For Immediate Release
Contact: DHS S&T Press Office, (202) 254-2385
Houston, TX – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is presenting a demonstration of integrating emergency response technologies during a simulated HAZMAT scenario at the Port of Houston on December 5, 2018. The Next Generation First Responder (NGFR) – Harris County Operational Experimentation (OpEx) will involve a coordinated response by Houston public safety agencies, FEMA, the U.S. Coast Guard and industry partners.
Over the past year, DHS S&T partnered with Houston-area public safety agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the DHS Office of Emergency Communications to identify technical capabilities that could assist first responders at the scene of an emergency. Situational awareness, responder physiological and patient monitoring, personnel location tracking, and enhanced communications were identified as priority concerns. The OpEx will evaluate how DHS-developed commercial and existing first responder technologies integrate during an emergency to fill these gaps while using open standards.
WHO: Sponsor
DHS S&T Next Generation First Responder Program
Host
Public Safety Agency Partners
Public Safety Agency Partners
United States Coast Guard
Federal Emergency Management Agency
DHS Emergency Communications Division
Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office
Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Harris County Sheriff’s Office
Harris County Central Technology Services
Harris County Community Emergency Response Team
Houston Fire Department
Houston Police Department
Houston Information Technology Services-
Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department
Atascocita Fire Department
SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council
Technology Partners
ARES Security Corporation
AT&T Corporation
Centrex Solutions LLC
FEMA Integration Public Alert and Warning System Office
Haystax, a Fishtech Group Company
Integrated Solutions for Systems, Inc. (IS4S)
Intrepid Networks, LLC.
Keys Net LLC.
Luna Innovations, Inc.
Metronome Software, LLC
MobileIron Inc.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory
N5 Sensors, Inc.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
SensorUp, Inc.
Sonim Technologies, Inc.
TRX Systems, Inc.
Utility Associates Inc.
WHAT: Media availability and demonstration of the NGFR – Harris County OpEx
WHEN: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. CST, Wednesday, December 5, 2018
WHERE: 1:00 p.m. – Remarks
Port Coordination Center (follow signs for Police Station)
Port of Houston, 111 East Loop North, Houston, TX 77029
1:45 p.m. – Technology Demonstration
Sam Houston Tour Boat Pavilion, 7300 Clinton Drive, Houston, TX 77020
To attend the press availability and demonstration, credentialed media must RSVP to NGFR@hq.dhs.gov by Tuesday, December 4, 2018 to register and receive a media packet and additional information about photographs and recording at the Port of Houston. Media must register on-site.
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