2017 SAFECOM Strategic Plan and Implementation Guide · 2017 SAFECOM Strategic Plan and Implementation Guide . March 2017 . Department of Homeland Security . Office of Emergency Communications

2017 SAFECOM Strategic Plan and Implementation Guide

March 2017

Department of Homeland Security

Office of Emergency Communications

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2017 SAFECOM STRATEGIC PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE LAST PUBLISHED DATE: MARCH 1, 2017

SAFECOM and Office of Emergency Communications Leadership

Gerald R. Reardon SAFECOM Chair,

Joint Technology Policy Committee Chair*

Douglas M. Aiken SAFECOM Vice Chair

Mark Grubb SAFECOM Vice Chair

Christopher Lombard SAFECOM Education &

Outreach Committee Chair

Donald Bowers SAFECOM Governance

Committee Chair

Thomas Roche Joint Funding &

Sustainment Committee Chair*

Ron Hewitt Director, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Emergency

Communications (OEC)

*These committees are managed jointly by SAFECOM and the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC)

Table of Contents

1. Purpose ....................................................................................................................................................... 1

2. Vision and Mission ...................................................................................................................................... 1

3. SAFECOM’s 2017 Goals ............................................................................................................................... 2

4. SAFECOM’s Committees and Strategic Priorities ........................................................................................ 2

5. Measures and Management of Success ...................................................................................................... 5

6. Strategic Plan Review .................................................................................................................................. 5

Appendix A: 2017 SAFECOM Work Product Action Plan .................................................................................... 6

Appendix B: 2016 SAFECOM Strategic Priorities Accomplishments ................................................................. 10

Appendix C: SAFECOM Work Product Index ..................................................................................................... 11

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1. Purpose

The SAFECOM1 Strategic Plan and Implementation Guide is a stakeholder-driven plan that aims to enhance operability and interoperability for public safety communications through the education of the community, decision makers, and elected officials on short- and mid-term priorities and their associated annual products and activities. The Plan also provides clarification on SAFECOM’s strategies to prioritize resources, strengthen governance, identify future investments, and address interoperability gaps over the long term. Additionally, this Plan:

Provides a nationwide perspective on the public safety communications community’s top concerns

Provides suggested focus areas for the current calendar year, which local, regional, state, territorial, andtribal levels may use to drive their own activities and allocate resources

Aligns SAFECOM’s work products to the 2014 National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) andsuggested timeline for execution (Appendix A)

Provides a concrete list of investment justifications validating the Department of Homeland Security(DHS) Office of Emergency Communications’ (OEC) expenditures for in-person, collaborative stakeholdermeetings

The Plan is consistent with the program’s mission and vision, and supports a bottom-up approach to gathering stakeholder input from its members—50 representatives from local, state, territorial, and tribal emergency responders, appointed and elected officials, and major intergovernmental and national public safety associations. It is based on an understanding of the current and future public safety communications environment. Figure 1 provides a visual depiction of how components of the Plan interrelate to develop and implement comprehensive strategies for SAFECOM to improve interoperable emergency and steady-state communications.

2. Vision and Mission

SAFECOM’s Vision and Mission describe its end goals for improving public safety communications operability, interoperability, and continuity of communications across the nation. All program initiatives and priorities, including those detailed within the Plan, are driven by these broader objectives.

1 A mission-guided, stakeholder-supported public safety communications program administered by DHS OEC, with representatives from the emergency responder community and major national public safety associations.

Figure 1: SAFECOM Strategic Plan and Implementation Components

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SAFECOM Vision:

Assuring a safer America through effective public safety communications

SAFECOM Mission:

SAFECOM aims to improve emergency response providers’ inter-jurisdictional and interdisciplinary

emergency communications interoperability across local, regional, tribal, state, territorial, international

borders, and with Federal government entities

3. SAFECOM’s 2017 Goals

At the October 2016 Joint SAFECOM-National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC) In-Person Meeting, SAFECOM used their committee structure from which to discuss specific priorities and proposed work products and activities. As a continuation of those discussions, SAFECOM’s Leadership, consisting of the Chair, Vice Chairs, and leaders of the committees, met at the 2016 SAFECOM Leadership End-of-Year In-Person Meeting to identify several broad goals on which to focus for 2017. These broad goals were then reviewed and approved by the SAFECOM Executive Committee, which provides strategic leadership and guidance to SAFECOM, to form the basis of this Strategic Plan. SAFECOM’s 2017 goals include:

Create more consistent messaging on efforts to augment existing public safety communications systemswith IP-based solutions and Next Generation technologies

Increase funding and support for the life cycle of existing and future interoperable and emergencycommunications priorities

Change the perception of land mobile radio (LMR) as a “terminal technology”

Combat the perception that interoperability has been solved

Develop outreach strategies for educating newly-elected officials at all levels of government during theadministration change on key public safety communications priorities and challenges

Revise SAFECOM promotional materials to emphasize the significance of SAFECOM’s mission andrepresentation across associations and disciplines

Increase SAFECOM’s web-based presence by continuing to push for increased accessibility of writtenproducts on public and stakeholder platforms

Assess the current state of SAFECOM membership and intellectual capital

Further support public safety communications officials with the implementation of effective governancestructures and policies at the state, local, territorial, and tribal levels

In addition, SAFECOM Leadership identified the need to focus on producing a smaller number of high-quality committee products in 2017 over a specific quantity; build simpler, easily-digestible products to provide to a broader audience than just program members (e.g., meeting summaries); and invite high-profile speakers and focus more time toward committee meetings for the spring 2017 meeting.

4. SAFECOM’s Committees and Strategic Priorities

Education and Outreach Committee: Promotes the role of SAFECOM and its impact on public safety communications nationwide. The Committee leads communication efforts with other SAFECOM committees and member organizations in order to accomplish common initiatives and avoid duplication.

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Strategic Priority 1: Increase stakeholder foot traffic to web-based resources.

Work Product 1.1: SAFECOM Website redesign

Work Product 1.2: SAFECOM Community Homeland Security Information Network(HSIN) site redesign

Strategic Priority 2: Update SAFECOM promotional documents to educate stakeholders and decisions makers, including new administration staff, on the SAFECOM program.

Work Product 2.1: SAFECOM Introduction Presentation revision and rebranding

Work Product 2.2: Public Safety Communications Evolution brochure revision

Strategic Priority 3: Communicate SAFECOM’s message to increase awareness of SAFECOM’s priorities and activities.

Work Product 3.1: SAFECOM Member Highlights

Work Product 3.2: SAFECOM Monthly Bulletin

Work Product 3.3: SAFECOM-NCSWIC Quarterly Newsletter and Blogs

Strategic Priority 4: Develop resources to educate the stakeholder community on public safety communications processes and practices.

Work Product 4.1: Communications Unit Leader (COML): A Valuable Resource forIncident Commander brochure revision

Strategic Priority 5: Explore the current state of Communications Unit (COMU) programs on training and credentialing, COMU resources, and governance structures to provide recommendations for establishing a national program.

Work Product 5.1: White Paper on Developing COMU Governance Structures

Work Product 5.2: Governor’s and Interested Parties Letter to Garner Support for aNational COMU

Work Product 5.3: COMU Governance Summit

Governance Committee: Focuses on public safety communications governance, which concentrates on improving both internal governance structures and processes to SAFECOM as well as external statewide governance bodies for public safety communications.

Strategic Priority 6: Manage and provide modifications to core program documents.

Work Product 6.1: 2017 SAFECOM Strategic Plan

Work Product 6.2: 2016 SAFECOM Annual Report

Work Product 6.3: 2016 SAFECOM Strategic Priorities Summary of Accomplishments

Work Product 6.4: SAFECOM Member Information Form distribution/collection

Work Product 6.5: Streamlined SAFECOM Charter

Strategic Priority 7: Identify gaps in membership disciplines to determine need for additional SAFECOM membership.

Work Product 7.1: SAFECOM membership search and solicitation

Strategic Priority 8: Summarize the demographic composition of SAFECOM’s membership to emphasize the value added by the various disciplines and areas of expertise.

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Work Product 8.1: Membership Demographics Factsheet

Work Product 8.2: Intellectual Capital Assessment for SAFECOM’s Membership

Strategic Priority 9: Provide guidance and recommendations for messaging SAFECOM’s emphasis on the value of the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC) position and the optimal governance structure to enhance state interoperability.

Work Product 9.1: State Governance Review Working Group effort

Funding and Sustainment Committee (Joint): Concentrates on identifying innovative ways to fund emergency communications systems and activities (i.e., training, personnel, etc.) pertinent to stakeholders at the state, territorial, tribal, and local levels in coordination with NCSWIC members. The Committee also prepares and disseminates information on appropriations and new funding sources available to the public safety community at all levels of government.

Strategic Priority 10: Identify methods to fund and support the life cycle of existing and future interoperable and emergency communications priorities.

Work Product 10.1: Funding Life Cycle Planning Guide Update

Work Product 10.2: White Paper on Methods for Estimating the Life Cycle

Work Product 10.3: Funding Life Cycle Examples

Strategic Priority 11: Educate decision makers and elected officials on public safety

communications systems and funding.

Work Product 11.1: SAFECOM Grant Guidance review and input

Strategic Priority 12: Develop information on appropriations and new funding sources available to the public safety community at all levels of government.

Work Product 12.1: Strategies for Improving Grant Funding

Work Product 12.2: 2017 Funding Mechanisms Update

Work Product 12.3: White Paper on Maintenance Models

Technology Policy Committee (Joint): Promotes the use of technologies, resources, and processes related to emergency communications and interoperability in coordination with NCSWIC members. The Committee continues to support LMR systems, promote broadband technology and deployment, and work with Federal partners to further various technologies within the emergency communications ecosystem (e.g., Next Generation 9-1-1, alerts and warnings, cybersecurity).

Strategic Priority 13: Explore guidelines, best practices, and considerations for implementing encrypted LMR communications.

Work Product 13.1: Guidance Materials on LMR Encryption and Other Standards-BasedFeatures

Strategic Priority 14: Communicate guidance and challenges associated with new and emerging technologies.

Work Product 14.1: Public Safety Grade White Paper

Work Product 14.2: Information Overload Primer

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Work Product 14.3: Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) EarlyBuilders update

Strategic Priority 15: Examine Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) policies and education for public safety disciplines.

Work Product 15.1: ICAM Position Paper for Endorsing Trustmark Framework

Work Product 15.2: Education and outreach materials associated with the TrustmarkFramework endorsement

Work Product 15.3: ICAM Reference Materials document

Work Product 15.4: ICAM 101 Executive Briefing

Work Product 15.5: ICAM Discipline-Specific Fact Sheets

5. Measures and Management of Success

Measures of Success. Measures of success are used to meaningfully assess the advancement of the SAFECOM program and SAFECOM committee strategic priorities. Achievement indicators include:

Committees will conduct monthly conference calls to discuss product status updates, approve products,identify new activities, and identify product champions

Committees will meet at in-person meetings through SAFECOM committees to focus on thedevelopment of specific products, discuss existing issues, brainstorm new issues, and discuss changes inpolicy or funding affecting the direction of strategic priorities for that year

Committees will follow a quarterly committee schedule, detailing proposed products or activitiesaligning to a specific priority

SAFECOM’s leadership will meet toward the end of each year to discuss SAFECOM’s overarchingpriorities for the coming year and to review and approve proposed committee products identified at thefall joint in-person meeting

Management of Success. Members of each committee participate in brainstorming sessions at the fall in-person SAFECOM meeting in an effort to measure progress, validate the program’s long-term focus areas, and develop short- and mid-term work products and activities that align to those priorities. In addition to the Strategic Plan, SAFECOM publishes an Annual Report and Summary of Accomplishments at the end of each year, highlighting accomplishments and progress toward achieving the goals and initiatives identified within the SAFECOM Strategic Plan and Implementation Guide (see Appendix B).

6. Strategic Plan Review

The SAFECOM Strategic Plan and Implementation Guide is a living document that may be updated throughout the year as priorities potentially change the development of work products or activities conducted through the program. SAFECOM will conduct annual reviews of the Strategic Plan to ensure it is up to date and aligns with the changing internal and external interoperable emergency communications environment. In addition, the SAFECOM Annual Report will track and report progress against the defined goals, priorities, initiatives, and targeted completion dates. An annual review and update of the Strategic Plan is an essential element to achieving SAFECOM’s vision for effective emergency communications.

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Appendix A: 2017 SAFECOM Work Product Action Plan

SAFECOM’s Action Plan describes the process by which it will use the Strategic Plan and Implementation Guide to execute specific initiatives aimed at furthering the program’s vison and mission. The Action Plan outlines committee-specific products and activities to accomplish the goals and strategic priorities described in the Strategic Plan. The Action Plan also provides a suggested timeline for implementing these initiatives. In addition to basing work products and activities on SAFECOM’s long-term strategic priorities, the Action Plan aligns work products to the NECP goals2.

Table 1: 2017 SAFECOM Initiatives and Work Products

Committee Product Timeline Purpose NECP Goal Long-Term Strategic Priority

SAFECOM Education and Outreach Committee

SAFECOM Website Redesign

Q1-Q2 Redesign SAFECOM website layout to streamline information

Goal 1 Goal 2 Goal 3 Goal 4

Strategic Priority 1

SAFECOM Introduction Presentation Revision and Rebranding

Q2 Review and revise sections of the SAFECOM Introduction Presentation, as needed

Goal 1 Strategic Priority 2

Public Safety Communications Evolution Brochure Revision

Q2-Q3 Review and update sections of the Public Safety Communications Evolution Brochure

Goal 1 Goal 2 Goal 4


COML: A Valuable Resource for Incident Commander Brochure Revision

Q3-Q4 Review and revise sections of the COML: A Valuable Resource for Incident Commander Brochure



SAFECOM Community HSIN Site Redesign

Q4 Redesign SAFECOM HSIN layout to streamline information and make the platform more user friendly

Goal 1 Goal 4


SAFECOM Member Highlights

Ongoing Interview a SAFECOM member each month and develop an expose on the member to post to the SAFECOM blog


2 The 2014 NECP sets forth five strategic goals aimed to enhance emergency communications capabilities at all levels of government and across disciplines in coordination with the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and communities across the nation: Goal 1 - Governance and Leadership: Enhance decision-making, coordination, and planning for emergency communications through strong governance structures and leadership. Goal 2 - Planning and Procedures: Update plans and procedures to improve emergency responder communications and readiness in a dynamic operating environment. Goal 3 - Training and Exercises: Improve responders’ ability to coordinate and communicate through training and exercise programs that use all available technologies and target gaps in emergency communications. Goal 4 - Operational Coordination: Ensure operational effectiveness through the coordination of communications capabilities, resources, and personnel from across the whole community. Goal 5 - Research and Development: Coordinate research, development, testing, and evaluation activities to develop innovative emergency communications capabilities that support the needs of emergency responders.

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SAFECOM Monthly Bulletin

Ongoing Update members on committee progress as well as current events and activities happening within SAFECOM associations


SAFECOM-NCSWIC Quarterly Newsletter and Blogs

Ongoing

Compile and disseminate information on new members, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) updates, and articles from members on public safety interoperability (joint w/ NCSWIC)


SAFECOM Website Maintenance

Ongoing Maintain website information



White Paper on Developing COMU Governance Structures (COMU WG)

Q1

Develop white paper on issues within the communications unit environment, providing a recommendation for developing a governance body to oversee a nationwide structure

Goal 1 Goal 2 Goal 3 Goal 4 Goal 5


Governor’s and Interested Parties Letter to Garner Support for a National COMU (COMU WG)

Q2

Develop and deliver letter to Governors and parties interested in improving the communications unit structure addressing a nationwide governance structure



COMU Governance Summit (COMU WG)

Q3 Develop meeting materials and host a summit for interested parties to collaborate on COMU issues and develop possible solutions



SAFECOM Governance Committee

2017 SAFECOM Strategic Plan

Q1

Outline the function of SAFECOM and its committees’ 2017 planned products and activities; align these initiatives to SAFECOM’s goals, the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) goals, and the Emergency Communications Ecosystem

Goal 1 Goal 2


2016 SAFECOM Annual Report

Q1 Review SAFECOM’s 2016 accomplishments and priorities and outline each committees’ 2017 products and activities

Goal 1 Goal 2


2016 SAFECOM Strategic Priorities Summary of Accomplishments

Q1 Develop a summary factsheet of SAFECOM’s 2016 accomplishments and priorities

Goal 1 Goal 2


SAFECOM Member Information Form Distribution/ Collection

Q2

Develop an administrative form to collect information on SAFECOM members’ best contact information, information about members’ participation and involvement in SAFECOM, and information about member associations

Goal 1 Goal 2


Membership Demographics Factsheet

Q2

Develop a factsheet-style report on SAFECOM’s membership demographics, to include geographical locations, represented disciplines, and member skill sets

Goal 1 Goal 2


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Intellectual Capital Assessment for SAFECOM’s Membership

Q2-Q3

Report on the value of SAFECOM and its members; summary of the Education and Outreach Committee’s SAFECOM Membership Demographics Survey

Goal 1 Goal 2


Streamlined SAFECOM Charter

Q3

Review 2016 Revised SAFECOM Charter for streamlined, web-friendly Charter; determine need for supplemental “SAFECOM By-Laws” document

Goal 1 Goal 2


State Governance Review Working Group Effort

Ongoing

Establish Working Group to focus on how to best message the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC) position and provide recommendations on the optimal governance structure to enhance state interoperability; Also consider scoping the Joint OEC / SAFECOM / NCSWIC Assessment of FirstNet Broadband on State Governance Structures and the sample Memorandum of Understanding / Standard Operating Procedures repository effort

Goal 1 Goal 2


SAFECOM Membership Search and Solicitation

Ongoing Identify gaps in membership disciplines to determine need for additional SAFECOM membership

Goal 1 Goal 2


NCSWIC-SAFECOM Joint Initiatives

Joint SAFECOM-NCSWIC Funding and Sustainment Committee

Funding Life Cycle Planning Guide Update

Q1-Q4 Complete Life Cycle Planning Guide NECP

Implementation Activity


White Paper on Methods for Estimating the Life Cycle

Q1-Q3 Research and prepare examples of how state and local agencies are estimating life cycle of emergency communications equipment

NECP Implementation

Activity


SAFECOM Grant Guidance Review and Input

Q2 Review and provide input into the SAFECOM Guidance for Emergency Communications Grants

Goal 1 Goal 2


Strategies for Improving Grant Funding

Q2 Establish a strategy for increasing grant funding to emergency communications

NECP Implementation

Activity


Funding Life Cycle Examples

Q3 Collect Funding Methods NECP



2017 Funding Mechanisms Update

Q4 Update Funding Mechanisms Document NECP



White Paper on Maintenance Models

Q4

Research and prepare a white paper on how state and local agencies are paying for management and operations of emergency communications systems

NECP Implementation

Activity


Joint SAFECOM-NCSWIC Technology Policy Committee

Guidance Materials on LMR Encryption and Other

Q1-Q4

Develop educational products to inform public safety agencies on interoperability challenges caused by proprietary and other non-standards based features



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Standards-Based Features

Public Safety Grade White Paper

Q2 Provide public safety stakeholders and officials with guidance in order to make informed procurement decisions



Information Overload Primer

Q3

Develop ‘primer document’ to frame information overload challenges and encourage agencies to plan for a data-driven ecosystem



BTOP Early Builders Update

Q4

Draft a white paper on the current status of BTOP Long Term Evolution (LTE) Early Builders, including key learning conditions and lessons learned

Goal 1 Goal 2


ICAM Position Paper for Endorsing Trustmark Framework (ICAM WG)

Q1-Q2

Develop and endorse a paper to identify and define problems associated with the lack of nationwide ICAM solution, including a value proposition, and recommendations to integrate nationwide federated ICAM solution



Education and outreach materials associated with the Trustmark Framework endorsement (ICAM WG)

Q2-Q4 Develop materials and perform education and outreach as necessary to support the Trustmark Framework endorsement

Goal 1 Goal 2


ICAM Reference Materials Document (ICAM WG)

Q2-Q4

Develop a document of core reference materials and existing research on key ICAM topics to lend credibility to ICAM Working Group products



ICAM 101 Executive Briefing (ICAM WG)

Q2-Q3

Draft a document intended to appeal to the entire public safety community, explaining what ICAM is and why it is an important issue for public safety

Goal 1 Goal 2


ICAM Discipline-Specific Fact Sheets (ICAM WG)

Q4 Draft documents highlighting the importance of ICAM for each discipline



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Appendix B: 2016 SAFECOM Strategic Priorities Accomplishments

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) partnered with each of SAFECOM’s committees to achieve specific goals associated with each priority. Committees leveraged expertise within the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC) and SAFECOM organizations to harness knowledge and share best practices and lessons learned across the group. Table 3 below provides an example of the types of work products and activities achieved on an annual basis through the SAFECOM committees.

TABLE 3: 2016 SAFECOM STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS

COMMITTEE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

EDUCATION &

OUTREACH

Chair: Christopher Lombard (November 2015-present) Vice Chair: Wes Rogers (December 2013 – present) Revised SAFECOM Factsheet and developed SAFECOM Membership Roles and Responsibilities;

SAFECOM Outreach Plan; SAFECOM Membership Engagement Guide; Engagement Reference Sheet;and SAFECOM Internal Membership Tracker

Attended two public safety/emergency communications conferences to promote SAFECOM Drafted White Paper on a Nationwide COMU Governance Structure, COMU Program Status

Questionnaire, and NIMS feedback report to FEMA

GOVERNANCE

Chair: Doug Aiken (December 2013 – October 2016); Don Bowers (October 2016 – present) Vice Chair: Don Bowers (November 2015 – October 2016); Paul Fitzgerald (October 2016 – present) Developed and published 2015 SAFECOM Strategic Priorities Summary of Accomplishments and 2015

SAFECOM Annual Report Developed criteria for and presented the Marilyn J. Praisner SAFECOM Leadership Award Developed recommendations for updating the governance structure of the SAFECOM EC Revised the SAFECOM Charter and implemented changes through an aggressive timeline

FUNDING &

SUSTAINMENT

Chair: Tom Roche (November 2015-present) Developed and published Funding and Sustainment Resources guidebook for decision makers Developed and published LMR Trio, including Part I: Educating Decision Makers on LMR Technologies;

Part II: Educating Decision Makers on LMR Technology Issues; and Part III: A Project 25 (P25) Primerfor Project Managers and Acquisition Managers

Developed and published Funding and Maintaining Public Safety Radio Systems Brochure (web andprint versions); LMR Action Memorandum; LMR Briefing Presentation; P25 Waiver RequirementsLetter; and 2016 Funding Mechanisms for Public Safety Communications Systems Table

Provided input into the SAFECOM Guidance on Emergency Communications Grants

TECHNOLOGY

POLICY

Chair: Gerald Reardon (December 2013 – present) Vice Chair: Terry Hall (November 2015 – October 2016); Dan Wills (October 2016 – present) Updated The T-Band Giveback: Implications for the Public Safety Community Developed and published the T-Band Executive Briefing Provided input to the FPIC Encryption Suite: Considerations for Encryption in Public Safety Radio

Systems, Determining the Need for Encryption in Public Safety Radios, Best Practices for Encryption inP25 Public Safety LMR Systems, and Developing Methods to Improve Encrypted Interoperability inPublic Safety Communications

Hosted Updates to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cyber SecurityFramework webinar

Developed and published Technology Resources as an educational tool on interoperability challenges Provided input to the Incident Management Information Sharing Capability Maturity Model Drafted Public Safety Grade White Paper Identified information overload challenges impacting public safety operations Established and administered the ICAM Working Group in May 2016

https://www.dhs.gov/safecom/about-safecom


https://www.dhs.gov/safecom/funding












https://www.dhs.gov/technology



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Appendix C: SAFECOM Work Product Index

Education and Outreach Committee

About SAFECOM Video Hosted on the SAFECOM website, this 100-second video provides perspectives from current and former SAFECOM members as well as OEC leadership on the impacts of SAFECOM on public safety.

Articles SAFECOM released an article that was published in APCO’s Public Safety Communications e-newsletter.

Meeting Summaries SAFECOM hosts in-person and teleconference meetings. A report is prepared by OEC to highlight the sessions and discussions held during those meetings.

Monthly SAFECOM Bulletin The monthly SAFECOM Bulletin provides an update on the four SAFECOM Committees (Education and Outreach, Governance, Funding and Sustainment, and Technology Policy) and those members who provided content from their associations/organizations.

SAFECOM Executive Briefing (Internally housed on HSIN) The SAFECOM Executive Briefing is a set of talking points developed to assist member’s network and engage with stakeholders.

SAFECOM Fact Sheet The SAFECOM Fact Sheet shares information about SAFECOM and its mission. This is a material that stakeholders might like to take with them to remind them about SAFECOM.

SAFECOM Introduction Presentation (pending EC Committee approval) A presentation for outreach efforts to educate an audience about SAFECOM, the mission, and the unique membership.

SAFECOM/ National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC) Blog and Newsletter A joint effort with NCSWIC, the blog provides relevant information about SAFECOM’s initiates, new member highlights, and updates from OEC to the public safety community.

SAFECOM Website The SAFECOM website provides a platform for the public to easily access information about SAFECOM’s organization, products, and achievements.

Governance Committee

2015 Emergency Communications Governance Guide for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Officials The Governance Guide serves as a comprehensive tool that provides recommendations and best practices for emergency communications officials at all levels of government to establish, assess, and update governance structures that represent all emergency communications capabilities (Land Mobile Radio [LMR], broadband, 911/Next Generation 911 [NG911], alerts and warnings).

https://www.dhs.gov/video/safecom-100-seconds

http://psc.apcointl.org/2015/07/09/the-people-projects-behind-safecom/

https://www.dhs.gov/safecom/news-and-updates


https://www.dhs.gov/safecom/safecom-mission-and-history

https://www.dhs.gov/safecom/blog


https://www.dhs.gov/safecom

https://www.dhs.gov/safecom/governance

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Governance Committee

2015 Emergency Communications Governance Guide for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Officials- Fact Sheet This document provides an executive summary to the Emergency Communications Governance Guide for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Officials document

SAFECOM Annual Report The report provides an overview of SAFECOM’s accomplishments and the contributions of SAFECOM’s member associations and organizations.

SAFECOM Charter The charter is a document that clearly defines SAFECOM’s history and mission. This material could be something the stakeholders would like to flip through while engaging with one of SAFECOM’s representatives at the information booth.

SAFECOM Strategic Priorities This document summarizes SAFECOM’s accomplishments against our approved strategic priorities and outlines each committee’s products and activities and looks ahead for the next year.

Joint Funding and Sustainment Committee

2016 SAFECOM Grant Guidance This annual document provides recommendations to grantees seeking funding for interoperable emergency communications projects, including allowable costs, items to consider when funding emergency communications projects, grants management best practices for emergency communications grants, and information on standards that ensure greater interoperability.

Funding Mechanisms for Public Safety Communications Systems This document provides an overview of various methods of funding emergency communications systems (e.g., bonds, special tax, surcharges), and specific examples of where these methods have been used to fund state and local systems.

Funding and Sustainment Methods for Public Safety Communications Systems (2016) This document presents funding and sustainment methods used by state and local agencies to fund emergency communications systems.

Improving Grant Management This document highlights SAFECOM grants best practices from the DHS Inspector General report on grants management.

Land Mobile Radio (LMR) Action Memorandum The purpose of the LMR Action Memorandum is to provide public safety stakeholders with basic information they can give to state and local decision-makers and elected officials on why it is important to fund and sustain public safety radio systems.

Land Mobile Radio Brochure The LMR Brochure was developed to provide stakeholders with a hand-out to give to state and local decision-makers and elected officials to explain why it is important to fund and sustain LMR.






https://www.dhs.gov/publication/funding-documents



http://nppd-sp.dhs.gov/core/OEC/PB/MCS/stakeholder_engagement/safecomerc/default.aspx?RootFolder=%2Fcore%2FOEC%2FPB%2FMCS%2Fstakeholder%5Fengagement%2Fsafecomerc%2FShared%20Documents%2F01%5FSAFECOM%20Comm%2F01%5FEd%20and%20Outreach%2FOutreach%20%2D%20Engagement&FolderCTID=0x012000088B06C2F12C1141831C334A5A5F624D&View=%7bAD35D213-218B-41A0-BEE0-A34AB7C1852B%7dhttps://www.dhs.gov/safecom/funding





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Joint Funding and Sustainment Committee

Land Mobile Radio Presentation (Internally housed on HSIN) A PowerPoint template stakeholders can customize and use to brief elected officials on LMR technologies and the need to sustain mission critical voice. This PowerPoint template is available for download on HSIN.

Land Mobile Radio (LMR) Trio This trio of documents addresses the importance of LMR technologies and the need to sustain mission critical voice.

LMR 101, Part I

LMR for Decision Makers, Part II

LMR for Project Managers, Part III

Project 25 (P25) Waiver Requirements Letter On August 11, 2016, SAFECOM delivered a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to offer its expertise, assistance, and recommendations for strengthening grantee compliance with Project 25 (P25) standards.

Joint Technology Policy Committee

Best Practices for Encryption in P25 Public Safety Land Mobile Radio Systems This document addresses methods to improve cross-agency coordination and emphasizes the use of standards-based encryption to enhance secure interoperability and minimize the risk of compromising sensitive information.

Considerations for Encryption in Public Safety Radio Systems This document examines the complex issues of why encryption may be needed during critical operations of an urgent or time-sensitive nature or when open communications may not be sufficient to protect personally identifiable and/or sensitive information. This document provides guidance to public safety users through a process to assess the need for encryption as well as the questions that must be considered.

Cybersecurity Primer (Internally housed) While this document is not on the website, it was distributed to Technology Policy members, and explains at a high-level the importance of cybersecurity and the need to leverage the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and other resources when making cybersecurity planning decisions. This document is targeted at leaders and decision-makers in the public safety community.

Determining the Need for Encryption in Public Safety Radios Fact Sheet This document provides a high-level overview of all the factors public safety agencies and departments should thoroughly discuss and carefully considered before reaching a decision to encrypt their public safety radio systems.

Developing Methods to Improve Encrypted Interoperability in Public Safety Communications Fact Sheet This document highlights best practices of key management necessary to allow encrypted operability and interoperability. These best practices are important in developing system security where encrypted interoperability is realizable. Additionally, significant planning and coordination must be undertaken to achieve encrypted interoperability on a national scale.



https://www.dhs.gov/publication/lmr-and-broadband-evolution








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Joint Technology Policy Committee

Guidelines for Encryption in Land Mobile Radio Systems As a result of a number of security risk and vulnerability assessments, the public safety community has recognized the increasing effort to protect sensitive information transmitted over its wireless communications systems. The purpose of this document is to provide information that should be considered when evaluating encryption solutions to minimize the possibility of sensitive information being monitored, but are concerned with the cost of standards compliant encryption. This document is designed to inform public safety practitioners and system administrators on encryption topics.

Public Safety Communications Evolution Brochure OEC developed this brochure in collaboration with SAFECOM and the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators, with the support and input of public safety officials to help educate the public safety community and elected and appointed officials about the future of emergency communications.

Public safety Interoperability Implications of non-P25 Radio Technologies This product discusses some of the available non-Project 25 (P25) radio technologies that some public safety organizations might consider to support their operations. It examines the possible benefits of these technologies, as well as the potential implications they might impose on interoperability within the public safety communications community.

T-Band Giveback Fact SheetCreated by SAFECOM and NCSWIC, this document provides the implications for the public safety community and the effects of the Public Law 112-96 to recover and auction T-Band spectrum. Based on NPSTC’s research into the topic, this document is designed to help inform decision makers and anyone who is interested in the T-Band topic.

Technology Policy Resources - September 2016 The Technology Policy Resources booklet contains several documents (listed below) developed by the Technology Policy Committee.

Additional Resources

2006 Enhancing Communications Interoperability: General Guidance and Recommendations for Interoperability-Related Governance Presents general information about the role, structure, and operations of governing bodies charged with improving communications interoperability at the State, regional, local, or tribal level.

2010 Regional Intrastate Governance Guide for Interoperable Communications Efforts This guide explains how to set up regional governance organizations for emergency communications.

DHS S&T Modeling and Analysis for Public Safety Broadband With legislation establishing the First Responder Network Authority, this document takes a look at the analysis needed to being planning for a national public safety broadband network.

The Hybrid Public Safety Microphone “Turtle Mike”


















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Additional ResourcesIntroduces the Hybrid Public Safety Microphone, or “Turtle Mike,” which enhances legacy radio system capabilities by allowing the use of commercial broadband networks for improved communications interoperability.

Interoperability Continuum: A tool for Improving Emergency Response Communications and Interoperability

The Interoperability Continuum provides a graphical depiction to demonstrate the five critical success factors to achieving interoperability. This tool also provides a framework from which all emergency response agencies at the Federal, State, local, and tribal levels could use to baseline their planning and implementation of interoperability solutions.

Interoperability Planning for Wireless Broadband Created in coordination with the emergency response community, this document assists Statewide Interoperability Coordinators with planning for wireless broadband use in emergency communications.

Inter Radio Frequency (RF) Subsystem Interface (ISSI) Technology: Interconnecting Networks Provides a quick overview of the ISSI Technology.

Moving Towards Credentialing Interoperability Provides information to non-Federal organization and their decision makers about the value of strong credentialing practices using Federal standards.

Objective Speech Quality Estimates for P25/TLE Interconnections Summarizes the key information collected throughout the Rapid Emergency-Level Interim Communications Interoperability (RapidCom) initiative.

Office for Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC) Fact Sheet Provides background on OIC, which was established in 2004 to strengthen and integrate interoperability and compatibility efforts in order to improve Federal, State, local, and tribal emergency response and preparedness.

Operational Guide for the Interoperability Continuum: Lessons Learned and RapidCom At the Urban Area Summit in 2004, participants convened to share best practices, lessons learned, and other experiences gained from planning and implementing communications interoperability solutions. This report shares the valuable information learned from that meeting and provides a framework for communities and regions to use in their communications interoperability planning efforts.

Priority Telecommunications Services for First Responders The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) provides the following services to federal, state, local, territorial and tribal emergency personnel, as well as industry personnel, to ensure ongoing communications under all circumstances: Government Emergency Telecommunications Services (GETS), Wireless Priority Services (WPS), and Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP).

SAFECOM: The Road to Interoperability This pamphlet describes the practical use of the Interoperability Continuum and its scalable ability to fit many types of disaster response. Technology Guide for Communications Interoperability: A Guide for



















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Additional ResourcesInteragency Communications Projects. Provides background on communications interoperability and tools to carry out technology initiatives that make interoperability possible.

Video Quality in Public Safety Initiatives Provides an overview of the Video Quality in Public Safety initiative, which provides information and support to first responders so they can articulate their own video quality needs.

Wireless Communications Interoperability Awareness Guide Explains what public safety interoperability is and the issues that impede interoperable communications.

Wireless Communications Security Awareness Guide Explains the need to ensure secure communications, facilities, and networks for emergency responders.

Wireless Communications Standards Awareness Guide Explains the importance of open standards in wireless emergency response communications.

Writing Guide for a Memorandum for Understanding (MOU) Provides a recommended MOU structure and questions to consider when writing the MOU’s content.

Wireless Emergency Alerts - General Provides an overview of the Wireless Emergency Alerts, which is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Integrated Public Alert and Warning System.

Wireless Emergency Alerts - Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Provides an overview of the Wireless Emergency Alerts Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation program, which enhances the national capability to deliver geographically targeted alert messages to mobile devices.












