Aug
25
2009

Workshop: Public Safety and Homeland Security

9:00 am - 11:00 am EDT
Washington, DC
The goal of this workshop is to examine existing and potential uses of broadband technology by public safety entities and ways in which broadband technology can enhance homeland security. The workshop will bring together representatives from the public safety community, government agencies, industry, and academia to discuss interoperability, redundancy, cyber security, 911, and pandemic response, among other issues. The first panel will focus on use of broadband applications by first responders to communicate emergency information and to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. This panel will also explore issues relating to interoperability, redundancy, and the cost of providing broadband access to public safety. The second panel will focus on the impact of broadband technology on particular homeland security issues, such as cyber security, pandemics, bioterrorism, and critical infrastructure vulnerabilities. The panel will also examine current and future public safety use of managed IP-networks.
 

Webcast

Topics

The following are some of the preliminary topics that will be covered at this workshop. If you would like to discuss any other topics, please send us your suggestions.
  • Interoperability
  • Public safety use of high-speed connectivity, the Internet and associated applications
  • Redundancy
  • Cost-efficiencies and practical issues
  • Cyber security and critical infrastructure
  • Pandemic/bioterrorism events
  • Coordination with other federal agencies and state and local governments
  • Pre-planning/Reliability

Agenda

9:00 am Welcoming Remarks, James A. Barnett, Jr., Rear Admiral (Ret.), Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau
 
9:15 am
Panel 1 - First Responders Using Broadband Technologies to Advance Public Safety 
  • Moderator, Jennifer A. Manner, Deputy Bureau Chief, PSHSB
  • This panel will examine how the National Broadband Plan (NBP) should reflect the current and potential uses of broadband to improve public safety communications and operations, including the utilization of the Internet and web-based applications. The panel will also examine issues that impact broadband deployment and/or technologies in the public safety arena, such as interoperability and cost and infrastructure limitations.
Panelists: 
  • Charles Brennan, Deputy Secretary, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Office of Public Safety Radio Service (OPSR)
  • Stephen Carter, Vice President of Technology, Qualcomm
  • Pete Eggimann, Chair, Operations Committee, National Emergency Number Association/ Director, 9-1-1 Services Metropolitan Emergency Services Board, St. Paul, MN; NG911 Trial Participant/ (Representing NENA and NG 911 Pilot Participant)
  • Ralph Haller, Chair, National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC)
  • Glenn Katz, President and Chief Operating Officer, Spacenet, Inc.
  • Harlin McEwen, Chair, Public Safety Spectrum Trust
  • Bill Schrier, Chief Technology Officer & Director of Information Technology, City of Seattle (Representing APCO)

FCC/Other Government Agencies Moderating Panel:

  • Jeffery Goldthorp, Chief, Communications Systems Analysis Division, PSHSB
  • John Leibovitz, Deputy Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
  • Kathyrn Medley, Chief, Satellite Engineering Branch and Acting Chief, Systems Analysis Branch, International Bureau
  • Erika Olsen, Senior Advisor, PSHSB
  • Laurie Flaherty, Program Analyst, Office of Emergency Medical Services, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
  • Charles Hoffman, Chief, Disaster Emergency Communications Programs, Disaster Emergency Communications Division, FEMA
  • Daniel Phythyon, Chief; Policy, Planning & Analysis Division; Office of Emergency Communications, DHS
9:50 am Panelist Discussion and Responses to Questions
 
10:45 am Comments from DHS’ Office of Emergency Communications, Daniel Phythyon; Chief, Policy, Planning & Analysis Division
 
10:50 am Comments from FEMA, Charles Hoffman; Chief, Disaster Emergency Communications Programs, Disaster Emergency Communications Division
 
10:55 am Break
 
11:05 am Panel 2 - Homeland Security:
  • Uses, Benefits and Challenges of Broadband Technologies in Large-Scale Events—Moderator—William Lane, Chief Engineer, PSHSB
  • This panel will examine ways in which broadband technology can enhance homeland security. The panel will explore how best to utilize broadband technologies to prepare for, respond to and recover from major natural disasters, pandemics, acts of terrorism, and cyber attacks. It will also focus on how public safety networks and applications can be secured and protected. The panel will also examine current and potential new applications and research that has been conducted in the managed-IP arena that could improve response to large-scale emergencies.
Panelists: 
  • Andrew L. Afflerbach, Ph.D.; P.E.; Chief Executive Officer; Director of Engineering; Columbia Telecommunications Corporation—(CTC) [Representing National Assn of Telecommunications Officers &Advisors—NATOA]
  • Emmanuel Hooper, Ph.D., Senior Scholar and Researcher; Harvard University, Leadership for Network World; Harvard-MIT-Yale Cyber Scholar; Founder, Global Information Intelligence 
  • Murad Raheem, Branch Chief, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response; Information Technology, Electronics & Communications
  • Marc Sachs, Executive Director, National Security and Cyber Policy, Office of Federal Government Relations, Verizon Government Affairs
  • Steve Souder, Director, Fairfax (Virginia) Department of Public Safety Communication
FCC/Other Government Agencies Moderating Panel: 
  • Jeff Cohen, Senior Legal Advisor, PSHSB
  • Jon Peha, Chief Technology Officer, FCC
  • Dr. Carlos Kirjner, Senior Advisor to the Chairman on Broadband
  • Charles Hoffman, Chief, Disaster Emergency Communications Programs, Disaster Emergency Communications Division, FEMA
  • Daniel Phythyon, Chief; Policy, Planning & Analysis Division; Office of Emergency Communications, DHS

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