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When Communication Fails: Lives Are Lost

Patrick Foley  (Ret. Asst. Chief Clark County Fire Department, formerly Clark County Fire Department)

Daniel Sheridan  (Ret. Battalion Chief, FDNY)

Jeffrey Wobbleton  (System Manager, Arlington 911)

Bruce Arvizu  (Ret. Battalion Commander LA County, Consultant)

Patrick O'Connor  (Former Volunteer Fire Fighter and Co-Founder, 3AM Innovations)

Track: First Responders

Topics: In-building Coverage, Interoperability, Situational Awareness

Format: Panel Session

Vault Recording: TBD

During a high-profile event on July 14, 2024, an incident unfolded on the national stage which underscored the critical importance of strong inter-agency communication in complex security operations. Tragically, Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Chief Corey Comperatore lost his life heroically protecting his family during the incident, while several others sustained minor injuries.

The events of July 14 highlight the need for real-time visibility of field assets and emphasized the crucial role of coordinated communication among local, state, and federal teams, especially in rapidly evolving situations. Despite best efforts, coordination challenges arose due to separate communication channels and unexpected connectivity issues, hampering real-time information sharing and hindering response efforts.

This panel explores advancements in inter-agency communication technology, address obstacles to widespread adoption, and showcase how integrated communication systems are improving coordination and safety across a range of response scenarios.

Takeaway

- Discuss the coordination and communication challenges between partner agencies and explore solutions that can help bridge this gap.

- Understand the growing need for tools that offer redundancies, real-time situational awareness, accountability of personnel on scene, and allow easy, mobile communication between agencies.

- Review practical examples of how current technology has been used to support multi-agency communication during planned events and disaster response.

- Share ideas on how current and emerging technology can be used and how we can work toward making them more accessible.