Dallas Emergency Responders to Utilize Advance Communications Network to Help Coordinate FAA Sponsored Disaster Drill
Unique Public-Private Partnership Establishes Program Linking Communications of Local, State and Federal Agencies and
Personnel to Ensure Greater Safety and Security
Dallas, Texas (November 8, 2007) – Public safety officials from the City of Dallas today will utilize a state-of-the-art interoperable
voice, video and data communications system to help them coordinate emergency response during a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sponsored disaster drill at Dallas Love Field. The system being leveraged by Dallas Department of Aviation, Fire-Rescue and Police agencies and personnel was developed by CoCo Communications. The system is the first of its kind in the nation and is the result of an innovative public-private partnership funded through a competitive Department of Homeland Security Grant program issued in 2005.
“We have benefited by having access to a proven technological solution that now allows our local, state, federal agencies, as well asprivate industry stakeholders, to better integrate responses to specific emergencies and public safety management in general,” said Terry Mitchell, Deputy Director of the Dallas Dept. of Aviation. “Not only do our separate radio systems now work together, we also have integrated land and mobile phones, laptop computers and video systems throughout the public safety chain.”
The system now serves as a national model, allowing for emergency response personnel across varying local, state and federal
agencies to communicate with each other over their existing networks and equipment. The need for this proven type of solution
continues to be a national priority in order to more effectively respond to unforeseen events.
“CoCo Communications is proud to have been part of this unique public-private partnership established by Dallas Love Field, City of Dallas, the North Central Texas Council of Governments, State of Texas and Southwest Airlines officials, as well as countless other stakeholders on the frontlines who have helped to deliver technology-driven tools needed to make the Dallas Metro area and the nation a safer place,” said John DeFeo, CEO of CoCo Communications. “Additionally, I believe it is important to recognize
Congressman Pete Sessions whose vision helped to make this successful initiative a reality through his leadership on the federal level.”
The onsite exercise to be conducted today both inside and on the tarmac will give local agencies the opportunity to practice and refine their emergency procedures utilizing the technological and communications resources provided by the communications network established. Dallas response agencies train continuously in their own specialized fields and also train during table-top exercises. However, this full-scale, real-time simulation provides necessary hands-on experience to maximize the effectiveness of emergency response, multi-agency cooperation and operability. Additionally, Southwest airlines will participate in the program, providing an aircraft for the disaster simulation. Participants of the system since it was announced in 2005 include:
-City of Dallas Police, Fire and Aviation Departments
-Texas Departments of Public Safety and Health
-The U.S. Department of Homeland Security
-U.S. Transportation and Security Administration
-U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
-U.S. Customs and Border Protection
-Southwest Airlines
“This system lets us marry the best operational coordination with the latest technology to improve our nation’s ability to respond to
disasters in the future,” concluded DeFeo.
About CoCo Communications
CoCo Communications was founded in 2002 in response to well-documented communication failures experienced during manmade or natural disasters. CoCo’s unique technology facilitates completely distributed, secure, wired and wireless interoperable network communications. CoCo provides secure communication systems to public safety agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Dept of Defense, major urban areas, hospitals, counties, and schools districts. The company has numerous patents pending on its technology platform and network protocol. For more information, please visit www.cococorp.com.
