DHS, Industry to Assess First Responder Tech Through Operational Experimentation

The Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology directorate and industry will conduct an operational experimentation from Dec. 4 to 5 in Houston to assess technology platforms used by first responders.

DHS said Tuesday it will work with 13 Houston-based public safety agencies and commercial partners to evaluate systems through the Next Generation First Responder – Harris County OpEx.

“Today’s first responders must have advanced technology to communicate and provide situational awareness as they face dangerous and evolving threats,” said William Bryan, acting undersecretary for science and technology at DHS.

Among the technologies that the public-private partnership aims to deliver are responder and patient physiological monitoring sensors, data analytics, indoor location tracking, hazardous materials sensors, smart alerting for responders and incident command and collaboration dashboards.

Companies that will join the initiative include:

• Ardent MC
• Ares Security
• AT&T
• Centrex Solutions
• Compusult
• Defense Industrial Base Information Sharing Analysis Center
• Haystax Technology
• Keys Net
• MobileIron
• TRX Systems

Participating agencies will include NASA‘s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Energy Department‘s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.