Public Safety Interoperability

The SCIP is a one-to-three-year strategic planning document that contains the following components: Introduction – Provides the context necessary to understand what the SCIP is and how it was developed. It also provides an overview of the current emergency communications landscape. Vision and Mission – Articulates Texas’ vision and mission for improving emergency and public safety communications interoperability over the next one-to-three-years. Implementation Plan – Describes Texas’ plan to implement, maintain, and update the SCIP to enable continued evolution of and progress toward the State’s interoperability goals.

As the first to respond to natural disaster, domestic terrorism, & other emergencies, public safety agencies rely on timely communications across multiple disciplines & jurisdictions. It is vital to the safety & effectiveness of first responders that their electronic communications systems enable them to communicate with whomever they need to, when they need to, & when they are authorized to do so. This report determines, among other things: (1) the extent to which Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) funding & technical assistance has helped to improve interoperable communications in selected states; & (2) the progress that has been made in the development & implementation of interoperable communications standards. Charts & tables.