Montana Public Safety Wireless

1. Montana Public Safety Wireless The Road to Interoperability

2. Interoperability in Montana • The need for interoperability was observed in the 1980s – communications among multiple responders was needed for: • Forest fires • Major traffic accidents • Train derailments • Etc., etc., etc. • A set of 14 Mutual Aid and 5 Common frequencies was established in 1990 to insure interoperability for multi-agency responses - Each channel was designated by a color

4. Region 25 800 MHz Committee • The National Public Safety Plan Region 25 Planning Committee was established in 1991 to develop an 800 MHz frequency plan for the State of Montana • Plan was completed in 1992 and submitted to FCC for approval • Plan set aside a set of frequencies for interoperability

5. Montana Public Safety Communications Task Force • Established in 1994 to initiate public safety communications planning for Montana and address issues of “Refarming” • Consultant hired to survey public safety agencies in the State and determine their priorities – interoperability and mobile data topped the list • Consultant developed long range plan for implementation of a statewide system

6. Montana Public Safety Communications Council • Established in 1997 to develop a detailed implementation plan, system budgetary estimates, etc. • Plan was developed for a statewide trunked VHF hiband system based on Project 25 standards • Estimated system budget was $250 million! A bit too much to be submitted to the Legislature

7. Montana Public Safety Communications Council/Statewide Interoperability Executive Council (SIEC) • Council reformulated in 2002 as the State’s SIEC • Currently planning a statewide system based on P25, but not necessarily trunked • Also, currently pursuing two major concept demonstration projects

8. Region 25 700 MHz Committee • FCC established a set of 700 MHz frequencies for public safety use – strong emphasis on interoperability • A Region 25 700 MHz planning committee formed in 2002 – currently developing plan for 700 MHz use in public safety in Montana

9. What’s Already Been Done • Palisades Project – Multi-agency, shared, RF tower site developed by Montana Public Safety Communications Association & funded by PSWN (2001) • Mobile Data Systems – Eastern & Western Montana mobile data systems currently being implemented (2001 – present) • EASTERN – Yellowstone County (in place), Butte-Silver Bow, Cascade/GreatFalls, Gallatin/Bozeman, Lewis & Clark/Helena, MHP • WESTERN – Missoula (in place), Ravalli & Flathead Counties, MHP

10. The Montana Public Safety Communications Council/Statewide Interoperability Executive Council Brian Wolf State of Montana CIO

11. The Montana Consolidation Site Pilot— A Solution for Public Safety Interoperability Derek Siegle, FBI Wireless Montana Workshop Montana State University September 26, 2003

12. TODAY’S BRIEFING WILL DISCUSS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CONSOLIDATION SITE PILOT IN THE STATE OF MONTANA Specifically, this briefing will— • Discuss the importance of wireless interoperability • Provide a quick overview of the Public Safety Wireless Network (PSWN) Program • Highlight the background, importance, and goal of the consolidation site pilot in Montana • Describe the key organizations and processes involved in developing the pilot • Provide best practices from the development and installation of the pilot • Emphasize how the pilot can be used to address Montana’s emerging communications needs

13. WHY IS WIRELESS INTEROPERABILITY IMPORTANT? • Wireless communications interoperability is necessary to— • Improve the ability of public safety officers to save lives and property • Facilitate rapid and efficient interaction among all public safety organizations • Provide immediate and coordinated assistance in day-to-day missions, task force operations, and mass-casualty incidents • World Trade Center Attack, New York City—September 11, 2001 • After the south tower collapsed, police helicopters relayed a message for public safety officials to evacuate the north tower • Firefighters never received the police warning because their legacy radio systems malfunctioned and did not interoperate with the police communications systems • Alfred P. Murrah Building Bombing, Okalahoma City—April 19, 1995 • In the aftermath of the attack, 117 local, state, and federal agencies responded with more than 1,500 personnel on the scene • Overwhelming call volume and disparate frequencies complicated emergency response • Responders were forced to rely on relay runners to disseminate critical, time-sensitive information Wireless Interoperability is a Public Safety and Homeland Security Priority

14. THE PSWN PROGRAM HAS LONG BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A LEADING RESOURCE FOR INTEROPERABILITY INFORMATION, STRATEGIES, AND SOLUTIONS • The PSWN Program was the Federal Government’s first dedicated and coherent effort to tackle the lack of interoperability and the various impediments blocking it • Since 1996, the PSWN Program has provided the leadership and logical approaches to overcome challenges to achieving interoperability at the local, state, and federal levels • The program continues to innovate by expanding outreach efforts, implementing new solutions, and developing new practices that inform and shape new policy • The program is transitioning to become a critical foundation for the umbrella interoperability organization SAFECOM

15. THE PSWN PROGRAM WORKED WITH THE STATE OF MONTANA AND ITS MONTANA PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION (PSCA) TO DEVELOP A CONSOLIDATED TOWER PILOT State of Montana • Pilot stemmed from a statewide initiative to enhance and upgrade wireless communications systems • Systems are integral to the safe and efficient completion of public safety missions • Selected site was a single shelter on Palisades Ridge near Red Lodge, MT • Strategic location because of its use by multiple • local, state, and federal radio users • Goal was to upgrade and assist multiple public safety agencies in consolidating their radio resources • Related objectives of the pilot include— • Fostering resource sharing • Improving wireless interoperability • Helping launch a repeatable site collection effort Consolidation site at Palisades Ridge

16. THE USER REQUIREMENTS OF SIX PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES PARTICIPATING IN THE CONSOLIDATION EFFORT WERE RESEARCHED AND ADDRESSED • These agencies included— MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT MONTANA HIGHWAY PATROL CARBON COUNTY FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIONS U.S. FOREST SERVICE The requirements were used as the basis for developing the tower design and constructing the new shelter

17. BASED ON THE PARTICIPANT’S INPUT, A STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) WAS DEVELOPED • The SOW was created for purposes of soliciting quotations from vendors— • Called for a 52-foot tower and 22-foot by 12-foot shelter • Tower specifications included a provision that allows future modification to extend its height to 100 feet • Shelter specifications called for a robust structure that could withstand harsh weather conditions A VENDOR WAS SELECTED AND WORK WAS UNDER WAY IN JULY, 2000 Report on soil test finished and delivered New shelter delivered Work suspended due to fire near Red Lodge area Shelter foundation installed Work resumed 2000 2001 July, 2001 June, 2001 July, 2000 August, 2000 October, 2000 Tower and new shelter installed in August 2001

18. THE CONSOLIDATED SITE REPLACES THE EXISTING TOWERS WITH A SINGLE, SELF-SUPPORTING 52-FOOT TOWER A safety-climbing device is installed, which can be seen extending slightly above the main tower An additional 48-foot section can be added to the tower to bring the total height to 100 feet Step bolts for climbing are installed on one of the three legs of the tower

19. THE EXISTING SHELTER HAS BEEN COMPLETELY RENOVATED AND IMPROVED FROM ITS ORIGINAL STRUCTURE Equipped with back-up battery power and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) After Before MAIN POWER (i.e., COMMERCIAL POWER) IS DELIVERED TO THE UPGRADED SHELTER VIA UNDERGROUND CABLES A meter is installed adjacent to the door of the shelter

20. THE PILOT SUCCESSFULLY CONSOLIDATED THE RADIO EQUIPMENT FROM MULTIPLE PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES INTO A SINGLE TOWER AND SHELTER The pilot yielded several best practices— • Maintain the continuity of a single point of contact (POC) for the duration of the job whenever possible • Consider site geography for scheduling and planning purposes • Develop processes for documenting key design decisions to ensure the traceability of requirements • Use a configuration control process to ensure all parties involved in the consolidation are aware of the design baseline and what changes are being made • Complete geotechnical survey for multiple locations at the site, and give results to the tower and shelter installer prior to issuing a purchase order • Identify all constraints that might be present at the site, discuss early on in the project, and make part of the request for proposals for the installer • Consider carefully the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system requirements relative to the weather conditions and elevation of the site • Develop an acceptance test checklist to ensure compliance with all requirements

21. MOVING FORWARD, THE CONSOLIDATION PILOT CAN BE LEVERAGED TO MEET THE DIVERSE COMMUNICATIONS NEEDS OF THE MONTANA COMMUNITY • The pilot reduces the overall Palisades Ridge electronic site footprint and improves the overall quality and reliability of the radio communications services provided • Local, state, and federal agencies within Carbon County are now able to communicate effectively • The pilot project establishes a process that can cost-effectively be repeated across the state of Montana More detailed information about the Montana consolidation pilot can be found at www.publicsafetywins.gov

22. Region 25 – 700 MHz Planning Dan Hawkins, Chair Region 25 700 MHz Planning Committee (RPC)

23. Region 25 – 700 MHz Planning • August 1998 – FCC designation of spectrum • Available no later than December 2006 • Unused in Montana • January 2001 – FCC adoption of standards • National Coordination Committee (NCC) • State interoperability executive committees • Wide and narrowband channels • Interoperability channels and standards

24. Region 25 – 700 MHz Planning • December 2001 – State of Montana activities • Licensure of State Channels (2.4 MHz) • Designation of Region 25 Planning Committee as executor • Notice to FCC on Interoperability Channels (2.6 MHz) • Designation of Region 25 Planning Committee as executor • May 2002 – Convening Announced • 800 MHz Chair designated Jeff Brandt as convener • FCC Public Notice and mailing to over a thousand parties

25. Region 25 – 700 MHz Planning • July 17, 2002 – Regional Planning Committee • Convened • Officers elected • Dan Hawkins, Chairman • Leo Dutton (Lewis & Clark Co.), Vice Chairman • Jesse Gonzalez (City of Billings), Secretary-Treasurer • Working subcommittee established • Preliminary by-laws adopted • Regional plan template examined • August 5, 2003 - Planned RPC Meeting • Postponed upon MT Dept of Administration request

26. Region 25 – 700 MHz Planning • Reallocation of 4.9 GHz band • FCC Docket 00-32 - May 2, 2003 • 50 MHz of spectrum • From federal government use, to Public Safety • For fixed and mobile digital broadband use • Channelization • Ten - 1 MHz channels • Eight - 5 MHz channels • Aggregation allowed to 20 MHz

27. Region 25 – 700 MHz Planning • Reallocation of 4.9 GHz band (cont.) • Licensing • Primary Uses: Mobile, Fixed hotspot, temporary fixed • Secondary Use: Permanent fixed point-to-point • Eligible Licensees • Every public safety agency • For primary uses of the whole band • Covering entire jurisdiction • 700 MHz RPC coordination for: • Incident management protocols • Interference avoidance • Interoperability

28. Region 25 – 700 MHz Planning • Project MESA • “An international partnership producing globally applicable technical specifications for digital mobile broadband technology, aimed initially at the sectors of public safety and disaster response.” • Formed in May 2000 • Originally known as ‘APCO Project 34’ • Organizational Partnership • Open to standards development organizations • Currently: TIA and ETSI • Public Safety Membership • Currently: APCO, NTIA, NIJ, FBI, and others • www.projectmesa.org

29. Bridging the Digital Divide Dr. Bill Gillis WSU Center for Bridging the Digital Divide

30. Northwest RegionalE-SafetyOpportunity Promoting collaboration and data sharing to enhance emergency response, mitigation, and homeland security.

31. The Regional and National Significance THE ISSUE: How To Deal With Communications and Information About Deadly, Unexpected Events Individual: Car Crashes (Leading Killer of Americans Aged 5-29), Suicide Attempts (Seattle Bridge Incident), Health Problems (Heart Attacks, Seizures, Strokes), Crime Mass: Terrorist Attacks (Oklahoma City, World Trade Center, Pentagon), Shootings (Columbine), Severe Weather ( Flash Floods, Earthquakes), Forest Fires, Hazmat Spills

32. The Problem:Emergency CommunicationsAre Not in the Information Age Emergency response communication still largely “voice-centric” No statewide mechanism to capture data created during emergency events and share among multiple agencies and jurisdictions Limited fusion of existing data sources (e.g. real time traffic data, weather information, emergency medical readiness) to support emergency response and homeland security No comprehensive statewide directory or “address book” to share event information electronically among “need-to-know” parties

33. Integrated Emergency Communications INCIDENT INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION PSAP Federal/State/Local Agency Hospital ER Trauma The Public Police Dept. Traffic Operations Center Incident Data Voice Comm. Among Agencies Voice

34. Tools: Electronic Emergency Agency Registry & Event Mapping Electronic directory of “need to know” parties supporting local emergency response decisions on data flow Web-based event map: allow multiple agencies to view and share incident data on an electronic map; cost effective and useful interoperability tool for multiple purposes

35. ComCARE is a non-profit Alliance of more than 85 organizations representing the full range of emergency response and management, automotive, citizens, communications, technology, and transportation.

43. Strategic E-Safety Focus Emphasis on creation of open and interoperable systems creating shared data supporting public safety and homeland security Advocate broadly accepted vision for telematics use in public safety-DEMAND CREATION Sustainability through creation of market potential with private partners (ACN, Telematics providers, data integrators, others)

44. Benefits to Montana and Region Enhance regional and interagency effectiveness in emergency response and mitigation through availability of shared data. Facilitate development of new public safety enterprises enhancing emergency response and homeland security. Improve response times saving lives. Positioning Montana and Northwest as a national leader in applying technology to public safety and homeland security.

45. For more information, please contact: Dr. Bill Gillis, Director WSU Center to Bridge the Digital Divide PO Box 646229 Pullman WA 99164-6229 509-335-7038 Bgillis@wsu.edu Thank you ComCARE for providing supporting graphics and materials for this presentation.

46. Questions?