New Jersey eyes VoIP network for emergency response

Federal and state governments are actively considering broadband VoIP systems with optional video as a more reliable communications system in emergency situations than radio.

NEW YORK CITY (BetaNews) - For faster and better emergency response when disaster strikes, a number of state and local authorities nationwide are now taking a serious look at building new "interoperable communications systems." One such interested party is the State of New Jersey, which plans to move behind its current 800 MHz radio system to a wireless system running voice, data and video over IP, speakers said today at the Maritime Security Expo.

Since the devastation wrought by the 9/11 tragedy, New Jersey has already taken steps to expand its current 800 MHz voice system for first responders such as police, firefighters, and other emergency workers, said Harold Neil, the state's director of transportation security, during a presentation today.

In addition to caching its 800 MHz system, New Jersey has purchased additional 800 MHz channels, Neil elaborated, when questioned a few minutes later.

Now, though, New Jersey plans to start running voice together with data and video on a system to be used by both local and state emergency agencies, for shared communications during natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina as well as any future man-made attacks.

Specifically, the new system will run on an existing state-run fiber network, with a handoff to a microwave cellular network. Through the use of microwave, the system will be better able to direct where a call is going, according to Neil.

Speaking on the same panel, Marko Bourne, director of the Office of Policy and Program Analysis at the DHS' FEMA, pointed to several other regions of the country that are also eyeing interoperable emergency response systems right now, including the ports of Los Angeles and Puget Sound.