Inter-operability has often been associated purely with communications radio equipment. In Illinois, inter-operability has a much broader focus and application reaching into multiple disciplines, operational matters and planning efforts.

By itself, inter-operability sounds like an appropriate cure-all for situations and upon all occasions. Unfortunately, the catch all of inter-operability will fail without careful planning and astute decision making. Achieving inter-operability in an effective sense requires careful study and integrative coordination. Most importantly, an appropriate amount of front end work to insure resources are committed effectively and efficiently with an end product which works as predicted without remedial overhauls.

Moving too quickly will certainly waste money with needless mistakes and ineffective outcomes. Moving too slowly will certainly repeat mistakes of the past and systemic failures when crisis strikes. Illinois seeks a balance for statewide application in all senses of the term inter-operability.

The following summary identifies areas of inter-operability achieved to date, currently in process and targeted for future accomplishment. All will certainly enhance Homeland Defense capabilities, but also most importantly, our ability to serve the public during our traditional roles during emergencies.

Communications:

Currently, a variety of radio frequencies exist in various spectrums. The State of Illinois Terrorism Task Force has a working committee where focus is to establish an inter-operability coordination plan for statewide use. Simply putting all agencies on a single frequency achieves inter-operability in a naive, fragile sense as frequency overloading will immediately occur causing failure. A well thought out system design, or planning, will create a system of inter-operability which effectively integrates local, state and federal agencies responding to a crisis.

Radio communications are in place today allowing fire and police responders to talk to counterparts statewide. Illinois State Police and MABAS (Fire Mutual Aid) are participating in the ITTF communications committee to further improve inter-operability communication capabilities.

Although, true inter-operability has not been achieved to date, the effective immediate solution is within the crisis management structures of incident command, unified command and tight net of state and local emergency operations centers. Incident management is the centerpiece of effective integration and inter-operability.

Incident and Unified Command

Organizational command and control is paramount any time several units or several agencies are required to work together at an incident scene towards common goals. The inter-operability of agencies to effectively work together to coordinate resources is contingent upon their ability to:

Incident command has been used by Illinois Fire Service for over 20 years and is a mandated requirement for incident scene command and control on a daily basis. MABAS is activated over 700 times annually for non-declaration of disaster incidents (extra alarm fires, EMS multiple victim incidents, hazardous materials spills, etc.)

Special Operations Teams:

Special Operations Teams exist at the local and state level in many disciplines including fire, police and technically appropriate state agencies. Examples include; Statewide Fire HAZMAT Teams, Technical Rescue Teams, Incident Command Overhead Teams, Law Enforcement SWAT Teams, Incident Confinement Teams, Crime Scene Investigative Teams and more. State agencies include the Civil Support Team, Weapons of Mass Destruction Response Teams, and IDPH IMERT EMS Teams. Other specialized teams are at the ready within the states EPA and Nuclear Agencies.

All of these teams are part of, or in the process of becoming part of the statewide response plan. As such, teams have agreed to various standards, procedures, inventories and minimal qualifications to insure seamless scene operations or simply put inter-operability.

Statewide systems where inter-operability has been achieved is within the 36 HAZ-MAT Teams statewide where WMD equipment is standardized, operating protocols are standardized and minimal qualifications and training certifications are standardized - all provide for inter-operability.

Operational Equipment

Any and all incident scene operations equipment is being standardized wherever possible. Standardized equipment will improve the sustainment of first responders and other key staff in sealing with an evolving, widespread crisis. Again, seamless interagency standards result in effective inter-operability.

Examples include; Specialized Team equipment, WMD protective masks and canister filters, field deployed antidote and medical supplies, fire hydrant thread adapters and more. All have been standardized, is in process of standardization or is scheduled for standardization as financial resources become available.

All such actions further support daily operations and domestic terrorism response abilities through inter-operability.

Summary

Inter-operability in the most basic sense suggests coordination. Some forms of inter-operability are very difficult and expensive to achieve. Other forms of inter-operability are much easier and sometimes at no cost to achieve. Illinois has placed inter-operability as a pillar requiring consideration every step of the way. The Illinois Terrorism Task Force meets monthly to achieve progress on many tasks and targets - inter-operability applies to almost every matter crossing the groups agenda.

The ITTF in itself demonstrates Illinois ability to achieve inter-operability - agencies from local, state and federal agencies meeting monthly to achieve goals which always depends upon inter-operability for success.