Elements Of The Interoperability Continuum

Planning for emergencies is no easy task. Because most large-scale emergencies happen infrequently, we must often look to the successes and failures of others to prepare our communities for various critical incidents. A major item to be considered when preparing or working through a critical incident is the inoperability of the various groups working during a disaster. Effective communication is paramount when moving resources and making decisions post-incident. If the situation is not handled in a smooth and thoughtful manner, it can greatly impact the resilience of a community and there ability to bounce back. Wilson (2012) stated, “research on social resilience is often based on a bottom-up approach predicted on understanding human …show more content…
The proper application and mediation of these elements can enable to share vital information with different responders in a timely manner. If one or more areas of the continuum are weak, it can derail the response to a critical incident. The different elements of the continuum are governance, standard operating procedures, technology, training and exercises and usage. The Department of Homeland Security (2016) described the continuum as, “designed to assist emergency response agencies and policy makers to plan and implement interoperability solutions for data and voice communications” (p. 1). Governance comes into place with this continuum in assigning and agreeing to different roles during an emergency situation. Leaders for each role should be assigned and there should be a clear way for the responders to communicate. Standard operating procedures detail instructions for emergency response. When selecting technology, it needs to be modern enough to work in all environments while still being compatible with the products of all agencies involved. If this is not possible, back up technology that is compatible needs to be provided. For instance, FEMA stepped in during the Minot Flood of 2011 to assist local agencies in getting compatible radios so they could communicate effectively (FEMA, 2016, p. 1). Training and exercise should be used to make sure the technology works …show more content…
One of those challenges is insuring that effective communication is taking place between responding agencies. Without effective communication, it can greatly impact the resilience of a community. The primary challenges to interoperability during an emergency are lack of planned procedures, obsolete technology, lack of trained exercises, improper allocation of resources and poor overall communication. One of the most important times during a critical incident is immediately after the incident occurs. The National Research Council (2006) stated, “observing planned and improvised actions at the height of the emergency response stage provides knowledge about the analysis and management of disaster agent and response generated problems” (p. 255). If communication is poor during this time, it will most definitely result in a lack of effectiveness during the emergency response and recovery. These primary challenges align perfectly with what the Department of Homeland Security detailed in the Interoperability Continuum. The continuum contains five major elements of interoperability including governance, technology, standard procedures, usage and training. By following the suggestions for each element of the continuum, a community should be able to plan and respond effectively to a critical