March 3, 2003

On February 21, at the Conference Winter Leadership Meeting in Key West, Dale Craig, Director, Raytheon Homeland Security Operations, introduced the Raytheon First Responder Command Vehicle, a mobile communications system designed to address the need for interoperability between responding teams at a disaster site. The vehicle was located outside the Winter Leadership Meeting during the two-day event where mayors and other attendees had an opportunity to discuss the command center with various Raytheon Homeland Security experts.

The red, white, and blue First Responder was developed to meet the needs of police and fire departments at major incidents, including terrorist attacks. Using software and radio and satellite hardware, the First Responder can receive and transmit across numerous bands of communication. The vehicle, a full size four wheel drive, supports satellite, radio, cell phone and wireless local area networks ensuring interoperability between commanders in the field, headquarters, officers on the scene, and fire and rescue personnel.

Commenting on the need for interoperability both before and after September 11, Craig said, "If a disaster strikes it falls to our local officials, police, fireman, and emergency medical teams.. our "first responders" ...to contain the effects of the attack. This new mobile command center has the ability to connect all the teams together under the incident commanders direction, strengthening public safety networks and enhancing community first response and emergency capabilities so the response is efficient and effective."

Raytheon's First Responder Command and Communication Vehicle is a state of the art platform that solves one of the most difficult problems at a disaster scene: communicating. "Too often a situation commander is trying to make decisions with too little information, overloaded with the wrong kind of information or unable to share information and direction with emergency teams", said Craig

Capabilities

A computer controls the network and the entire system including a radio link gateway allowing interoperability. This means the firefighter with the Motorola radio, for example, can talk directly to a police officer using a different radio, transmitting a different waveform on a different frequency — and they can communicate as if they were using the same system.

Inside the "Dead Zone"

Any chaotic disaster scene is usually surrounded by a communication "dead zone" — an area without power or telephone service. Communicating within this zone — from inside the zone to agencies and responders outside the zone — is typically difficult or impossible. The First Responder Command and Communication Vehicle penetrates the dead zone, allowing effective communication between different response units at the scene, and from the scene to outside agencies.

With its self-contained capabilities, including its own power generation, the vehicle allows effective communication even if the entire communications infrastructure is destroyed or disabled.

How It Works:

Calls for help:

• Old Way: An on-scene officer calls dispatcher and gives instructions. The dispatcher calls adjoining responders one by one and relays instructions. Those dispatchers in turn call units and relay information
• New Way: Officer calls from First Responder Command and Communication Vehicle directly to adjoining responders, asks for additional help, and then has the capability to speak directly to individual units as they respond.

Telephones not working:

• Old Way: Land Lines are dead — no dial tone — either from infrastructure damage, power outages or overload. Cell phones is unavailable because all cells are in use or damaged
• New Way Command and Communication vehicle creates a direct satellite link to the telephone system bypassing local outages or overloads

Disaster Scene assignments:

• Old Way: Commander gives first responder instructions to perform search and rescue efforts to a specific location. The officer, from a neighboring city isn-t familiar with the area and rewires directions and landmarks, slowing response time.
• New Way: Commander accesses the internet, downloads and prints a map to be given directly to the responder.

This command center on wheels is designed for police, firefighters and emergency teams. First responder vehicles have touch screen mapping, troop deployment monitors and infrared cameras. Biological and chemical detection systems will soon be added. The first responder can be installed in an agency's existing vehicles or bought in a turnkey system that includes the vehicle.