Interoperability means that emergency responders have a way to talk to each other on their radios during incidents or emergencies.

Why Does It Matter to You? Emergency responders need each other’s assistance and cooperation whenever multiple agencies, multiple disciplines (e.g., fire, law enforcement, medical, hazmat, utility), or large incident areas are involved.

Even small communities are no longer isolated. So responders need a way to talk to each other, to incident commanders, and to communications dispatchers. We’ve all seen the results when this ability is missing: police and sheriff’s cars racing side by side down the freeway so that officers can shout back and forth, or police officers sending runners back and forth to support teams of firefighters at a large scene, to name two examples. Such scenarios can mean escalating situations, delays and conflicting responses, and ultimately, lost lives and property

What Limits Interoperability? Simple in concept, but several types of challenges make it complicated to achieve interoperability .

1. Technical Challenges: e.g., radio systems that use different technologies, standards or frequencies, systems that don’t have any spare capacity, gaps in coverage.
2. Operational Challenges: e.g., lack of standard operating procedures for establishing interop channels, differences in nomenclature used by agencies, insufficient training, failure to include communications/dispatch centers in procedures.
3. Political Challenges: e.g., lack of funding for purchases or ongoing maintenance, preference for control over sharing, too little public awareness or legislative support.