Emerging Technologies for Search and Rescue: FirstNet and Mobile Broadband Wireless Communication

for Public Safety

Ed Mills, FirstNet Outreach & Education Manager Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

Introduction I had just come home from work, took some time to prepare some dinner after a ten hour day. As I was taking my first bite, the call came in that a biker had gone down in Elk Meadow and was severely injured. I immediately responded to the call. When first responders receive the call from someone who is injured, lost or distressed, they just go without asking questions or evaluating whether it is warranted or legitimate. These calls come at all times of the day and night. Sometimes it is a call for recovery from a family member who needs closure, to put tragedy behind them. It is the Search and Rescue personnel who just go, not really knowing what we will encounter and understanding that each scene has its unique nuances. This is why teams train. It is making sure that when the time does come, everyone is prepared for whatever may be found in the swift water of the stream or hanging precariously on the mountain’s edge. In the work The World’s Last Night and Other Essays are these profound words, "Precisely because we cannot predict the moment, we must be ready at all moments.” 1

It is the desire to be there for people in those critical moments that responders are devoted to train and then to train some more, to improve systems and seek new ways to accomplish the

tasks faster with more proficiency, accuracy and efficiency. H. G. Wells in Mind at the End of Its Tether wrote, “...adapt or perish now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.” These words seem to be even more relevant today than ever before in 2

human history. Authors Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen (The New Digital Age: Transforming Nations Businesses, and Our Lives) write about the current state of information technology, “Never before in history have so many people, from so many places, had so much power at their fingertips. And while this is hardly the first technology revolution in our history, it is the first that will make it possible for almost everybody to own, develop and disseminate real-time content….” There is a national 3

movement to help Search and Rescue teams as well as all responders across the nation develop and access a dedicated broadband network to use daily as well as during all types of incidents; it is known as FirstNet which will provide responders the ability to “adapt” in the face of this new data revolution.

1 C. S. Lewis, The World’s last Night and Other Essays (New York, NR: Harcourt Brace Jovanovic, 1960), pages 100-101. 2 H.G. Wells, Mind at the End of Its Tether (London: William Heinemann, Ltd,.1945) 3 Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen, The New Digital Age: Transforming Nations, Businesses, and Our Lives (New York: Vintage Books, 2014), page 4. 

 

  

 

National Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) - FirstNet The First Responder Network Authority, or FirstNet, is being designed as the first high-speed interoperable broadband wireless data and cellular voice network dedicated solely to public safety, which will facilitate communication for rescuers’ daily data communication needs and during events of emergency operation. FirstNet’s mandate is to provide a resilient network with public safety-grade quality of service, local control of prioritization and pre-emption of users, and enabling access to applications and system coverage where public safety needs it most. This network will provide a robust terrestrial infrastructure as well as allow agencies to extend the network use for operational environments that challenge rescuers because they are hard to reach. Additionally, the network will support LTE technologies that first responders will use on the network. FirstNet was created by the Middle Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 as an independent authority within the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). FirstNet has been obligated by Congress to take all actions necessary to ensure the building, deployment and operation of the nationwide public safety broadband network. 4

The statute that created FirstNet requires that this federal initiative have extensive state and local input through the entire process. NTIA implemented the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP) to support planning, education and outreach efforts at the state and local level. Additionally, each state has designated a “Single Point of Contact,” or SPOC, to interface with FirstNet. For example in the state of Colorado it is Brian Shepherd and in Oregon it is David Soloos. 5

FirstNet is being designed to improve and enhance data and cellular voice communications among local, state, regional, tribal and federal emergency services personnel known in the initiative as “Public Safety Entities.” The National Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) will help save lives and protect the health and safety of all Americans and responders, using a single, mission critical communications platform that has been adopted by the majority of citizens in the United States. The NPSBN is overseen by executives with diverse backgrounds in public safety, government and the telecommunications industry. They are tasked to ensure that the network will significantly increase the speed, effectiveness, and capabilities of first responders using Long Term Evolution (LTE), which has proven to be the most advanced wireless technology available today. This technology platform is transforming the way people all over the globe live, work and play at breakneck speed.

4 First Responder Network Authority. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2015. 5 To reach David Soloos, FirstNetinOregon.org, david.soloos@state.or.us, (971) 701-1071

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Today, 90 percent of Americans own a cellphone, and of that number, 64 percent have a smartphone, 32 percent of Americans own an e-reader, and 42 percent own a tablet. To understand 6

the adoption of mobile devices consider the following statistics: According to Cisco, nearly half a billion devices and connections were added in 2014; growing from 6.9 billion in 2013 to 7.4 billion in 2014. What is becoming even more critical is that smartphones account for 88 percent of the growth and each of these devices is generating at least 22 times more traffic than non-smart devices. This increase is creating more congestion on networks especially when there is a localized event or incident. This is significant because first responders are using commercial networks for data and 7

communication and are fighting for the same resources as the general public but have no priority, no ability to preempt users on the network, and there is no control over the quality of service. FirstNet has been licensed 20 megahertz (MHz) of key spectrum to support deployment of the NPSBN; this spectrum is similar to what commercial carriers use across the country for approximately ten times the number of users that FirstNet intends to support. FirstNet will provide significant capacity to public safety, separate from the public, to support their data and voice requirements. Conducting, managing, and communicating Search and Rescue operations can be simple or complex, however it is always dynamic. When multiple agencies, organizations, entities and people with varying communications and technologies come together, the unfortunate tragic result is that basic communications and data exchange can be difficult, and in some cases impossible, because some technologies don’t interoperate. Recently the Evergreen Fire Rescue where I serve as a volunteer was toned to find and rescue an injured hiker at dusk. With three agencies present, one agency was using analog VHF, another used analog UHF and the third was using digital trunking using 700/800 Mhz. Consequently none of the agencies present could communicate with one another. In situations such as these, command and field personnel struggle with communication between organizations, agencies, and with each other. This in turn leads to mis-communication, no communication, delayed response and frustration about what is actually happening in the area of operation and how the proper resources can be summoned, directed and coordinated. It is imperative that the power of mobile broadband technology be harnessed to help first responders coordinate and communicate. To me the most important development of public safety broadband wireless network will be the power of information technology developed by the techies and placed it in the hands of responders with a user interface that is simple, yet robust. Giving personnel the ability to obtain vital information concerning the incident(s), people, processes and resources involved in operations.

With the proliferation of devices and mobile connections, the same technology that is in the hands of most Americans should be accessible and used by responders to locate the lost, hurt or trapped. The

6 Mobile Technology Fact Sheet. (2013, December 27). Retrieved October 4, 2015. 7 For the purpose of the study, smart devices refers to mobile connections that have advances in multimedia and computing capabilities with a minimum of 3G connectivity. 

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device that is always within three feet of the responder, checked about 150 times a day, which has the ability to push notifications within 10 seconds, take pictures, calculate position and much more should become a viable tool in the Search and Rescue “toolbox.” This toolbox should be complete with adequate capacity, robust connectivity, hardened devices, and useful applications, capabilities and solutions. The smartphone and broadband transport network technologies are proving themselves to be a platform for voice communication as well in sharing information, emergency notification and communication. Responders who seek network mobility understand one of the greatest assets beyond really cool devices is the ability to collect, analyze and use data. This wealth of data is becoming a critical tool for first responders due to accessibility, ability to query and receive specific the information. Creating a data rich environment is one of the key tenants for the development of the Public Safety Broadband Network and will be a game changer. Search and Rescue teams across the country understand that effective response requires dynamic communication, data sharing and collaboration; LTE appears to be the future of communication for emergency responders of all disciplines. Adaptation and use of this technology among public safety is complicated by many factors. Bill Schrier, chair of the Washington State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC), points out a critical issue with the adoption this technology for public safety when he writes, “But, to a great extent, public safety agencies and other responders to daily incidents and major disasters have not yet developed the techniques and standards to really use the technology effectively.” LTE technology is providing capabilities that many have dreamed about as something 8

way off in the future. Things that seemed impossible only 2-3 years ago are realities today. And as technology advances at a supersonic speed, it is proving a tremendous untapped potential for the future.

Now is the time that we need to think out of the box about how technology can be used in the future of Search and Rescue.

Advances in Long Term Evolution is signified by the word “generation” and ascends in a numerical order. Currently the most advanced LTE technology available in the U.S. is 4th Generation (4G). The current generation of LTE known as 4G has substantially increased in speed and latency over 3rd Generation (3G) technologies . When 3G technology was introduced in the U.S., it provided optimal speeds of performance between 144-400 kilobits per second (Kbps). As developments were made over time, by 2009 3G was able to provide speeds of 4 megabytes per second (Mbps). The average 4G user can realize optimal performance speeds between to 32-45 Mbps depending on who the carrier is. As time passes, download and upload speeds are getting even faster. Another key to advancement in each generation of LTE technology is in the area of latency. 4G is giving the end user information 9

faster resulting in saved time which is critical to responders. As each generation introduces increases in speed and latency, what will 5G mean for the responders? First, fifth-generation networks will be dramatically faster. It is predicted that on the current trajectory of advancement in cellular technology, by 2020 5G will be pushing 10 Gbps (gigabits per second); this means that 5G networks will be about 66 times faster than the 4G networks of today.

8 How tech could improve wildland firefighting, and protect lives - GeekWire. (2015, September 8). Retrieved October 4, 2015. 9 Latency is the time between requesting or transmitting information and when it is actually received by the device 

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The average person will be able to download an eight gigabyte HD movie in six seconds as opposed to taking more than seven minutes with 4G speeds. With 3G speeds, that the same download would take over an hour. Implementation: How Will LTE Technology Benefit SAR Operations? Extending Coverage & Capacity Imagine yourself in downtown Denver where there are cell towers (macrocells) everywhere. Look closer and there are even smaller cells attached on the outside of a building or somewhere inside that same building extending Internet and phone service. These small cells are used to fill gaps that are left in networks by macrocells to support spikes in data traffic during certain times each day 10

and during large events, like a Denver Broncos game. This congestion hinders network access, delays uploads, slow internet surfing, and difficulty with SMS texting. When placing calls this congestion may lead to busy signals and dropped calls. On an urban Search and Rescue (SAR), responders would not be impacted by these challenges. Now imagine yourself in the terrain where a SAR often takes place - a rural area or wilderness region lacking robust, and sometimes any, terrestrial communications infrastructure. I believe in part this is why some Search and Rescue organizations may be slow to adopt these technologies, because without connectivity they will not be able to utilize the full functionality of devices and take advantage of data and voice communication. That is why FirstNet, the private sector and educational institutions are spending a great deal of time and resources to understand the needs of first responders to identify solutions to give them devices, capabilities, and connectivity in remote and isolated areas. One of the most important developments for the Search and Rescue community will be LTE location-based services (LBS). Location-based services will be vital for SAR operations allowing IP-capable mobile data transfer and communication. Vehicular Network System (VNS) The NPSBN envisions public safety entities deploying existing vehicles to extend coverage by making them mobile hotspots. They call this Vehicular Network System (VNS). VNS will give responders the ability to communicate from the cell edge thereby extending coverage in the operational area. Equipping response vehicles with mobile broadband network components will dramatically increase the SAR teams ability to use LTE technology in certain operational areas. VNS will allow SAR teams 11

to extend coverage and create coverage bubbles where none exist. Coverage modeling suggests that we can significantly improve coverage by using LTE technologies in responder vehicles and equipping them with a high-powered antennas. Backpacks Many companies in the private sector are working on solutions that will give responders a mobile network with portable electrical power and antenna that can be transported in a backpack. With the explosion and interest of powering portable technology and making systems smaller, getting electrical power to these systems can be via portable batteries, generators and solar panels. Star Solutions is one of the companies which makes a backpack solution that is ideal for deployment in

10 There are different small cells known as femto, pico and microcells.  11 For example, a vehicle would be complete with a electronic radio transceiver and a high powered antenna mounted atop the vehicle.

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SAR environments. The IMPAC System from Star Solutions will allow the SAR team to deploy a stand-alone operational network (i.e., CDMA, GSM or LTE) in under three minutes. This solution allows Search and Rescue operations to deploy a network in remote regions providing capabilities typically only realized with a terrestrial network: the ability to use voice, data and SMS services in the backcountry. Additionally, devices can be set up for push-to-talk communications, group calling, and MMS. Through a Wi-Fi interface, IMPAC provides the ability to manage users with a PC, laptop or tablet.

Drones - UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - also called (UAVs) or drones - will be important to the future of technology supporting SAR incidents because of their unmatched capabilities. UAVs have the ability to decrease the time to locate a victim, aiding responders where they are often hampered by rough terrain. For example, the UAV can fly above rocks, trees, valleys and mountain peaks with payloads using thermal imaging technologies. UAVs can also fly in search patterns with onboard resources to locate the victim(s) quicker giving a “bird’s eye” view of the terrain. SAR teams are already leveraging the fact that many of the people they rescue have a smartphone or LTE device with them. The development of a dedicated public safety network will further enhance the ability of Search and Rescue to locate and communicate. By configuring drone platforms to locate cell signals will allow rescuers to be much more efficient and effective during incidents. Furthermore the ability to LTE technologies for communications will give teams a platform to coordinate, provide situational awareness and give rescuers, lost and injured several means to communicate. Other communication capabilities include video, voice, SMS, MMS, and more. By equipping unmanned aerial vehicles with radio access, the operator will be able to geolocate victim(s), team members, extend coverage and provide data and communication services where no coverage currently exists. The University of Colorado at Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Program (ITP) is doing compelling research in the area of Avalanche Search and Rescue through the Capstone Project. In this project their goal was to do research and development to geolocate victims trapped by avalanches in the backcountry, where no broadband coverage exists, by using signal transmissions from cell phones and/or smart devices. By attaching a small cell to a UAV and programming it to actively seek smartphones signals in range of the drones small cell they were able to use the small cell to emulate the ping of a macrocell tower and wake up the device. Once the smartphone was active, they were able to geo-locate the smart device. They were able to achieve a detectable signal under seven feet of snow. It was determined that smartphone

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applications can be used to raise the messaging and the smartphone transmission power level for easier detection and location. 12

Mapping search grids can be a slow process to initiate as well as track the overall progress. Companies such as Falcon Unmanned are able to program UAVs with grids given the unique characteristics of each incident. In the past, SAR teams had to rely on data from satellite services that may be antiquated. With UAVs that have been equipped with LTE technology, teams will be able to program drones to take photos or videos of the search grid and be able to get accurate up-to-date pictures and information about the search area while using LTE signals of victims devices to locate them. SAR teams can receive accurate, up-to-the minute search data from the beginning of an incident until its conclusion. Additionally, t information will allow command to guide field personnel regarding the probable direction of travel, what has been searched and what areas still need to be investigate. This will enabling command to plan, coordinate and synchronize movements of the team from the highest to the lower probability areas of search area. LTE Networks in the Sky - Balloons Extending Coverage The use of balloons for search operations is not a new idea. In 2005, the U.S. Army began using helium-filled balloons for surveillance called tactical aerostats. At the same time the U.S. Marine Corps deployed tethered aerostats to improve non-line-of-sight communications between ground units and aircraft. 13

Many technologies that begin in a foreign theatre of operation are later adapted for civilian uses. Deploying LTE balloons for Search and Rescue operations could give give responders LTE Networks in the Sky, thus giving teams the ability to quickly deploy LTE communications in areas with little or no coverage. One of the privately held companies testing aerostat technology to extend LTE technology in hard to reach locations is Google. In 2013, Google initiated a project known as Project Loon. A test was designed to test how “Loon” technology can integrate with the existing networks to send and receive signals from towers to balloons in the sky, to and from smartphones and connected devices on the ground. In this test of balloon technology, 13 balloons were released from New Zealand to discover whether the testers could access and use the internet. When they began, the balloons were only able to remain in flight for about five days. A single “Project Loon” balloon can now remain in the air for more than six months and can provide LTE service covering an area 49.7 miles north to south and 37 miles east to west. Most notable was a balloon that was able to endure temperatures as low as -103 F and wind speeds as high as 180 miles while ascending to a maximum of 13 miles. The Oceus Networks-Space Data team completed a test demonstrating the transmission of LTE technology from a high altitude in Colorado in support of a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Deployable Aerial Communications Architecture (DACA) proceeding. Key findings from the test showed that long range operation with LTE is possible to extend coverage. Devices on the ground were able to receive transmissions, however, rapid changes in temperature impacted the LTE payload during certain phases of the test. It was determined that further developments will need to be made to accommodate for the rapid change in temperature that caused issues during the test. It

12 Practical Challenges Faced by Cellular Radio and Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Research and Development – A Work in Progress. (2015, April 30). Retrieved October 4, 2015. 13 The Balloon Goes Up For Army and Marines. (2005, July 21). Retrieved October 4, 2015.

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was also recommended that modifications will need to be made to the uni-directional antenna. During the test as the balloons were moved by the weather conditions which impacted the coverage area. Researchers didn’t compensate for the movements of the balloons and how that movement would impact the balloons. They later realized they needed to engineer the antenna to adapt to the movement of the balloons. As the use of aerostats are used for communications modifications will need to be made to allow movement to allow for weather changes (e.g., wind) but not hamper the circumference or area of coverage. 14

In June 2015, The Boeing Company was issued a patent for their ideas on recharging assets deployed on the balloon via its’ tether. The patent outlines tethering to aircraft, boats, trucks and high altitude balloons that are connected to power stations. Balloons could change the way Search and Rescue operations communicate with victims and responders. It may be possible in the near future to take a backpack with a portable LTE Sky Network into the backcountry and deploy communications across a significant area. Deployables - COWs & COLTs The FirstNet Colorado team was able to help implement and participate in a Public Safety LTE Demonstration Network (PSLDN) in February 2015 during the International Ski Federation (FIS) 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships (AWSC) in Colorado’s Vail and Eagle counties. During this two-week event, 220,000 athletes, coaches, staff, media and spectators visited Eagle County to participate in and observe the event. During the event a partnership was formed with the Town of Vail, Eagle County, the state of Colorado (FirstNet Colorado), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and 1,100 local responders and volunteers whose focus was to ensure a safe and successful event. Additionally, private sector partners including General Dynamics Mission Systems (GD-MS), Crown Castle, Sonim Technologies, SLA Corp, with its application ESChat, Drakontas, CalAmp and Sierra Wireless InMotion Solutions collaborated to create a first-of-its-kind, dedicated Band Class 14 (BC 14) PSLDN One of the 15

valuable lessons learned during the PSLDN is that coverage and capacity in mountainous or more challenging terrain is achievable. While many believe it will take years, tremendous effort and significant cost to implement LTE into these areas, the PSLDN demonstrated the value of deployables as an interim solution. So what is a deployable? For SAR teams, it can be defined as a portable, rapidly deployable, small cellular systems or networks to provide enhance, or extend wireless communications in areas where there are little or no capabilities. The NPSBN is likely to involve a host of deployable options for limited or no coverage area. COW’s, or Cell on Wheels, are mobile cell sites complete with an antenna tower/mast, electronic radio transceiver, and backhaul connections that can be used as part of a larger network to enhance coverage or create a new coverage footprint. These are usually used on a short-term or temporary basis to provide coverage to first responders. During the AWSC, GD-MS provided a COW to extend coverage at the ski race venue in Beaver Creek. This solution gave responders and volunteers robust

14 DACA Test Experiment Report. (2014, January 20). Retrieved October 3, 2015. 15 For the scope of this paper I will not be delving into the specifics of the DAS system but it is strongly recommend that you read the white paper prepared by FirstNet Colorado titled Public Safety LTE Demonstration Network Final Report May 2015 and the paper prepared by the Department of Homeland Security/Office of Emergency Communications. 

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coverage where the terrain is challenging. A similar solution to a COW is a COLT, or Cell on Light Truck. The major difference is the COW must be towed to the coverage site whereas the COLT is configured in the bed of a truck and removes the need for an additional vehicle to deploy it to the operational area. It makes sense that states, regions, tribes and counties make plans for caches of deployables that can be used at a moments notice for emergencies and big events. Satellites When it makes sense to use satellites, FirstNet is looking for economical ways to connect responders with satellite technology. By mounting a small base station on a command vehicle All Terrain Vehicle (ATV), snowmobile or helicopter, teams will have access to data and voice communications in real time. Furthermore, Search and Rescue teams will be able to use the same Band 14 LTE devices they use every day. The ability to use satellites when no other means of connectivity is available will give first responders peace of mind that no matter where their operations take them, they will have the information technology they need. Now that we have given some thought to expansion of coverage, what about devices and capabilities that Search and Rescue could be able to use on the network? Let’s look at some of the possibilities. Devices: How Will I Be Able to Communicate? Sonim & Bittium I recall responding to a motor vehicle accident (MVA) last year. After doing a quick assessment of the scene and patients involved, my first priority was to immobilize the most critical patient. I remember like it was yesterday. When I leaned into the patient’s car, I heard a snap before I was able to put a C-Spine on her. What was the noise? What did I feel break in my pocket? It was my smartphone, which I put in my pocket before donning my bunker gear. The devices we rely on are not hardened for the type of abuse that we put them through. Sonim Technologies is making smart LTE/Wi-Fi/Android devices that will connect the responder to LTE networks including Band Class 14. Sonim is combining next generation technologies and loading their devices with capabilities that are unique to first responders in a ruggedized form that will take the type of abuse first responders dish out. They have leveraged applications such as ESChat and Drakontas that increase the ability to communicate, coordinate and manage the incident team. Another smart-device that is now available is the Bittium Tough Mobile (BTM). The sleek user device offers LTE-Advanced processor in an Android 5.0 platform and supports BC 14. Additionally, the BTM supports nine LTE frequencies in a single device allowing for global 4G connectivity. Augmented Reality Headgear & Glasses Augmented reality headgear or glasses, such as Google Glass, could be used by Search and Rescue teams to receive up-to-date information on various information including: the type of terrain, the geo-located ping of the reporting party's cell phone, best access, calculations on time to travel, up to the minute latitude, longitude and bearing, and hazards. These devices could free up the rescuer’s hands while giving key information on a heads up display (HUD) in real time. Users will be able to

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look in the periphery and see vital information to help them locate, package and load out injured or lead the lost to safety. There are many companies working on Virtual and Augmented Reality Headgear, Glasses and Masks complete with HUDs for first responders. For example, Google Glass is going to be installed in ten ambulances owned by MedEx, a provider of ambulance and telemedicine services. The technology 16

will be used by paramedics to provide ER doctors with vitals and information about incoming patients using streaming video, document findings, and allow for consultation with specialists. UC Irvine Medical Center is using Glass to stream high-resolution video streaming to monitor residents’ procedures. This is assisting in communications, training and patient safety. These devices could provide SAR teams important capabilities for real time data and communication. I never go on a mountain rescue (or really a rescue of any kind) without safety glasses or a helmet equipped with safety glasses so having the ability to send and receive information to my personal protective equipment (PPE) in a hands free environment will be key. Mobile Applications With a dedicated public safety network designed to the specifications of first responders, coverage solutions that will extend beyond the network, new devices and capabilities access and use of applications will give additional tools to responders in the field. Let’s look at a couple of these apps for rescuers. Theodolite Theodolite, from Hunter Research & Technology, is an application with many uses. For example, a wildland firefighter can determine the coordinates for a smoke check, and a death investigator can use it to catalogue findings at a death investigation. I believe this application is a game changer for SAR teams, it can be tremendously valuable because it utilizes the full capabilities of a smart device such as the GPS and translates useful information to the rescuer giving a better view the operational landscape. When you open the app, it is like looking through the windshield of an attack helicopter with all of the resources readily in front of the user. A grid allows the user to focus on a single point which overlays GPS data (e.g., coordinates and elevation, compass heading, altitude) with time and date stamps. With a single click, all of this important information is captured as a picture with the data overlaid and can be sent via the Internet to any email address. Recently Evergreen Fire Rescue was dispatched to an area where a climber had fallen off of a rock and had broken his ankle. Once the patient was located, I took a picture of the victim which digitally superimposed the latitude, longitude, bearing altitude and a host of other important coordinates about position. With minimal cell coverage, I was able to send the picture to dispatch, thereby giving the exact location of the victim so that the Alpine Rescue Team could join us to help transport (using a stokes basket) the victim off the mountain side. Spyglass Spyglass, created by Happy Magenta, combines all the essential tools in one application. These tools include a high tech viewfinder, MIL-SPEC compass, gyrocompass, maps, tactical GPS, waypoint 17

tracker, speedometer, altimeter, Sun, Moon and star position finder, attitude indicator, sniper’s

16 Friedman, E. (2015, May 18). Google Glass Never Died. Retrieved October 4, 2015. 17 MIL­SPEC is an abbreviation used by the United States Military which means military standard.  

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rangefinder, coordinate converter, sextant, inclinometer, variometer, angular calculator and zoom camera. This application uses every sensor in the phone to allow the user to view/display vital information such as current location in geographical and military grid coordinates, current height above sea level, the direction of travel using azimuth in degrees and military units and the accuracy of magnetic compass GPS. When the phone is vertical, it uses the device camera to display the operational area, however, when one moves the device horizontally, the camera view changes to your geo-location on the map. I have found the greatest value of this application is the augmented reality GPS navigation. It enables the user to find and save their own wave points, navigate by the stars during night rescue and provides a multiplicity of features, modes, settings and systems for coordination. Capabilities: What Are Some of the Capabilities We Will Have? Proximity Services (ProSe) - D2D Proximity Services, known as ProSe or Device to Device (D2D), will allow devices in close proximity to other devices to communicate even when outside coverage range or when a network is down (e.g., a building collapse in an urban center). On today’s Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems, responders rely heavily on the ability to talk in line of sight (simplex) for ground operations or when the network is down. It is anticipated that future public safety devices will be able to initiate direct communication with other devices in proximal operation areas, similar to LMR. ProSe will be dependent on the device radio signal strength and radio conditions (e.g., interference). Garmin filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to send GPS location data bursts and text messages on General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) frequencies. The FCC currently allows this use on Family Radio Service (FRS) channels. GMRS is a licensed radio service that use short-distance, two-way communications in hand-held radios in the range around 462 Mhz (megahertz) and 467 Mhz. FRS) is a private, two-way, very short distance voice and data communications service in small hand-held radios. Garmin claims they have sold 600,000 GMRS radios that are GPS enabled and has not received any complaints of interference. Push-to-Talk (PTT) Push-to-Talk (PTT) capabilities have been common on Land Mobile Radios for decades and is a critical feature that will be integrated into public safety LTE technology. PTT capabilities give the user one-to-one communication where one user talks to another, as well as one-to-many communication. The rescuer will have the ability to initiate, speak to a group, and modify or terminate group communications. This will enable both unicasting or broadcasting of various types of traffic (such as voice, data or video) between Search and Rescue personnel who are responding to an incident. Monitoring Team Members How many of you have the bluetooth locator that will help you find your keys when they wander off? I was looking at an ad for one of these locators this past May and thought, “yeah I probably need to get one of them to keep up with my keys and other important stuff,” but dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. Then our Swiftwater Rescue Team (part of Evergreen Fire Rescue) was toned to a swift water rescue involving a dog and his human at about 11:00 p.m.. Once I donned my swift water gear, I was looking at all of the agencies and people that were actively involved in the swift water rescue. It was sobering to me that evening to think, “someone from one of these teams could fall in

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the water and we may never know until it is too late to rescue them because it was so dark, lighting was dismal at best and the rescue area was large.” In that moment, it occurred to me that SAR could use a GPS or bluetooth chip as an inexpensive way to quickly credential, par and locate in real-time all responders on the scene of an incident. In such situations we may not even have the need for everyone to have a device for situational awareness. We could simply give every member a tag that is GPS enabled with their name attached to that tag and viewable on a smart device. If someone would have fallen in the water that night, with this technology we would have immediately had key information about travel, speed and terrain; this information is vital in swift water rescue as well as other incidents the Search and Rescue teams encounter.. Wearable Technology - Monitoring the Health of the Rescuers Wearable technology is all the rage right now. If a person doesn’t have a wrist device to monitor vitals or extend the capabilities of their smartphone, they probably want one. There is tremendous time and effort invested in finding ways to put sensors in devices and clothing that will gather, analyze and inform command staff and medical personnel about the physiological data for each member of the team. With this information, the command staff will be alerted when a person’s body temperature is too high or too low, monitor for dehydration, heart rate, blood pressure, respirations, and a multiplicity of other data that can be used to assess their welfare. This can be accomplished through a smart device, wearable wrist device or sensors embedded throughout the team members gear. There is a new emerging market of “soft sensors” that will be embedded in the responders clothing to give continuous insight and feedback on their health and the world they are interacting with. These are being designed to be soft and stretchy so they can be integrated into clothing to provide real-time assessment, analysis and decision making.

Conclusion Information is exploding to exponential heights and LTE technology is being driven by progress that is moving in one direction – toward more and more faster and faster! Alvin Toffler in his work Future Shock writes, “...we cannot and must not turn off the switch of technological progress, to turn our back on technology would be not only stupid but immoral.” No one can predict how LTE technology will be developed, deployed, and used in the future, things are moving too quickly and there is no way to quantify all the possibilities. However, the NPSBN dedicated to meet the needs of public safety through capacity, coverage, deployables, applications and other capabilities, which will assist SAR teams to work faster, more efficiently and help keep rescuers safe. Who would want anything less? There is a tremendous opportunity for today for public safety to use LTE technologies to receive data and to communicate. We must focus on bringing a dedicated public safety broadband network to fruition – to turn our backs on this opportunity and not do everything in our power to make it successful would not only be stupid but immoral.

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So What? Now What? For this initiative to be successful, FirstNet needs to hear from local responders who know the communications challenges. Commercial networks often lack adequate coverage in critical response areas SAR teams respond. Search and Rescue teams of the future should be able to rely on the LTE technology; I encourage rescue members and agencies to participate in their state, tribe or territory data collection and coverage objectives efforts. Contact your state or territories “Single Point of Contact” to engage in the process. 18

To learn more about FirstNet, visit FirstNet.gov. To learn more about the FirstNet activities in Colorado visit the FirstNetColorado.org.

Ed Mills is the Firstnet Colorado Outreach & Education Manager with the State of Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology. The FirstNet Colorado team is working on the planning to support a future network to bring Public Safety Broadband Wireless Technology to first responders in the state. He is also a volunteer firefighter, emergency medical responder, and a swiftwater rescue swimmer with Evergreen Fire Rescue which is situated in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Additionally, he serves on the high-risk extraction team in the Denver metro area. Prior to working for the state, Ed was a Counter Terrorism Specialist and has served as a Military Policeman with the United States Army. His email is ed.mills@state.co.us. The National Public Safety Broadband Network (FirstNet), FirstNet Colorado, and the State of Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology do not endorse the solutions, devices and applications mentioned in this paper. Many of the solutions, devices and

applications are used for illustrative purposes. Some of the solutions, devices and applications are used by the author as a first responder with Evergreen Fire Rescue. Furthermore, the thoughts, ideas and opinions contained in this paper are those of the author and do not represent the thoughts, ideas and opinions of the State of Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology. This article was prepared by the State of Colorado Governor's Office of Information Technology using funds under award 08-10-S13008 from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of the NTIA, DOC, or FirstNet. 

18 State Consultation. (2015, September 10). Retrieved October 4, 2015.

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