For Immediate Release Contact: DHS S&T Press Office, (202) 254-2385 Houston, TX – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is presenting a demonstration of integrating emergency response technologies during a simulated HAZMAT scenario at the Port of Houston on December 5, 2018. The Next Generation First Responder (NGFR) – Harris County Operational Experimentation (OpEx) will involve a coordinated response by Houston public safety agencies, FEMA, the U.S. Coast Guard and industry partners.
Over the past year, DHS S&T partnered with Houston-area public safety agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the DHS Office of Emergency Communications to identify technical capabilities that could assist first responders at the scene of an emergency. Situational awareness, responder physiological and patient monitoring, personnel location tracking, and enhanced communications were identified as priority concerns. The OpEx will evaluate how DHS-developed commercial and existing first responder technologies integrate during an emergency to fill these gaps while using open standards.
WHO: Sponsor DHS S&T Next Generation First Responder Program Host Public Safety Agency Partners Public Safety Agency Partners United States Coast Guard Federal Emergency Management Agency DHS Emergency Communications Division Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Harris County Sheriff’s Office Harris County Central Technology Services Harris County Community Emergency Response Team Houston Fire Department Houston Police Department Houston Information Technology Services- Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department Atascocita Fire Department SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council Technology Partners ARES Security Corporation AT&T Corporation Centrex Solutions LLC FEMA Integration Public Alert and Warning System Office Haystax, a Fishtech Group Company Integrated Solutions for Systems, Inc. (IS4S) Intrepid Networks, LLC.
Keys Net LLC.
Luna Innovations, Inc.
Metronome Software, LLC MobileIron Inc.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory N5 Sensors, Inc.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory SensorUp, Inc.
Sonim Technologies, Inc.
TRX Systems, Inc.
Utility Associates Inc.
WHAT: Media availability and demonstration of the NGFR – Harris County OpEx WHEN: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. CST, Wednesday, December 5, 2018 WHERE: 1:00 p.m. – Remarks Port Coordination Center (follow signs for Police Station) Port of Houston, 111 East Loop North, Houston, TX 77029 1:45 p.m. – Technology Demonstration Sam Houston Tour Boat Pavilion, 7300 Clinton Drive, Houston, TX 77020 To attend the press availability and demonstration, credentialed media must RSVP to NGFR@hq.dhs.gov by Tuesday, December 4, 2018 to register and receive a media packet and additional information about photographs and recording at the Port of Houston. Media must register on-site. HAZMAT Training,
