Over the course of the past 12 months, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and Defence Research Canada’s Centre for Security Science (DRDC CSS) have been working with a number of partner organizations to develop and implement CAUSE IV, which aims to demonstrate how technologies can enable Canadian and U.S. emergency management officials and responders to exchange situational awareness information as an incident unfolds.
“CAUSE IV would not have been possible without the support from a number of dedicated professionals,” said Doug Socha, paramedic portfolio manager, DRDC CSS. “I am extremely interested to see how this technology demonstration will enable paramedics to enhance patient care through the interactions with our U.S. partners.”
Program Manager Denis Gusty, with DHS S&T’s First Responders Group, stated, “This year we’ll be exploring how 211 services can be used to support emergency operations by enhancing the way that information is shared between 211 call centers. Our aim is to improve the information that 211 centers obtain for referrals, as well as show Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) the various types of emergency-related concerns the public is expressing and the location of where those concerns are being expressed.”
Since the CAUSE series launched in 2011, DHS S&T and DRDC CSS have dedicated considerable resources and effort toward building a binational communications interoperability capability and testing emerging technologies that could strengthen cross-border collaboration. The two nations continue to encourage an environment of cooperation among all partners involved.
CAUSE IV is comprised of one scenario broken into two vignettes conducted April 26-28, 2016. The scenario is built around a severe thunderstorm that spawns a tornado.
“A huge effort has been made in Canada and the U.S. leading up to CAUSE IV. Because of such dedication, I am confident that the advanced communications capabilities demonstrated during the experiment will significantly improve response and coordination,” noted Joe Fournier, the wireless technology manager for DRDC CSS.
Long Term Evolution (LTE) is one of many technologies that will be tested during CAUSE IV. The technology is generally associated with broadband wireless or advanced mobile network technologies, such as 4G, that increase the capacity and speed of wireless data networks. Other technical capabilities tested include:
- Paramedic dispatching software;
- Electronic patient care and cardiac rhythm software;
- Auto-vehicle location technology used to monitor and track the movements of ambulances as paramedics travel across the border;
- The National Public Alerting System (NPAS); and
- The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS).
Alfred Kenyon, the IPAWS national test technical lead at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said, “FEMA’s IPAWS Program Management Office hopes to advance the work of the previous CAUSE experiments by demonstrating some of the technical capabilities of the connection between IPAWS and Canada’s National Alert Aggregation & Dissemination System.”
Related CAUSE IV Links
Check out previous blog entries describing the different aspects of CAUSE IV:
- January 26, 2016 – U.S./Canada CAUSE IV Experiment
- March 7, 2016 – U.S./Canada CAUSE IV Experiment – Interoperability and the Role of LTE Technology
- April 6, 2016 – Introductory video to CAUSE IV
- April 19, 2016 – Mutual aid and CAUSE IV
- About the Canada-U.S. Enhanced Resiliency Experiment IV (CAUSE IV)
We will be live-tweeting and live-streaming news from CAUSE IV throughout the week!
Follow S&T on Twitter: @dhsscitech and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FirstRespondersGroup for updates.
Follow DRDC CSS on Twitter: @DRDC_RDDC.