Overview

Wireless Communications Interoperability
Wireless Communications Interoperability is defined as the “ability of systems, units, or forces to provide services to and accept services from other systems, units or forces and to use the services so exchanged to enable them to operate effectively together.”  Interoperability basically is the “ability of public safety personnel to communicate by radio with staff from other agencies, on demand and in real time.”  Public Safety personnel must be able to communicate with each other to provide immediate and coordinated assistance in times of emergencies.  Otherwise, lives and properties may be lost unnecessarily. 

The Kentucky Wireless Interoperability Executive Committee (KWIEC) recognizes the various types of situations in which interoperable communications are required.  Public safety agencies require three distinct types of interoperability—Day-to-Day, Mutual Aid, and Task Force.

• Day-to-Day Interoperability involves coordination during routine public safety operations.  Interoperability is required, for example, when any police agency joins in a vehicle pursuit of a suspect after the chase has moved outside their jurisdiction.  Once other agencies become involved, its personnel should be able to communicate directly with their local counterparts in real time.
• Mutual Aid and Disaster Response / Coordination Interoperability involves a requested joint and immediate response to major incidents that exceed the resources of the requesting agency.  It requires tactical communications among numerous groups of public safety personnel.  Airplane crashes civil disturbances, terrorist attacks and bombings, forest fires, earthquakes, and hurricanes are all examples of mutual aid events.
• Task Force Interoperability involves state, local, tribal and federal agencies coming together for an extended period to address a specific and prolonged public safety concern.  Participating agencies may organize task forces for extended recovery operations from major disasters, for providing security at major events, or for conducting operations in response to prolonged criminal activity.

Each of these situations requires an interoperable solution that meets or exceeds the expectations for public safety first responders to communicate with each other in an emergency situation.