoperability conferences and workshops

8. Virginia’s Seven Regions

9. How did we get started? • Establish Regions/Groups • Legislative mandate for Regions • Make strong connections in each region • Build stakeholder base and buy-in • Their membership and voice on the SIEC helps foster subgroups within their own regions and build out regional interoperability governance structures

10. Getting the word out… • To ensure the localities would be well represented in each region, letters were sent to all Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) around the Commonwealth. • Each locality was asked to send a primary & alternate representative from a variety of disciplines (fire, law enforcement, EMS, technology, etc.). • At the meetings, localities were informed about the RPAC-Is and the office’s desire to include them in decision making at the state level through the State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC).

11. RPAC-I One Pager

12. SIEC Priorities & Initiatives • Outreach & Education • A fully Developed Statewide System of Systems • Multi-discipline/Multi-jurisdiction/Cross-regional • National Interoperability Channels in all radios • Narrowband and P25 compliance • Strategic, Operational and Tactical Interoperability • Baseline Data Call – CASM & Beyond

13. Grants Coordination • Multiple funding streams • PSIC (one-time $ stream) • SHSGP (annual equipment) • IECGP (annual planning/training/exercises) • Regional project prioritization through RPAC-Is • SIEC Grants Working Group evaluates • SIEC Makes Recommendations to the Governor for projects to fund

14. Who are the other key players? • The Wireless Services Board (911 Coordination) • The State Agencies Radio System (STARS) • VGIN - GIS • Our Neighbors across the state lines (AHC, RECCWG) • Our Federal Partners (VMAC) • FCC Regions 20 & 42

15. Defining the Capability Target Capabilities provide a starting framework Baseline Update will help to identify capabilities and gaps Using the DHS Safecom Continuum Performance Measurement is Key Beyond technology, we anticipate a need for common operating processes, procedures, protocols, etc…

16. Measuring Interoperability

17. Current Challenges… • Building a true system of systems – technology vs. people and processes • Operations: Many responders are reliant on commercial pathways that could become easily overloaded • Can we secure the data that we need to? • Can we handle large scale events including COOP/COG, mass evacuations and loss of infrastructure • STARS – available to a very limited degree for voice only • VCIN - Text only data exchange with localities • Many localities are heavily reliant upon antiquated fixed infrastructure!

18. Future Challenges - Data Interoperability Challenges: Difficult to define requirements when response depends on access to any data, at any level of government, at any point in time ( Examples: 9-11 Pentagon Fire, DC Sniper Attacks, Daily Ambulance Dispatch) Difficult to define the information domain Difficult to calculate ROI which is more qualitative than quantitative Requirements: Real-time cross-agency information sharing that facilitates integration between operational systems Awareness of the overlap between processes performed across Emergency Support Functions (ESF’s) A common vocabulary to describe emergency resources Secure access to heterogeneous data stores held around the Commonwealth

19. Next Steps and Results • Virginia Interoperability/APCO/NENA Conference • October 28, 29 & 30 in Roanoke • Strategic Planning 2009 and beyond • Identifying Needs vs. Wants (& funding them!) • Setting Realistic Expectations • Achieving the Vision • Some Old “Rules of Thumb” • It’s more than technology • Evolving Process • Having Movers and Shakers is Key • Hard Work Pays Off

20. Final Thoughts… We all have to play in the same sandbox.

21. Thank you!! Constance McGeorge Commonwealth Interoperability Coordinator Commonwealth of Virginia Constance.Mcgeorge@governor.virginia.gov