DHS works with Houston-area first responders on integrating new technologies

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate is working with public safety officials in the Houston-area to evaluate first responder technologies.

DHS, along with industry partners and 13 local Houston-area public safety agencies on a HAZMAT-related scenario in Harris County on Dec. 4-5 to test some new technologies integrated into the first responders’ system. The simulation is called the Next Generation First Responder (NGFR) – Harris County Operational Experimentation (OpEx).

“Today’s first responders must have advanced technology to communicate and provide situational awareness as they face dangerous and evolving threats,” William Bryan, senior official performing the duties of the undersecretary for Science and Technology, said. “Most importantly, these next generation technologies need to be interoperable in coordinated response efforts.”

They are incorporating technologies such as responder and patient physiological monitoring sensors, indoor location tracking, HAZMAT sensors, smart alerting for responders and incident command, advanced data analytics, and situational awareness and collaboration dashboards.

“We hope that the outcomes from the OpEx will provide insight and help us develop recommendations for first responder technology integration for public safety agencies in both urban and rural communities across the nation,” Sridhar Kowdley, director of the NGFR – Harris County OpEx, said. The goal of the NGFR program mission is to develop technologies for the responder of the future that will keep them better protected, connected and fully aware.