WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.140 [Host] Hello everyone and welcome to today's Tech Talk with the Department of Homeland Security, 2 00:00:04.140 --> 00:00:08.390 Science and Technology Directorate or as we call ourselves DHS S&T. 3 00:00:08.390 --> 00:00:12.520 Today we are going to be talking about the next generation First Responder integration handbook 4 00:00:12.520 --> 00:00:16.530 or what we call the NGFR integration handbook. Today we are joined by 5 00:00:16.530 --> 00:00:20.650 S&T Program Manager, Norm Spiker and our First Responder partner, Chief Eddie Reyes. 6 00:00:20.650 --> 00:00:24.900 Thank you both so much for being here. 7 00:00:24.900 --> 00:00:29.020 Today we are going to start with a few questions on my end, then we're going to open it up to the audience. 8 00:00:29.020 --> 00:00:33.270 So if you have a question please post it in the video below and we will get to it in a couple of minutes. 9 00:00:33.270 --> 00:00:37.270 I want to start off just big and broad. What is the NGFR handbook? 10 00:00:37.270 --> 00:00:41.550 [Norm] So the NGFR handbook was intended to be technical guidance that 11 00:00:41.550 --> 00:00:45.670 for integrating technologies in the first responder space. So it was to marry up 12 00:00:45.670 --> 00:00:49.920 identify operational need and insure that technologies 13 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:53.920 as varied as they may be are going to integrate 14 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:58.160 and interoperable in the First Responder environment. [Host] And when we 15 00:00:58.160 --> 00:01:02.280 say technologies we're talking about all sort of things. 16 00:01:02.280 --> 00:01:06.530 [Norm] Absolutely. [Host] Communications, information sharing, wearables that monitor 17 00:01:06.530 --> 00:01:10.660 life vitals or anything like that. [Norm] Absolutely, you got that right. 18 00:01:10.660 --> 00:01:14.680 Sensors, communication, situational awareness tools anything that 19 00:01:14.680 --> 00:01:18.690 helps to provide situational awareness to the First Responder. [Host] Got it. 20 00:01:18.690 --> 00:01:22.930 And what was the catalyst for creating the handbook? What spurred this? 21 00:01:22.930 --> 00:01:26.940 [Norm] Really the handbook was created with the ideal that 22 00:01:26.940 --> 00:01:31.180 we needed the same plug and play environment that exists in the commercial world. 23 00:01:31.180 --> 00:01:35.290 So we wanted to identify a core set of standards that 24 00:01:35.290 --> 00:01:39.520 would ensure commercially diverse 25 00:01:39.520 --> 00:01:43.640 technology could be brought together and it would ultimately interoperate. 26 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:47.890 There's an analogy that I often hear my colleagues speak about. It's USB 27 00:01:47.890 --> 00:01:52.010 you know if we could achieve a USB type standardization with the technologies 28 00:01:52.010 --> 00:01:56.260 that would sort of be the panacea. [Host] Right and Chief Reyes can you 29 00:01:56.260 --> 00:02:00.380 explain why that's so important for public safety, particularly for First Responders? 30 00:02:00.380 --> 00:02:04.380 [Chief Reyes] Well, I mean I can give you a 30 year perspective, you know when I started in the career. 31 00:02:04.380 --> 00:02:08.490 You had everything from Radio Shack to Raytheon and 32 00:02:08.490 --> 00:02:12.720 you know the latest and greatest and nothing ever interfaced with each other out on the field. 33 00:02:12.720 --> 00:02:16.830 And you know with some, you know 34 00:02:16.830 --> 00:02:21.080 30,000 Law Enforcement Officers out there and who knows how many 35 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:25.190 Police and, I'm sorry Fire and EMS agencies 36 00:02:25.190 --> 00:02:29.420 just interfacing of all that technology, especially today where the cockpits of all 37 00:02:29.420 --> 00:02:33.530 of our vehicles are just loaded with technology and just having 38 00:02:33.530 --> 00:02:37.750 one go to document that really kind of lays some standards out 39 00:02:37.750 --> 00:02:41.850 for how all these intricate technologies with each other for 40 00:02:41.850 --> 00:02:46.080 us really has been a very good help. [Host] Yeah and there is an important part there about 41 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:50.200 its open standards. These aren't new standards. [Norm] No, in fact I think 42 00:02:50.200 --> 00:02:54.450 many DHS activities have been bogged down with 43 00:02:54.450 --> 00:02:58.560 trying to develop new standards. Our, very much our approach is to 44 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:02.800 reuse what�s out there. So it's going to 45 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:06.890 guarantee or ensure, certainly hedge our bats that we'll have impact sooner 46 00:03:06.890 --> 00:03:11.110 rather than later if we are not going through a standardization process of 47 00:03:11.110 --> 00:03:15.220 or developing new standards. So we are to the greatest extent possible leveraging 48 00:03:15.220 --> 00:03:19.440 the existing standards. [Chief Reyes] That's important to me as an end-user because that means 49 00:03:19.440 --> 00:03:23.810 I'm not siloed in to one proprietary hardware software 50 00:03:23.810 --> 00:03:28.060 that I have to be stuck with for the next 10 or 15 years. 51 00:03:28.060 --> 00:03:32.180 You know, it allows me a lot of flexibility, especially with interoperable technology. 52 00:03:32.180 --> 00:03:36.430 So that I can plug and play with different technologies within my portfolio or 53 00:03:36.430 --> 00:03:40.550 with my neighbors on the borders.| [Host] And that�s something that the handbook 54 00:03:40.550 --> 00:03:44.800 gets to about going across jurisdictions, across disciplines, across 55 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:48.910 budget amounts. This is something that every responder agency out there can 56 00:03:48.910 --> 00:03:53.160 use and say what fits our needs? [Norm & Chief Reyes] Yes. [Host] So I want 57 00:03:53.160 --> 00:03:57.280 to ask a little bit about that of how you incorporated, you know different jurisdiction, different 58 00:03:57.280 --> 00:04:01.530 discipline needs and technology needs cause there is something to be said 59 00:04:01.530 --> 00:04:05.660 for you know the way a Police Officer is going to use these technologies is going to be different than the 60 00:04:05.660 --> 00:04:09.910 way a Firefighter uses a piece of technology. What kind of considerations 61 00:04:09.910 --> 00:04:14.030 go into that? [Norm] So really what we tried to do is 62 00:04:14.030 --> 00:04:18.280 reduce the technology to its component parts. So we 63 00:04:18.280 --> 00:04:22.400 didn't necessarily consider disciplines, but we considered broad capabilities. 64 00:04:22.400 --> 00:04:26.400 And we identified those broad capabilities, we called them modules and essentially 65 00:04:26.400 --> 00:04:30.520 we thought this represents the First Responder technology 66 00:04:30.520 --> 00:04:34.770 in its most rudimentary form. That was done for a couple of reasons. 67 00:04:34.770 --> 00:04:38.890 One to make it less specific to any given 68 00:04:38.890 --> 00:04:43.150 discipline to make sure it supported any and all, but more 69 00:04:43.150 --> 00:04:47.250 importantly from a technology perspective it also should 70 00:04:47.250 --> 00:04:51.260 ensure that technology can be swapped out. So if you have a comms 71 00:04:51.260 --> 00:04:55.370 capability or you have a situational awareness capability 72 00:04:55.370 --> 00:04:59.600 that's really been defined in its rudimentary form so ideally 73 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:03.710 we hope that we will be able to switch out those modules for any 74 00:05:03.710 --> 00:05:07.970 module that adheres to the standardizations. [Host] And what are some of those modules, I know 75 00:05:07.970 --> 00:05:11.970 we have a very helpful infographic that you can see behind us. It's available on our 76 00:05:11.970 --> 00:05:16.220 website to that lists out what those overarching modules are. [Norm] So if we just talk on 77 00:05:16.220 --> 00:05:20.330 body it's very basic in that we have a controller, which 78 00:05:20.330 --> 00:05:24.570 we often draw the analogy of a smart phone. Really a smart phone is 79 00:05:24.570 --> 00:05:28.680 the closest thing we currently have to a controller, but there has to be 80 00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:32.900 some on body computing power, memory, etc., etc., smart 81 00:05:32.900 --> 00:05:37.010 phone sort of fills that niche at the moment. Certainly the comms piece can't 82 00:05:37.010 --> 00:05:41.250 be understated. Often times you have situational awareness applications 83 00:05:41.250 --> 00:05:45.360 of some sort. You've got input output how you're interfacing 84 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:49.600 to your radio with your computer capability. And the you've got 85 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:53.700 any number of on body sensors, Visio 86 00:05:53.700 --> 00:05:57.920 maybe a camera. Things like that. So those are the basic 87 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:02.020 component parts of on body and power if I left power off. 88 00:06:02.020 --> 00:06:07.020 [Chief Reyes] And I can tell you as a First Responder, today's smart phones 89 00:06:07.060 --> 00:06:11.200 almost have as much computing power as a laptop. 90 00:06:11.200 --> 00:06:15.460 You know I have my personal set-up is a docking station for my smart phone. 91 00:06:15.460 --> 00:06:19.600 It powers up the monitor and I do everything on the 92 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:23.750 smart phone and when I undock I take whatever I worked on in the office out to the field and vice versa. 93 00:06:23.750 --> 00:06:27.760 So instead of transitioning between different devices, I'm on one device. 94 00:06:27.760 --> 00:06:32.000 And I can just tell you in today's world the 95 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:36.010 Law Enforcement and EMS communities are really starting to come closer and closer 96 00:06:36.010 --> 00:06:40.240 and more aligned on the technology that we use. It used 97 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:44.380 to be when body worn cameras first came out it was just a law enforcement technology. 98 00:06:44.380 --> 00:06:48.640 Just before this Tech Talk here, I came from a meeting where the fire and 99 00:06:48.640 --> 00:06:52.770 the EMS community says "hey listen, we're starting to deploy body worn cameras 100 00:06:52.770 --> 00:06:57.020 because as we are taking vitals from a patient that you know 101 00:06:57.020 --> 00:07:01.150 whatever the patient is being live streamed directly out to the hospital and now we're not having to 102 00:07:01.150 --> 00:07:05.410 report back to the hospital what this person just told us. So here's a perfect 103 00:07:05.410 --> 00:07:09.530 application where the EMS community is starting to use a tool that was predominately for law enforcement 104 00:07:09.530 --> 00:07:13.540 and now using it in perfect application, so there is where 105 00:07:13.540 --> 00:07:17.670 their starting to cross pollinate. [Host] That's fantastic and I think that speaks to 106 00:07:17.670 --> 00:07:21.930 some of the reasoning behind the handbook that you're getting at as far as making sure there is open 107 00:07:21.930 --> 00:07:26.070 standards for integrated technology. It's that, new solutions 108 00:07:26.070 --> 00:07:30.070 are coming out every day and there could be something out there that could be super helpful 109 00:07:30.070 --> 00:07:34.200 for the First Responder community and this handbook will that, you know 110 00:07:34.200 --> 00:07:38.440 partner, that industry creator either adapt 111 00:07:38.440 --> 00:07:42.560 or make sure it meets the needs of the First Responder community. So they can take it 112 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:46.800 it and begin using it, because at the pace of innovation it's so fast these days. 113 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:50.930 [Norm] And that's one of the things the handbook is intended to do is 114 00:07:50.930 --> 00:07:55.210 help open the First Responder technology market to those innovators. 115 00:07:55.210 --> 00:07:59.330 Eddie and I were talking before the start of this and one of 116 00:07:59.330 --> 00:08:03.590 frustrations that we certainly acutely feel is 117 00:08:03.590 --> 00:08:07.710 often times First Responders have technology, a plethora of technology 118 00:08:07.710 --> 00:08:11.950 in their personal life and they don't see that technology being brought into their 119 00:08:11.950 --> 00:08:15.950 First Responder space and that's just a focus 120 00:08:15.950 --> 00:08:20.200 of frustration that why can't the First Responder market be as dynamically 121 00:08:20.200 --> 00:08:24.580 attuned to the need, the operational needs 122 00:08:24.580 --> 00:08:28.850 that exists there. [Host] Absolutely. So can we go into a little bit of detail about the handbook 123 00:08:28.850 --> 00:08:32.870 itself? Now there's 3 parts right. Can you give us kind of an overview of each part? 124 00:08:32.870 --> 00:08:37.000 [Norm] So really it's best to look at them as the parts being 125 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:41.000 in increasing level of detail. So part one is really, might be 126 00:08:41.000 --> 00:08:45.090 described as an executive summary. So it really gives you an overview of 127 00:08:45.090 --> 00:08:49.250 the framework, the component parts of the architecture or the component parts of 128 00:08:49.250 --> 00:08:53.330 of the vision and it's really too wet your 129 00:08:53.330 --> 00:08:57.490 appetite to give you an overarching view of what the handbook, what the architectures 130 00:08:57.490 --> 00:09:01.570 all about. The second level is really for those with some 131 00:09:01.570 --> 00:09:05.810 technical background that want to get some more details. So what is it? 132 00:09:05.810 --> 00:09:09.900 So what is it, what is the communication between the modules? So between the comms piece and the 133 00:09:09.900 --> 00:09:13.800 controller piece, what really, how is the data moved back and forth? 134 00:09:13.800 --> 00:09:17.870 How do those modules connect with each other, etc., etc.? 135 00:09:17.870 --> 00:09:21.880 And then the third part is very much the technical annex 136 00:09:21.880 --> 00:09:25.960 so to speak. It's as close to an interface 137 00:09:25.960 --> 00:09:30.190 can level detail of an interfaced control document as we get. So that's really for 138 00:09:30.190 --> 00:09:34.260 the painful level of if you get two engineers in a room 139 00:09:34.260 --> 00:09:38.400 what does that message content? What does that header look like? What does the message 140 00:09:38.400 --> 00:09:42.470 consist of? Etc., etc. [Host] So there's something for everybody in this? 141 00:09:42.470 --> 00:09:46.610 [Norm] There is something for everyone, but I want to encourage don't get 142 00:09:46.610 --> 00:09:50.670 don't be intimidated by the size of the document, because it really is 143 00:09:50.670 --> 00:09:54.670 increasing in detail and if I can get people to just simply 144 00:09:54.670 --> 00:09:58.730 look at that first part as indoctrination into the approach 145 00:09:58.730 --> 00:10:02.860 I think that will lay a provided perspective and 146 00:10:02.860 --> 00:10:07.070 wouldn't have the same intimidation of reading section 2 147 00:10:07.070 --> 00:10:11.510 or section 3. [Chief Reyes] And I was just going to say that as an end user 148 00:10:11.510 --> 00:10:15.700 what I really found valuable about the handbook is that it is a one stop shop 149 00:10:15.700 --> 00:10:20.070 to get total emergence on public safety technologies. 150 00:10:20.070 --> 00:10:24.070 You know for those of us that have been in charge of implementing a project, let's say a body worn camera 151 00:10:24.070 --> 00:10:28.360 or a land mobile radio or a mobile data computing system, it's like where do I go to get 152 00:10:28.360 --> 00:10:32.510 the answers on how to begin a project like this. And what I liked about this handbook 153 00:10:32.510 --> 00:10:36.800 is that it takes you, as you said from a summary overview of what we're going to be 154 00:10:36.800 --> 00:10:40.940 covering. Then someone who's just inherited a project deployment 155 00:10:40.940 --> 00:10:45.080 once they read this, "oh these are the standards, oh these are the interfaces, oh these 156 00:10:45.080 --> 00:10:49.220 these are the unintended consequences" that are kind of spelled out for you in a government 157 00:10:49.220 --> 00:10:53.220 format and you�re not having to rely on a bias perspective,| you know that somebody might give you. 158 00:10:53.220 --> 00:10:57.350 [Norm] Certainly the handbook is intended to 159 00:10:57.350 --> 00:11:01.620 its primary focus if I were to describe it that way is industry. 160 00:11:01.620 --> 00:11:05.750 For industry to understand where there technology fits in the space, but it also 161 00:11:05.750 --> 00:11:10.000 has applicability to First Responder organizations and First Responders to themselves. 162 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:14.130 But more to your point what we do expect to develop in the near future 163 00:11:14.130 --> 00:11:18.380 is what I have historically called a deployment guide or integration 164 00:11:18.380 --> 00:11:22.550 guide and it's a slightly different view| of exactly what you�re describing. 165 00:11:22.550 --> 00:11:26.550 What does this mean to me? How do I best assess where this technology 166 00:11:26.550 --> 00:11:30.670 fits in with my operational system and what do I need to worry about quite honestly? 167 00:11:30.670 --> 00:11:34.910 So it's much the same information, but it's a slightly different perspective. 168 00:11:34.910 --> 00:11:39.030 [Chief Reyes] The other thing I liked about this handbook, is that I think for the first time 169 00:11:39.030 --> 00:11:43.280 in the history of my service to First Responders is that 170 00:11:43.280 --> 00:11:47.400 it kind of tells the vendor the community what we want and what we need 171 00:11:47.400 --> 00:11:51.660 as opposed to the other way around. I mean when I first started you'd have the vendor knocking at your door. 172 00:11:51.660 --> 00:11:55.800 Here's what we are selling today only and make it fit to your mission. 173 00:11:55.800 --> 00:12:00.060 It's always got to be the other way around.| Here is my mission, where�s the tool 174 00:12:00.060 --> 00:12:04.190 to help me apply that tool to my mission. And so that's 175 00:12:04.190 --> 00:12:08.440 what I really liked about the tool, is that it really helps guide and direct the vendor community 176 00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:12.570 on the tools and our needs for our operational readiness. 177 00:12:12.570 --> 00:12:16.840 [Host] And it's about that broad strokes approach, so this isn't focused on one or two particular 178 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:20.970 technologies, this is saying if you re developing anything that you think could help 179 00:12:20.970 --> 00:12:25.240 a First Responder just makes sure it meets these standards and then you can start a conversation 180 00:12:25.240 --> 00:12:29.380 with them. [Norm] And certainly the request of feedback is that by no 181 00:12:29.380 --> 00:12:33.660 means do I feel like we have it all worked out. You now it's one of those things where you broaden the audience 182 00:12:33.660 --> 00:12:37.780 and you broaden the feedback as much as you can, because I'm confident about the 183 00:12:37.780 --> 00:12:42.030 core that we've started with. I think it can be| expanded, to you know, I'm sure there�s 184 00:12:42.030 --> 00:12:46.160 technology in the pipeline that we haven't considered yet. Perhaps there's not an operational need 185 00:12:46.160 --> 00:12:50.410 or maybe we haven't married up the operational need with the emergence of the 186 00:12:50.410 --> 00:12:54.420 technology, but the bottom line is this is intended to be a 187 00:12:54.420 --> 00:12:58.660 involving effort and certainly with the speed of technology 188 00:12:58.660 --> 00:13:02.670 and how quickly it changes, this may not be, you know 189 00:13:02.670 --> 00:13:06.930 there may be whole sections that aren't relevant in| another five years� time or even two or three years� time. 190 00:13:06.930 --> 00:13:10.940 And well the intent is to set-up a mechanism to 191 00:13:10.940 --> 00:13:15.170 ensure to fill the same need and addresses those 192 00:13:15.170 --> 00:13:19.290 emerging technology as they come out. [Host] Because we are still looking for industry input on this. 193 00:13:19.290 --> 00:13:23.550 [Norm] Absolutely, we are. Yes. [Host] And there is a different version coming out in June? 194 00:13:23.550 --> 00:13:27.680 [Norm] So yes, we two revisions this year. So we released it for the first 195 00:13:27.680 --> 00:13:31.940 time to the public in February. So we are 196 00:13:31.940 --> 00:13:35.950 garnering a lot of interest and getting a lot of feedback in comment. Again that's 197 00:13:35.950 --> 00:13:40.210 wiping the aperture right? We are getting it out there for public scrutiny. 198 00:13:40.210 --> 00:13:44.220 You know it may be that we get some feedback that we got sections wrong 199 00:13:44.220 --> 00:13:48.460 we've got major deficiencies. The intent is to take that feedback 200 00:13:48.460 --> 00:13:52.580 prioritize it and roll that into another revision for later 201 00:13:52.580 --> 00:13:56.840 this year. [Host] Okay and how do people submit that input? 202 00:13:56.840 --> 00:14:00.980 [Norm] So the easiest way is, first of all you can read and 203 00:14:00.980 --> 00:14:05.260 download the handbook, the three parts of the handbook by going to our website. 204 00:14:05.260 --> 00:14:09.380 Which is DHS.gov/science- 205 00:14:09.380 --> 00:14:13.620 and-technology 206 00:14:13.620 --> 00:14:17.630 /NGFR/Handbook, sorry that's a little lengthy. 207 00:14:17.630 --> 00:14:21.880 There's an easier method and that you can just email 208 00:14:21.880 --> 00:14:26.000 us at NGFR, that�s NGFR@hq.dhs.gov 209 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:30.230 and well respond to you with the 210 00:14:30.230 --> 00:14:34.360 sections and a comments matrix. [Host] Excellent and we'll post a link 211 00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:38.630 to the NG For Integration handbook in the video below so you can click on it 212 00:14:38.630 --> 00:14:42.760 you can go see what the current version looks like and then submit your input 213 00:14:42.760 --> 00:14:47.020 and we are looking for input from industry and from responders. 214 00:14:47.020 --> 00:14:51.160 We have a question from Facebook. How is S&T planning 215 00:14:51.160 --> 00:14:55.430 to work with smart cities? Does NGFR fit into that NIST 216 00:14:55.430 --> 00:14:59.430 and industry are doing on standards in architecture develop for smart connected cities? 217 00:14:59.430 --> 00:15:03.700 [Norm] So it's a very good question and in some ways smart cities 218 00:15:03.700 --> 00:15:07.820 ad other efforts are the 800 pound gorillas in the room. 219 00:15:07.820 --> 00:15:12.070 So we do try to maintain 220 00:15:12.070 --> 00:15:16.080 alignment with the smart cities, so certainly 221 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:20.090 public safety is recognized as a subset of the larger smart cities. 222 00:15:20.090 --> 00:15:24.200 Unfortunately in some regards, smart cities being a good 223 00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:28.420 example, many, many standards, but some that don't 224 00:15:28.420 --> 00:15:32.520 provide the level of detail required to actually have impact now. 225 00:15:32.520 --> 00:15:36.730 I think we are finding the same to be true of another large 226 00:15:36.730 --> 00:15:40.830 activity that will certainly and significantly impact NGFR is 227 00:15:40.830 --> 00:15:45.050 the IOT, the development of IOT. They are massive entities. 228 00:15:45.050 --> 00:15:49.060 The Samsung's, the Intel's of the world that are dealing 229 00:15:49.060 --> 00:15:53.280 with IOT. We're maintaining a focus on public safety and its impact on public safety. 230 00:15:53.280 --> 00:15:57.280 But certainly we expect that those over time 231 00:15:57.280 --> 00:16:01.480 medium to long range that those will become more and more aligned 232 00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:05.580 with the greater smart cities. So we'll make sure that we 233 00:16:05.580 --> 00:16:09.780 dove tail into those efforts. We maintain the sort of specificity 234 00:16:09.780 --> 00:16:13.880 that's needed for NGFR, but acknowledge that it's got 235 00:16:13.880 --> 00:16:18.090 to work with a much bigger eco system. [Host] Right, because there's things in this handbook 236 00:16:18.090 --> 00:16:22.190 you know acknowledging that FirstNet is building the network, you know the public safety broadband 237 00:16:22.190 --> 00:16:26.400 network that�s going to connect or give access to| all public safety agencies across the 238 00:16:26.400 --> 00:16:30.510 nation. Access to a broadband that works specifically for them, so this is 239 00:16:30.510 --> 00:16:34.720 incorporated into the handbook. Acknowledging that broader conversations, broader capabilities 240 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:38.820 being developed for public safety. [Norm] Yes, it is.| Yeah and there�s a lot of, I like to call it 241 00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:43.030 cross pollination going back and forth. So we've asked questions of FirstNet to say 242 00:16:43.030 --> 00:16:47.130 Where are you with this? Where is the maturity of this? And I feel like we are 243 00:16:47.130 --> 00:16:51.330 becoming more of a complimentary activity where 244 00:16:51.330 --> 00:16:55.420 there's some areas where we are a little more advanced in thinking and 245 00:16:55.420 --> 00:16:59.620 contemplating things. There's other efforts that FirstNet is more advanced and 246 00:16:59.620 --> 00:17:03.710 contemplating and thinking about. 247 00:17:03.710 --> 00:17:07.900 And we'll just make sure that we are not reinventing the wheel. 248 00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:11.980 So certainly a lot of those activities are going on. [Chief Reyes] And the way I like to describe it 249 00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:15.990 done or especially when I'm having to do some outreach or education 250 00:17:15.990 --> 00:17:20.080 or an elected official or some people that have not necessarily 251 00:17:20.080 --> 00:17:24.270 or heard or know that much about FirstNet 252 00:17:24.270 --> 00:17:28.350 or any of these systems that we are talking about. I describe it as a system of systems. 253 00:17:28.350 --> 00:17:32.550 They have a natural over lament over each other they have to complement each other. 254 00:17:32.550 --> 00:17:36.620 There has to be a seamless integration with each other. 255 00:17:36.620 --> 00:17:40.790 Then they have to work very fluidly across all the different 256 00:17:40.790 --> 00:17:44.860 technologies. I wanted to go back to a point that you made about the evolution. 257 00:17:44.860 --> 00:17:49.040 You know with the handbook and the next version and that 258 00:17:49.040 --> 00:17:53.110 is right now we are mostly talking about hardware and software solutions, but in the future, I mean 259 00:17:53.110 --> 00:17:57.290 First Responders I envision, 5-10 year picture is a much 260 00:17:57.290 --> 00:18:01.380 heavier reliance on apps and the cloud. You know and 261 00:18:01.380 --> 00:18:06.380 that is perhaps going to generate additional attention for the next version. 262 00:18:06.840 --> 00:18:10.940 It's a good point that you make, because I think there�s 263 00:18:10.940 --> 00:18:11.050 certainly the focus for this iteration is much more on 264 00:18:11.050 --> 00:18:15.280 certainly the focus for this iteration is much more on body. 265 00:18:15.280 --> 00:18:19.390 Because that's a lot of where our aligned our 266 00:18:19.390 --> 00:18:23.640 efforts are. This week we have a practitioner group within 267 00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:27.760 S&T called FLRG. They are a First Responder resource group. One of their functions 268 00:18:27.760 --> 00:18:32.020 their major functions that FRLG serves for us is providing 269 00:18:32.020 --> 00:18:36.150 operational requirements and prioritizing those operational environments and then S&T 270 00:18:36.150 --> 00:18:40.400 to address capability gaps. So in the most 271 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:44.510 recent, actually one revision ago, a project responder 272 00:18:44.510 --> 00:18:48.510 for was very on body, it was clear where the First Responder community was going 273 00:18:48.510 --> 00:18:52.520 in terms of embracing on body capability but I absolutely agree with you 274 00:18:52.520 --> 00:18:56.760 I think now, not that we on body all sorted out, but we're 275 00:18:56.760 --> 00:19:00.870 needing to acknowledge how that on body capability 276 00:19:00.870 --> 00:19:05.110 then integrates with a larger multidiscipline, multiagency 277 00:19:05.110 --> 00:19:09.220 in order to have all of these situational awareness impact 278 00:19:09.220 --> 00:19:13.470 that�s envisioned that ultimately has to aggregate up to 279 00:19:13.470 --> 00:19:17.480 a higher level and command decision. [Chief Reyes] And of course for the 280 00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:21.710 First Responder community every good tool or every good application has an unintended consequence. 281 00:19:21.710 --> 00:19:25.820 And here of course is a security. So while apps and the cloud are wonderful 282 00:19:25.820 --> 00:19:30.820 tools if only they could be completely bullet proof. 283 00:19:32.510 --> 00:19:34.700 [Norm] It obviously introduces a new vulnerability that 284 00:19:34.700 --> 00:19:36.900 we have to be sensitive to and in some ways it's inhibited the embracing 285 00:19:36.900 --> 00:19:41.180 of the technology, because there are many agencies that do not want to deal with a headache. 286 00:19:41.180 --> 00:19:45.180 Yes, there is tremendous operational advantage, but there is also 287 00:19:45.180 --> 00:19:49.240 this surface vulnerability that never had in the past. 288 00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:53.420 They�re not; they don't relish encountering.| [Host] Well it's good to be 289 00:19:53.420 --> 00:19:57.670 thinking about that now rather than down the line. So it sounds like those conversations are 290 00:19:57.670 --> 00:20:01.870 about unattended effects. We've got a few more questions from Facebook. 291 00:20:01.870 --> 00:20:05.930 How will you ensure transparency as the document evolves? 292 00:20:05.930 --> 00:20:10.140 [Norm] So we ultimately envision the handbook 293 00:20:10.140 --> 00:20:14.190 we're looking for transition partner. What we envision 294 00:20:14.190 --> 00:20:18.370 hasn't been realized yet, but we would like to turn it over to a standards developmental organization. 295 00:20:18.370 --> 00:20:22.420 So we would like to, like the framework to become a 296 00:20:22.420 --> 00:20:26.600 standard in itself and for an appropriate 297 00:20:26.600 --> 00:20:30.650 standards development organization that has a foot print in the First Responder space. 298 00:20:30.650 --> 00:20:34.820 And there are several that we are speaking with, so 299 00:20:34.820 --> 00:20:38.870 ultimately we want to transition the document to a SDO in which case it would fall under 300 00:20:38.870 --> 00:20:43.040 their transparent approach of how changes are introduced. 301 00:20:43.040 --> 00:20:47.090 How they are adjudicated and how they become a part of a subsequent release. 302 00:20:47.090 --> 00:20:51.100 [Host] Excellent. Next question. Can you speak to the FirstNet collaboration 303 00:20:51.100 --> 00:20:55.130 and how the handbook fits in? [Norm] So one of the 304 00:20:55.130 --> 00:20:59.280 stark ones and actually you touched on it perfectly. 305 00:20:59.280 --> 00:21:03.310 There are all these, the FirstNet, next generation 306 00:21:03.310 --> 00:21:07.460 First Responder. All this capability introducing another 307 00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:11.470 is introducing acutely a security vulnerability 308 00:21:11.470 --> 00:21:15.480 that hasn't existed with these stove pipe systems in the past. 309 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:19.490 So I can think of our [unintelligible] effort within 310 00:21:19.490 --> 00:21:23.640 S&T are very much aligned with FirstNet 311 00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:27.640 collaboration or very much aligned with the IDENT efforts within FirstNet. 312 00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:31.640 So collaboration is really in those areas of you know 313 00:21:31.640 --> 00:21:35.910 how is data aggregated and secured? What does it mean to 314 00:21:35.910 --> 00:21:40.040 introduce Apps into the FirstNet network. You know all 315 00:21:40.040 --> 00:21:44.310 those sorts of things. [Host] And it is probably something to consider given the amount of information that 316 00:21:44.310 --> 00:21:48.450 could potentially be shared or at least gathered through 317 00:21:48.450 --> 00:21:52.730 on body systems that has to be transferred back to, you know a dispatch center or just 318 00:21:52.730 --> 00:21:56.870 keeping in mind what the network can handle. So it is going to be an ongoing conversation it sounds like. 319 00:21:56.870 --> 00:22:01.140 [Norm] Oh absolutely. [Host] Another question from Facebook. What kind of sensors 320 00:22:01.140 --> 00:22:05.280 do you envision in the on body system? 321 00:22:05.280 --> 00:22:09.280 [Chief Reyes] Well I, I can take a shot of some of those. Obviously vitals, I mean one of 322 00:22:09.280 --> 00:22:14.280 the most important ones is, you know vitals is a First Responder 323 00:22:15.830 --> 00:22:19.910 are all their vitals where they need to before responding in a high stressful environment. 324 00:22:19.910 --> 00:22:24.110 You know the vertical horizontal position of the person. 325 00:22:24.110 --> 00:22:28.180 You know if you have a person in a horizontal position for a long period of time that means 326 00:22:28.180 --> 00:22:32.180 something has probably gone wrong and there not taking a nap hopefully. 327 00:22:32.180 --> 00:22:36.190 So you know all these types of sensors the environment 328 00:22:36.190 --> 00:22:40.380 around them they may not be aware of some 329 00:22:40.380 --> 00:22:44.440 toxic chemical that they may have walked into, but the technology on their body 330 00:22:44.440 --> 00:22:48.610 would certainly detect that and be able to alert them to that before they entered a dangerous 331 00:22:48.610 --> 00:22:52.670 environment. So not only for self-monitoring but for 332 00:22:52.670 --> 00:22:56.670 monitoring the environment, I think those are going to be two very big sensors that 333 00:22:56.670 --> 00:23:00.680 the First Responder community is looking forward. [Host] Absolutely, almost like whatever is possible 334 00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:04.870 could somehow be helpful. [Chief Reyes] Sky's the limit. 335 00:23:04.870 --> 00:23:08.910 [Host] Fantastic. Does the handbook address cyber security with on body 336 00:23:08.910 --> 00:23:13.080 sensors? [Norm] It does some. It's certainly a deficient area and of the three areas 337 00:23:13.080 --> 00:23:17.120 that we're mostly focused on for the next iteration cyber is one of them. 338 00:23:17.120 --> 00:23:21.280 So there is a framework and we have some thoughts about that but it's 339 00:23:21.280 --> 00:23:25.290 definitely an area that needs to be more robust to truly 340 00:23:25.290 --> 00:23:29.450 address. I don't think we understand all of the surfaces yet 341 00:23:29.450 --> 00:23:33.480 so some of our primary focus 342 00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:37.650 I touched on is more of understanding how to integrate 343 00:23:37.650 --> 00:23:41.670 NGFR technology at an enterprise. Security is another aspect 344 00:23:41.670 --> 00:23:45.820 of that and I'm trying to think of, I don't recall the third area focus, but that 345 00:23:45.820 --> 00:23:49.840 will be built out to a greater degree in the next iteration. 346 00:23:49.840 --> 00:23:53.850 [Chief Reyes] For someone who has been evolving technology for a long time, to me 347 00:23:53.850 --> 00:23:57.860 you know the cyber security threat is an ever evolving 348 00:23:57.860 --> 00:24:02.010 threat. Just when you plug in the hole here another one pops out over here. 349 00:24:02.010 --> 00:24:06.300 So just when you think you've solved the you know the problem 350 00:24:06.300 --> 00:24:10.450 the solution to fix that malware or that cyber threat 351 00:24:10.450 --> 00:24:14.460 you know another one pops up. So this is just going to be an ever evolving 352 00:24:14.460 --> 00:24:18.580 ball that we have to keep our eye on and just continue to move forward with this. 353 00:24:18.580 --> 00:24:22.850 [Host] So if you have suggestions, you know please send them in. We would love to hear your 354 00:24:22.850 --> 00:24:26.980 ideas. Another question from Facebook. How is 355 00:24:26.980 --> 00:24:31.250 the integration framework being tested in the real world? 356 00:24:31.250 --> 00:24:35.390 [Norm] So my immediate organization, NGFR we 357 00:24:35.390 --> 00:24:39.400 do that through a combination of in-house activities and external activities. 358 00:24:39.400 --> 00:24:43.530 These again are evolving in terms of there 359 00:24:43.530 --> 00:24:47.550 expansiveness would be the best way to describe it. 360 00:24:47.550 --> 00:24:51.550 So beginning of this year we had what we 361 00:24:51.550 --> 00:24:55.790 refer to as an integration of tests, so it was essentially to bring together a 362 00:24:55.790 --> 00:24:59.910 representation across a variety of different technologies 363 00:24:59.910 --> 00:25:04.160 and really put the, validate the content of the handbook. 364 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:08.170 And some of what we are changing in the handbook is sort of an outtake, an outcome 365 00:25:08.170 --> 00:25:12.190 from that, but more to the operational or the 366 00:25:12.190 --> 00:25:16.430 other aspect to that is to test it in the operational environment. 367 00:25:16.430 --> 00:25:21.130 So it sorts of follows the traditional development, test and evaluation and operational test evaluation. 368 00:25:21.130 --> 00:25:25.470 So our first opportunity to do that is an exercise that is 369 00:25:25.470 --> 00:25:29.490 currently with Harris County. So we are going to do very much what we did in the internal 370 00:25:29.490 --> 00:25:33.860 environment and try to do it in an external. In an environment that 371 00:25:33.860 --> 00:25:37.880 is operational to Harris County. [Host] And see if the standards apply? 372 00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:42.260 [Norm] Both the standards apply and where there are serious deficiencies. 373 00:25:42.260 --> 00:25:46.290 And also where we fit in with other operational systems. 374 00:25:46.290 --> 00:25:50.670 That's something that we have a view on maybe what it 375 00:25:50.670 --> 00:25:54.690 looks like, but really until you go through that exercise a few times you may encounter things 376 00:25:54.690 --> 00:25:59.060 that you didn't foresee. So it is a way to incrementally 377 00:25:59.060 --> 00:26:03.090 expose it to something resembling a more traditional operational environment. 378 00:26:03.090 --> 00:26:07.250 And certainly Harris County is going to be a more complicated environment 379 00:26:07.250 --> 00:26:11.260 than a smaller more rural 380 00:26:11.260 --> 00:26:15.450 agency or county. So certainly that�s starting with a big 381 00:26:15.450 --> 00:26:19.720 complex situation, but we'll do other exercises similar to that 382 00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:23.870 appropriately sized to make sure that we're not trying 383 00:26:23.870 --> 00:26:27.890 for a 100% solution, but we want it to be a 70-80% 384 00:26:27.890 --> 00:26:32.010 solution. Something that is applicable to a large section of the population. 385 00:26:32.010 --> 00:26:36.280 First responder organizations, industry, participants that sort of thing. 386 00:26:36.280 --> 00:26:40.410 I have to put in a plug for Harris County and the fine folks over there 387 00:26:40.410 --> 00:26:44.680 especially the late Tom Sorley. Because, but if not for these 388 00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:48.820 municipality, these counties that are brave enough to step forward and say hey I'm willing to 389 00:26:48.820 --> 00:26:53.100 cut my knuckles on this technology. No one ever wants to go first, but they all want 390 00:26:53.100 --> 00:26:53.110 to follow whoever has gone first and say I want to learn on his lessons or lessons and 391 00:26:53.110 --> 00:26:57.120 to follow whoever has gone first and say I want to learn on his lessons or lessons and I don't 392 00:26:57.120 --> 00:27:01.390 want to do that mistake, but no one wants to take that leap. 393 00:27:01.390 --> 00:27:05.530 And Harris County always steps up to the plate and says this is complicated stuff 394 00:27:05.530 --> 00:27:09.820 as you said Norm and there�s a chance for failure| here, but the lessons that we 395 00:27:09.820 --> 00:27:13.950 learn could be more valuable than the success that we have. [Host] Absolutely. I mean the 396 00:27:13.950 --> 00:27:17.960 local and state partners play such a huge role in making sure that these things are 397 00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:22.100 tested and evaluated. We know that they work in the real world or that we learn 398 00:27:22.100 --> 00:27:26.380 you know and say not quite but we're getting closer. 399 00:27:26.380 --> 00:27:30.530 That's a great point. We have a couple of more questions that we want to get to. 400 00:27:30.530 --> 00:27:34.810 What is the deadline to submit feedback for this next version? [Norm] For the next version is April, the end 401 00:27:34.810 --> 00:27:38.960 of April. April 30th, but if for some reason you feel 402 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:42.960 the crunch and can't make it in on time. There will be a iteration that follows three months after that. 403 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:47.100 So the deadline, I think is 90 days following that but 404 00:27:47.100 --> 00:27:51.370 if you email me at NGFR, I can verify that. 405 00:27:51.370 --> 00:27:55.370 But certainly the deadline is April 30th and then we'll take all the comments 406 00:27:55.370 --> 00:27:59.630 we'll adjudicate those and make sure that those are properly reflected 407 00:27:59.630 --> 00:28:03.760 in the next revision. [Host] So if you want to be in this next version by April 30th, but 408 00:28:03.760 --> 00:28:08.040 there will be opportunities after that? [Norm] Absolutely, yeah. [Host] How will new 409 00:28:08.040 --> 00:28:12.040 NGFR solutions get evaluated and approved as a FirstNet enabled solution 410 00:28:12.040 --> 00:28:16.300 and who will give that approval? [Norm] That's something I'm not clear on at the moment. 411 00:28:16.300 --> 00:28:20.430 Yeah, so we'll have to, I'll have to take that offline. 412 00:28:20.430 --> 00:28:24.700 So if you contact me at the NGFR handbook, I'll see what I can respond to that, but that 413 00:28:24.700 --> 00:28:28.840 is a question that often comes up, because it's not well understood at this point. [Chief Reyes] Yeah, 414 00:28:28.840 --> 00:28:33.120 and I think for the most part, FirstNet is just so new and just evolving 415 00:28:33.120 --> 00:28:37.260 into our operating space that we still don't have answers 416 00:28:37.260 --> 00:28:41.550 like that yet. [Host] So I just have two more questions. 417 00:28:41.550 --> 00:28:45.700 One, we've kind of touched on this but how do you see the handbook evolving moving forward? 418 00:28:45.700 --> 00:28:49.700 Whether it's to handle apps in the cloud, but how do you see it progressing over the next 5-10 years? 419 00:28:49.700 --> 00:28:53.850 [Norm] So it's two fold. I think one it does need 420 00:28:53.850 --> 00:28:58.130 to deal with some of the deficiencies that exist. It has to 421 00:28:58.130 --> 00:29:02.260 better describe how that 422 00:29:02.260 --> 00:29:06.520 marrying up of that new this new technology and legacy systems. Right, because no ones 423 00:29:06.520 --> 00:29:10.670 going to have the luxury of replacing all of their operational systems. [Host] Umm, no. 424 00:29:10.670 --> 00:29:14.670 [Norm] So it's got to fundamentally address that. And two 425 00:29:14.670 --> 00:29:18.790 it's we've got to think of it in terms of a living document. 426 00:29:18.790 --> 00:29:23.040 So I think it will continue to serve a function, I don't 427 00:29:23.040 --> 00:29:27.160 I can't imagine the technology 428 00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:31.410 the pace of change in technology is going to slow down. 429 00:29:31.410 --> 00:29:35.550 So I think their will continue to be a need and a new area to focus on. 430 00:29:35.550 --> 00:29:39.560 So do you have any other thoughts about that. [Chief Reyes] No, that's spot on. That's exactly how I was 431 00:29:39.560 --> 00:29:43.690 thinking right along those lines. This has absolutely got to be a living, breathing document, because of the 432 00:29:43.690 --> 00:29:47.950 change of technology. The threats against our technology 433 00:29:47.950 --> 00:29:52.080 and so it's just constantly got to be evolving. [Host] So continuous input 434 00:29:52.080 --> 00:29:56.090 continuing the conversation. [Norm] And I could see how it would possibly align with 435 00:29:56.090 --> 00:30:00.200 as NFRG and other activities like that identify capability 436 00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:04.460 gaps and prioritize those capability gaps. If there is 437 00:30:04.460 --> 00:30:08.580 technology associated with that. Then that would fundamentally, you would have to prioritize it to make 438 00:30:08.580 --> 00:30:12.840 sure that there is the framework and the technical specification to support those 439 00:30:12.840 --> 00:30:16.970 activities. [Host] Absolutely. Last question for me. If you 440 00:30:16.970 --> 00:30:21.230 could leave people with one take away about the handbook what would it be? 441 00:30:21.230 --> 00:30:25.380 [Norm] Do you want to start? [Chief Reyes] Oh, that's a tough one. [Laughter] [Host] Put you on the spot. 442 00:30:25.380 --> 00:30:29.680 [Chief Reyes] Yeah, oh my God. First and foremost, you've got to take 443 00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:33.800 it in with an open mind. Don't come in with any preconceived notions 444 00:30:33.800 --> 00:30:38.050 that you know, the government didn't do a good job with that. Just come in 445 00:30:38.050 --> 00:30:42.200 with an open mind. Give it a fair shot. And you know this 446 00:30:42.200 --> 00:30:46.490 is an elephant. You got to eat it in pieces and start to summarize it 447 00:30:46.490 --> 00:30:50.640 and then start working your way through it. But most importantly 448 00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:54.920 start to understand that this is really a tool, not only for the vendor community 449 00:30:54.920 --> 00:30:58.920 to deliver a better product for First Responders, but for First Responders to understand 450 00:30:58.920 --> 00:31:03.170 how all of these complicated technologies interface with each other. 451 00:31:03.170 --> 00:31:07.290 And so I think it's a great benefit for both sides of 452 00:31:07.290 --> 00:31:11.540 the playing field. Those that produce these great tools that we need every day on jobs. 453 00:31:11.540 --> 00:31:15.550 And those of us that use these tools everyday how we 454 00:31:15.550 --> 00:31:19.560 can get them to interface them better. [Norm] I think you teed that off in a great way 455 00:31:19.560 --> 00:31:23.690 in that you know, we don't, it's not our skin in the game. 456 00:31:23.690 --> 00:31:27.700 It really, we want this to be a collaborative effort. We don't want it to be the government 457 00:31:27.700 --> 00:31:31.820 saying this. It's not that at all. This is a reflection of everyone that we've 458 00:31:31.820 --> 00:31:36.070 had touch points with so far and as those 459 00:31:36.070 --> 00:31:40.190 industry partners and First Responder agencies expand we'll include their feedback. 460 00:31:40.190 --> 00:31:44.700 Often times my way of viewing things is you try 461 00:31:44.700 --> 00:31:48.570 to get that 60-70% solution, then you start broadening the 462 00:31:48.570 --> 00:31:52.830 feedback and the audience and the stakeholder community and you also get their feedback. 463 00:31:52.830 --> 00:31:56.960 And hopefully if you've done it right, you know you're not 464 00:31:56.960 --> 00:32:01.200 there not continually, you know identifying capabilities that you've missed. 465 00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:05.210 You know that there are little tweaks and everything else, but the fact of the matter is if 466 00:32:05.210 --> 00:32:09.460 his feedback that this just misses the mark then we'll go back and we'll 467 00:32:09.460 --> 00:32:13.580 assemble the right people to provide feedback and comments and well address it. 468 00:32:13.580 --> 00:32:17.830 But we fundamentally want this to be something that helps First Responders in the 469 00:32:17.830 --> 00:32:21.950 way that they procure technologies. We want to help 470 00:32:21.950 --> 00:32:25.960 you know industry understanding the First Responder 471 00:32:25.960 --> 00:32:30.080 market understanding First Responder requirements and how they might be able to tweak their 472 00:32:30.080 --> 00:32:34.080 products to cater to, to you know open a new market it to them. 473 00:32:34.080 --> 00:32:38.180 Maybe they are non-traditional First Responder type technologies 474 00:32:38.180 --> 00:32:42.400 and quite honestly we just want to expand the 475 00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:46.510 products and opportunities, technology opportunity 476 00:32:46.510 --> 00:32:50.740 in the First Responder environment. [Host] Alright. Thank you both so much. 477 00:32:50.740 --> 00:32:54.860 If you are a member of industry, a member of the First Responder community. We invite you to check out the 478 00:32:54.860 --> 00:32:58.860 First Responder Integration handbook. Please send us your feedback. We'll post a link in the 479 00:32:58.860 --> 00:33:02.870 the comments below and thank you all for tuning in. 480 00:33:02.870 --> 00:33:04.384 Thank you again. [Norm and Chief Reyes] Thank you.