The Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to introduce
a new smart card system to coordinate first responders in the National
Capital region.
It said the NCR is the first region to identify first responders with
smart card credentials, and that the First Responder Partnership
Initiative was designed “as a model for other regions to enhance
cooperation and efficiency between state and local first responders
and their federal counterparts.” Better coordination is expected to
be a key focus during White House, and likely congressional,
investigations into the widely-criticized governmental – federal,
state and local — response following Hurricane Katrina.
DHS is encouraging local governments to adopt the technology.
Tom Lockwood, Director of DHS’s NCR coordination office, said the
card system would support mutual aid across jurisdictions.
“We are excited to launch an effort that will help the country better
coordinate its most valuable resources — its people — during an
incident,” he said.
The card will identify first responders and their qualifications at
the site of an incident to allow them to deploy rapidly in and around
secured areas, and DHS said it would be recognized across all NCR federal,
state and local jurisdictions.
The department added that the technology could serve as a platform for
physical access, network access, HR accountability, incident command
and control, property and firearms accountability, and the integration
of the National Incident Management System.