https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE Expo
    • Calendar of Events
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Public Safety


Technology Spending on First Responder Communication to Grow 7 Percent Over Next 5 Years

Technology Spending on First Responder Communication to Grow 7 Percent Over Next 5 Years

State and local governments must address both the technology and organizational issues that prohibit interoperability among public safety communications
  • Written by Leslie Drahos
  • 13th February 2007

State and local governments must address both the technology and organizational issues that prohibit interoperability among public safety communications systems, says a new report by independent market analyst firm Datamonitor. According to the report “Government Technology: Fostering Interoperability in Public Safety Communications,” spending by U.S. state and local governments on communication technology for first responders will rise from $3.2 billion in 2006 to $4.4 billion by 2011 as public safety agencies look for ways to collaborate and share information during critical situations.

Interoperability is the ability to communicate and exchange information across disciplines and jurisdictions in real time, on demand and when authorized. “Interoperability is critical to public safety since emergencies often require response from multiple organizations,” says Kate McCurdy, government technology analyst with Datamonitor and author of the report. “A lack of coordination has been cited as a key challenge during both the rescue efforts of Sept. 11 and Hurricane Katrina. But even smaller-scale incidents require first responder interoperability as public safety agencies must work together to diminish the impact of traffic accidents, building fires and criminal investigations.”

While state and local governments generally agree on the importance of developing interoperability, obstacles include limited funding for new purchases, insufficient coordination among independent organizations, and confusion over which technology approach to adopt.

“Public safety agencies tell Datamonitor that a lack of funding is their No. 1 obstacle to improving interoperability”, says McCurdy. “But we cannot overlook the fact that collaboration and collective decision-making is difficult in an environment where individual agencies or jurisdictions typically purchase equipment independently. Add to this the fact that agencies receive few directives on which technologies will help them enhance interoperability and you have a situation where state and local governments recognize the need to improve interoperability but lack the means to do so.”

According to Datamonitor’s report, achieving communications interoperability for first responders requires both technology and organizational changes. In recent years, a number of technology solutions have emerged to address public safety’s limited interoperability, such as Project 25 standards that enable radios to transmit signals regardless of manufacturer, and network-based technologies that interconnect existing radio systems. However, deploying technology will not resolve all first responder interoperability issues.

McCurdy says, “Agencies must also reform their policy and governance structures to support communication and collaboration with disparate organizations.”

Tags: ar mag Public Safety

Most Recent


  • disaster
    Fast disaster recovery construction projects
    There is profound wisdom embedded in the age-old saying attributed to Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In today’s rapidly changing landscape, these words resonate with a heightened sense of urgency. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) paints a stark picture in the United States: 2022 alone witnessed […]
  • webinars
    Check out key takeaways from Disaster Management Symposium webinars, register to view archives
    The inaugural Disaster Management Symposium was conducted Nov. 8, when consecutive hour-long webinars featured expert panelists exploring various aspects of the three main phases of a disaster for public safety and governments: planning, response and recovery. This virtual symposium was a joint effort of American City & County, IWCE’s Urgent Communications and IWCE. If you […]
  • AI cybersecurity
    How AI can assist cities and counties with cybersecurity
    The Public Technology Institute’s 2023 Local Government Cybersecurity National Survey was just released. Based on past years results, there were few surprises but continued reassurance that cybersecurity continues to remain the top focus of all local governments. The survey asked about financial support, where 64 percent reported that cyber budgets were inadequate. Only 36 percent […]
  • roundabout
    Installing roundabouts can make roads safer, lead to a reduction in traffic accidents
    Ever notice how many popular trends got their start in Europe before making their way to the U.S.? Think music like The Beatles and punk rock (United Kingdom), fashion (Paris), compact cars (Germany and the Volkswagen Beetle). They all got their start in Europe. Unfortunately, one of the roadway standards embraced throughout Europe but still […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • How governments can keep employees safe as they return to work
  • Preventing cyber-attacks needs to be a priority for local governments
  • Building community and officer wellness through data sharing
  • California city combines advanced technology with dedicated public safety team for comprehensive emergency management

White papers


The Four Key Components of Successful Digital Transformation

22nd November 2023

Navigating Today’s Greatest Workplace Challenges

3rd October 2023

7 Resources to Level-up Your Federal Grants Administration and Compliance

5th September 2023
view all

Webinars


Grant Preparedness: Unlocking Funding Opportunities for Your Success

10th August 2023

2023 State of Public Sourcing: Taking Local Governments into a Bright Future

1st August 2023

Stop Playing with Fire: How to Manage Infrastructure Asset Risk So You Know You’re Covered

20th June 2023
view all

PODCAST


Podcast: Disaster Management Symposium preview

13th October 2023

Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020
view all

GALLERIES


Gallery: Top 10 domestic city travel destinations this Thanksgiving season

22nd November 2023

Gallery: 10 American cities that have seen substantial population growth in the last five years

6th November 2023

Gallery: 10 of America’s greenest large cities

24th October 2023
view all

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.