Current Radio/communications issues for emergency responders within lower Puget Sound Region: Re-banding (Nextel) P-25 Switch Next Generation Radio system Broadband Governance

Re-banding – the ‘Nextel’ issue Nextel was causing interference issues in many of our radios Issue was happening nation-wide During the past year, Nextel has started replacing that radio hardware (~80% complete) that won’t be able to make the switch to the new frequencies

Re-banding – the ‘Nextel’ issue continued Frequency switch will ‘likely’ occur end of this year/beginning of next – should be seamless to end users** **This does present an opportunity for consolidation of radio templates throughout region

P-25 Switch There are some pending, ‘generational’ type jumps that are about to occur in our systems and infrastructure In an effort to bridge the gap, the region has started the purchase/installation of a new ‘switch’ that will enable our current system to talk to future systems

Next Generation Radio system The region has 4 identical radio systems (King County, western Snohomish County, Tacoma and suburbs, and Port of Seattle) Motorola has advised all of us that they are going to begin phasing out support of these systems starting next year Greg Nickels and Ron Sims started an effort to bring all they systems/governments together to address the common issue

Motorola 4.1 Smartzone Switches Current Regional Radio System Configuration

Next Generation Radio system continued The leading candidate is a SUPER-regional system, funded through a regional taxing structure (similar to RTA) Advantages: Interoperability and Consistency Would likely include associated concerns (training, equipment upgrades, etc.) Disadvantages: Preliminary estimates are $ M Some diminished autonomy within systems

Possible End State for Super Regional System

Broadband: Spectrum in the 700MHz frequency range (old TV frequencies) has recently been made available to public safety The City of Seattle has taken the lead by requesting an FCC waiver to begin construction of a regional, wireless, broadband, voice-data network for use by public-safety and other government users For fire, system would allow for AVL, MDCs, Building/prefire systems, mapping, etc.

Governance: Puget Sound Regional-Interoperability Executive Committee (PSR-IEC): Group chartered by UASI Core Group to vet all communications-related grant request within region to ensure adherence toward common goals TRIS/TICP Oversight: Operational group, manage/maintain regional communications master plan (Tactical Interoperability Communications Plan – TICP)

Governance continued: Radio Executive Policy Committee (REPC): group of elected officials working on next generation radio system Communications Unit Leader (COML) Training: working to establish a corps of communications ‘experts’ within individual jurisdictions to act as local go-to experts for communications issues

Other issues: Effort to standardize radio templates across region so that channel naming is consistent (that your ‘Fire-TAC-1’ is the same as my ‘Fire-TAC-1’) Effort to develop an ‘Regional Interoperable Communications’ training package informing area responders on how to talk to other agencies when needed in non-traditional responses (mutual aid, mega-events, etc.)

For more information: Sue Rosenthal – Assistant Chief Seattle Fire Department nd Ave S Seattle, WA (206)