Interoperable Satellite Phone Network for Emergency Operations Centers

Interoperable Satellite Phone

This project provided Iridium push-to-talk satellite phones, docking stations, and service support for the Emergency Managers and Emergency Operations Centers of every county and city in Northern Virginia. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and the Regional Healthcare Coordination Center (RHCC) were also included in the project. This capability ensures uninterrupted operational communication and coordination between the region’s Emergency Managers during the response and recovery phases of all hazards, such as a catastrophic natural disaster or terrorist attack. Recent domestic and international terrorism events have demonstrated the need for redundant communications systems to support ongoing response and recovery operations when primary forms of communication are affected and/or disabled. This project improves the emergency response and recovery communications systems within the region by creating a redundant and portable capability that can be deployed anywhere in the region should traditional communication networks be overloaded or compromised.