Covia Labs Expert: Public Safety Communications Network Could Take 10 Years to Build While iPhones / Android Phones Could

May 17, 2011

Tools

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Current Congressional legislation (S. 28 and H.R. 607) proposes to give police, fire fighters and other emergency responders the tools they need to communicate with each other when jointly responding to incidents/crises. Sadly, little progress has been made on this issue since it gained national attention almost ten years ago on 9/11.

According to Covia Labs CEO David Kahn, the current Congressional proposals will develop a strong network for our nation’s emergency responders. However, it could take another ten years to fully implement.

For that interim period, technologies currently exist that allow the same functionality envisioned in the national plan, but over the commercial cellular networks and with “off the shelf” devices such as smartphones. Many of these devices are already in the pockets of emergency responders today. This interim technology would enable public safety personnel to begin using the life-saving benefits of voice, video, compass, location awareness, memory, storage, maps, etc. It could also enable personnel from multiple organizations to communicate and share information with each other on an ad hoc basis.

These technologies are primarily in the form of software that can make existing radios as well as commercial smartphones secure and interoperable for public safety use.

David Kahn, CEO of Covia Labs, is an expert on this topic and is available to comment on the proposed Congressional legislation as well as the interim technologies currently available. Covia was recently recognized as a Top Performing Technology at the Department of Defense’s 2010 Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration (CWID) events, where it created interoperable communications networks between multiple agencies responding to a simulated terrorist attack on the U.S. Homeland.

CONTACT:

If you are interested in speaking to Mr. Kahn, please contact:
K/F Communications for Covia Labs
Dave Fonkalsrud, 415-255-6506
dave@kfcomm.com

KEYWORDS: United States North America California District of Columbia

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Public Policy/Government Congressional News/Views Law Enforcement/Emergency Services

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