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NGFR Integration Handbook

First Responders across the nation protect our communities, respond to emergencies, and save lives while sometimes using outdated technology. Often, responders are overburdened with data and devices -- adding more stand-alone devices is not the solution, and may inhibit responders from completing their mission.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) Next Generation First Responder (NGFR) Apex Program has collaborated with industry and first responders to identify capability gaps in existing technology. The collaboration works toward filling these gaps by integrating current and emerging technologies to improve emergency response, responder safety, and situational awareness. To integrate these technologies, S&T's NGFR Apex program developed an architecture that uses open standards to connect on-body responder technologies with improved data analytics and alerts to make responders better protected, connected, and fully aware.  

S&T’s NGFR Apex program aims to encourage innovators to develop interoperable technologies that address first responder needs. To guide industry in development, design, test, and integration of responder technologies, DHS S&T has created the Next Generation First Responder Integration Handbook, which outlines a “plug-and-play,” standards-based environment that enables commercially-developed technologies to integrate with existing first responder infrastructure.

DHS S&T invites industry to review the NGFR Integration Handbook and provide feedback to improve the level of detail of the technical specifications that will deliver interoperable technology to the first responder marketplace. DHS S&T will provide an opportunity for additional comments twice yearly on a rolling basis.

Interested in providing feedback? Please email NGFR@hq.dhs.gov to receive the required NGFR Integration Handbook comment matrix.

The NGFR Integration Handbook Version 3.0 – Part 1: Introduction is intended for executive audiences who do not necessarily have technical knowledge. It provides an introduction and overview of the NGFR on-body framework and the concepts behind its modular design. It identifies the function of each of the basic modules and how they interact with agency systems.

The NGFR Integration Handbook Version 3.0 – Part 2: Engineering Design provides specific engineering design guidance to assist industry in developing and prototyping hardware and software solutions that fulfill NGFR Apex program capability gaps. Solutions will be validated and tested by industry vendors, first responders and other stakeholders.

The NGFR Integration Handbook Version 3.0 – Part 3: Technical Supplement primarily targets software developers and engineers to guide their modular development. It provides additional details of the data architecture for modules and their interfaces. It also presents the first responder on-body system requirements extracted from the Project Responder 4 analysis.

Last Updated: 01/12/2023
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