Communications Mike Wingate

1. Blue Ribbon Fire CommissionFebruary 5, 2004US Forest ServicePacific Southwest RegionFire and Aviation ManagementMike Wingate and Dennis Hulbert Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

2. CommunicationsMike Wingate Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

3. CommunicationsImplemented • Frequency Management • Command 25 channel pairs, 5 standard • Tactical 48 simplex channels • Airborne • Rotary wing 39 AM • Fixed wing 24 FM • Logistical 12 channels pairs • 29 link channels, 36 simplex • Initial Attack • 8 AM, 10 FM Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

4. CommunicationsImplemented • Equipment Management • 12 NFES 4390 starter systems • 25 command repeaters • 17 Logistical repeaters • 25 Aircraft Base stations • 435 NFES 4381 VHF radio kits • 6960 VHF hand held radios • 350,000 AA batteries • 1550 7.5 volt Lantern batteries Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

5. CommunicationsImplemented • Work force management • 39 electronic techs (state & federal) • 25 COML communications unit leaders or trainees • 4 COMC communications coordinators • Field • Coordination Center • Aviation Coordinator • Border coordinator Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

6. What went right! • Preplanning • Full time Communications Duty Officer • At NIFC and in Region 5(CA) • FIRESCOPE • VHF platform • Standard VHF channel plans • STL propositioned radios • NIFC-NIRSC assets • R5 assets • Cooperator assets Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

7. What went right! • WO Frequency management • Provided additional frequencies • Interfaced with other federal agencies • Other Federal agencies • Provided frequency assets • FAA • Provided aviation frequency assets • FCC • Provided frequency assets • Mexico IX • Restricteduse on US/Mexico MOU Frequencies Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

8. What went right! • Radio IX between fires non-existent • Aviation channels were available • No Major hardware failures • Prepositioned resources • Time of year Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

9. What went wrong • Slow delivery of radio assets • Slow dispatch process • Slow transportation • Slow Communications implementation • Limited helicopter flight time • Active fire at the planned communications sites • Fire growth rate exceeded ability to implement designed communications system. Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

10. What went wrong • Delay until Monday to get additional FM channels. • Some channels had Mexican IX • AA Batteries had life problems • Some agencies did not have the FIRESCOPE recommended 32 channel frequency plan in their VHF radios, used by their Chief officers. Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

11. How We did it! • Used standard VHF radio platform • Compartmentalized each incident • Didn’t change anything operationally • The ability to adapt our equipment to changing needs, was a key element. • Frequency agility was an absolute asset Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

12. RecommendationsCommunications Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

13. Recommendations • Ensure engines, crews, and Chief officers have the capability to communicate effectively across agency lines • Work with vendors to develop new generation SDR for Fire & Law Enforcement • Task FIRESCOPE Communications Specialist group to develop short and long range strategies for communications interoperability Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

14. Final thoughts Until we develop a radio that transcends all platforms and network protocols, we will be doing business as usual - using the VHF radio platform for incident communications support. It remains the least common denominator in fire service communications! Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

15. Current and Emerging TechnologiesDennis Hulbert Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

16. Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

17. Air Tactical IR Program Air Attack 07, out of Santa Barbara, has added a dual sensor imaging system and moving map software to gather visual information and document what is happening on the ground Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

18. Dual Sensor Imaging • Infrared – to identify hotspots, spot fires, fire perimeter, lightning strike ignitions • Digital photo – to providedocumentation of incident situation Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

19. Moving Map Software AeroNavitracker To produce current incident maps showing fire perimeter, constructed line, division breaks, and helispots. Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

20. FIREWATCH (Cobra) Program Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

21. FIREWATCH (Cobra) Program • Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) platform with enhanced Human Aided Technology (HAT) designed to perform 3 mission roles: • Air supervision module/leadplane • Air attack (airborne command and control over fires • Geo-referenced Infrared and video mapping with real-time downlink Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

22. Moving Map display with fire perimeter mapping and downlinking capability • Realtime streaming video through microwave downlink • Infrared equipped with FLIR • Night vision capability Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

23. Complex IR or mapping mission will be separate mission from the ATGS role • Possible use in L.E., FEMA or Homeland defense Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

24. RecommendationsTechnology Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004

25. Recommendations • Increase use of military aircraft with IR equipment and downlink capability to give the firefighter and decision maker 24/7 situational awareness • Invest in 24/7 “eyes in the sky” and integrate existing technologies for dispatching and managing resources Blue Ribbon Fire Commission February 5, 2004