CPRC — harnessing science and technology knowledge to strengthen tri-services across Canada

Responder Day Presentation June 18, 2009

Welcome

Steve Palmer

Executive Director, Canadian Police Research Centre

Defence R&D Canada – Centre for Security Science

Session Objectives

• Learn about the CPRC and some of the innovative projects, tools, approaches and practices that are now or will soon be used by police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel across Canada

• Celebrate the Centre’s fourth decade of harnessing science and technology knowledge to strengthen public safety across Canada

• Hear about how our recent transition to the DRDC can help Canada’s responders gain even greater access to the federal science community

Agenda• CPRC — A Brief History• Our work with the Tri-Services• Communications Interoperability —

Helping address a major challenge• Operation Maple Leaf• Responder Equipment — REL &

PPE and related initiatives• S&T Funding — CPRC Call for

Proposals• Q & A

Canadian Police Research Centre

CPRC is a Government of Canada program with an important mandate:

“To harness science and technology knowledge to strengthen police, fire

and emergency medical services across Canada.”

CPRC

• Since 1979, CPRC has supported research and development to respond to the needs of the public safety community

• The work of the CPRC focuses on three priority themes: – increasing first responder safety,– improving operational practices, and – establishing technology standards.

A Solid Foundation…

New Directions…

Simulations and Training

• Integration of driver training and use of force simulation

• Direct Action (low cost virtual environment)

• Operation Maple Leaf• Unmanned Air Systems Training

Course for First Responders

CEWs and In Custody Studies

• Conducted Energy Weapons Testing Protocol• X-rep Testing and Evaluation• In Custody Deaths —

– Coroners Studies,– First Responders Evidence Collection Protocol

• Preventing In Custody Death Forum• RESTRAINT Study – use of force outcomes

Forensics

• Trace element analysis to identify the origin of remains

• Entomological methods to estimate how much time has elapsed since time of death

• Forensic archaeological methods to assess fatal fire scenes

• Study on body decomposition in an aquatic environment

Drug Detection

• Controlled Spectral Experiments and Biological Control of Cannabis

• Detecting and Identifying Clandestine Drug Laboratories: Sensing Technology Assessment

• Development of a GIS model for predicting outdoor marijuana cultivation in Southern British Columbia

Examples of Research and Training

• Driving Simulators and Combined Use of Force Simulation

• Gold Medal Policing• UAV Operator Certification• Recommended Equipment List for First

Responders• On Scene 2009

Driving Simulators and Combined Use of Force Simulation

• RCMP training academy• International advisory committee

• to seek the most efficient and effective balance between traditional and simulator-based learning strategies

• Laser-aided core motor/safety skills firearms• Simulator acquired core driving skills.• Force simulator firearms decision-making performance.• Driving simulator high demand sequential tasking.• Incremental combined force/driving simulator high

demand arousal performance

Gold Medal Policing

“Researcher applies techniques from high-performance athletes to police to develop "Gold Medal Policing”• How exceptional front-line police officers do:

– perform their best in challenging situations, – be consistent, – be ready on demand,

manage distractions, – stay focused, – develop coping strategies.

UAV Operator Certification

• The issue: Currently no modern country has a framework for the approved use of small unmanned aerial vehicles by (non-military) public safety personnel

• Path to a solution: First Responder Training Program for the Operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles– Part of a CPRC partnered program to introduce and evaluate the

use of micro unmanned aerial vehicles for public safety applications.

– Canadian Centre for Unmanned Vehicle Systems (CCUVS) to developed the specific course.

– Police officers from the Saskatoon, Regina and Ontario Provincial Police Services in the proof of concept course

CRTI-09-001SXP

Objective:To transition , exploit t and accelerate the development of technology to propagate Surface Decontamination Foam (SDF) such that it can become a Canadian civilian first responder contingency for expediently mitigating the magnitude and impact of a CBRNE material release event.

Technologies:The Fire Service - Large Scale Decontamination System (FS-LPODS) prototype was developed to enable wide-area application of SDF at a reduced cost and logistical footprint. The system is compatible with, and can camp-on to, current in-service fire department equipment. It is a lightweight, air-operated, palletized and transportable in a pickup truck. It can cover 24,000 square feet with SDF and be reloaded within 20 minutes for subsequent applications .

EXPEDIENT MITIGATION PROJECT

Delivery by: CPRC , CRTI, PSTP

Sponsor: CSS

Partnership: DRDC-Suffield, Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, Calgary Fire Service and other select Canadian Fire Departments, Allen Vanguard Corporation

Start-End: 2009-2010

Funds: $1,079,970

Outputs:Second generation, market –ready hardware, accompanied by operations and maintenance training and a universal fire department Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

Impact:A crucial Canadian CBRNE capability gap was identified by the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC). While it will fall upon Canadian fire departments to minimize the impact of a CBRNE agent release event by conducting expedient mitigation and, while there is emerging Canadian technology that bears high potential to address associated requirements, the viability of the technology with regard to this specific application needs to be maximized . This project addresses that requirement comprehensively.

Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs

Protective Equipment

• Recommended Equipment List• CBRNE PPE Standard List• Body Armour Specifications and

Aged Armour Testing• Guidelines for SCBA use and heat

stress management • Pandemic mask evaluation • Canine Breathing Apparatus Heat

Stress Tests

Welcome

Andrew Miles

Operation Maple Leaf

Insp. Lance Valcour

Program Manager, Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group,

Canadian Police Research Centre

Defence R&D Canada – Centre for Security Science

Public Safety Interoperability

• During 9/11, 411 Fire, Police & EMS responders died inside the North Tower when it collapsed 21 minutes after the first warning of a potential collapse was issued over the police radio system

• Unfortunately, many firefighters didn’t get the message due to interoperability issues

In Canada…

– BC wildfires– Prairie floods– Eastern Ontario Ice Storm– Concordia/Dawson College Shootings– Swissair 111 crash near Peggy's Cove

• Across the country, during emergencies, the agencies and jurisdictions that should be able to talk to each other often can’t

CACP Responds

• In 2001, CACP Informatics Committee begins working on interoperability – started with data via LEIP/PIP

• L’Abbe Report on Interoperability in 2003• CACP White Paper soon after identified “voice”

interoperability as priority• Need identified for a cooperative forum to help fulfill

interoperability goals• Ties established with US -- much foundational work

from U.S., primarily from Department of Homeland Security SAFECOM

2005 – Katrina Emphasizes Need

• Two hours after Katrina passed, the New Orleans communications system failed and first responders resorted to using very few mutual aid channels

• The overwhelmed radio channel system did not allow the first responders to effectively share information

• Katrina Exposed interop failures

2006 CACP Steps Up Efforts

• Starts looking at ways implement major report recommendations

• Opportunity to Partner with CPRC• “Technology Interest Group” model offered for

advancing Canadian Interoperability• Much foundational work to draw from• Fact finding trips organized

Research Findings

• The most important next step is the development of interoperability strategic plans at the local, regional, provincial and national levels

• Plans should focus on the SAFECOM five pillars of success

• Creating the CITIG can help fulfill interoperability goals

The CITIG Formalized in 2007• Evolved into a partnership between CPRC and

the key first responder associations

• Public Safety Canada, Industry Canada, etc. and American counterparts (DHS, NIJ, IACP LEIM, NPSTC, etc.) very supportive

• Others invited to come aboard!

"The single most important issue facing homeland security today is

interoperability." — Dr. David Boyd

Speech to Ninth Annual Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness Conference and Exposition, November 7, 2007

Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group (CITIG)

• Creates forums for information exchange• Facilitates communications• Brings together the collective wisdom of public

safety and communications leaders and experts• Responds to regulatory issues (i.e. Spectrum)• Provides research funding for national

interoperability projects

The CITIG is…

• Meant to accelerate public safety agency interoperability

• A vehicle for the exchange of information and ideas

• Ultimate goal to improve the ability of public safety providers to do their job

• Open to all who are interested in furthering public safety interoperability

• Structured to deliver results

Why no Interoperability?

• Incompatible or aging communications equipment

• Limited or fragmented funding• Jurisdictional or chain-of-command conflicts• Availability of radio spectrum, etc.• But the single biggest cause: a lack of

coordination among public safety agencies

“Communications interoperability refers to the ability of public safety agencies to talk across disciplines and jurisdictions via radio (replace

with voice) communications systems, exchanging voice and/or data with one another on demand, in real time, when needed, and as

authorized.”

SAFECOM

http://www.safecomprogram.gov/SAFECOM/

Interoperability Defined

Now Endorsed by CACP, CAFC & EMSCC

Case Study # 1Daily Interoperability

Case Study # 2St. John River Flood 2008

Photos thanks to ABC News

Case Study # 3BLACK SATURDAY – VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA

Case Study #4 2004 Presidential Visit

Visual Analytics #1(Data Interoperability)

• Combine various of sources of data into one visual representation that I/C can use to better understand theatre of operations

• Vastly improve situational awareness for all levels of Command structure

• Provide Commanders from various public safety agencies (police, fire, EMS, EM) access (when authorized) to real-time information

Visual Analytics #2(Data Interoperability)

• New technologies could dramatically improve and eliminate need for co-location of C&C resources

• Ability to visualize voice transmissions in “real time” may help

• The wireless broadband world (including the 700 MHz) is BEACHFRONT PROPERTY and the Public Safety community is almost ready to start building!

• Access to wireless sensor data would assist• IACP/DHS/ERC Interop Projects ongoing

http://wam.umd.edu/~mvandani/pda/lowfi3.html

CITIG Successes

• Over 450 individual CITIG members • 15 projects supported with CPRC funding, through

the CITIG partnership• Ten regional CITIG Forums from coast to coast, a

Vendor Outreach Forum and two National Workshops

• Greater awareness that interoperability must be addressed collaboratively by all public safety and security agencies!

CITIG Recognition

• First organization to become an international member NPSTC

• National award for public safety from the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association

• International IACP Award for“superior achievement and innovation in the field of communication and information technology.”

Canada – US Partnerships

• Working with DHS (OEC, OIC, S&T) & NIJ, assisted with NECP

• Attending Emergency Response Council (ERC) and other related meetings

• NPSTC welcomes CITIG as a (non-voting) Board Member

• Federal, State and Local officials in CITIG Regional & National Forums

Concrete commitments made by DHS/PS Canada/FCC/Industry Canada

Proposed by CITIG, Jointly planned with PS Canada

Canada – UK Partnerships

• Long standing history of partnerships with Home Office and S&T Community

• At APCO Canada learned that National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) doing great work on PS Interoperability

• Canada/US/UK teams that met numerous times over the past year are now:– “Borrowing with Pride.”

Canada – Australia Partnerships

• March 2007: Meetings in Australia involving various PS Groups, agencies and research community to gather information and develop new partnerships

• Great deal of time spent with Victoria agencies discussing February, 2009 fires, including “Black Saturday”

• Resource management and Common Alerting tools are the top priorities post event.

Joint Resolution Passed• THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED … that the Government of Canada

(GOC) recognize the Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group …, and; 

• BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED … (that) the GOC, through Public Safety Canada, to fully support the Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group within the federal government in developing a national strategy, and; 

• BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED … that the GOC commit financial, policy, and other human resources in Public Safety Canada … to provide vision & leadership as required to accomplish voice communications interoperability amongst public safety agencies across Canada.

***Signed Dec. 8th, 2008***

Moving Forward – A National Plan?

CCIP Vision

• We can communicate anywhere, anytime, with anyone, as required and as authorized

• Interoperability is a way of life and part of our culture

CITIG and the CCIP• CITIG Conference held in Ottawa March 2008 to

develop a road map for developing a communications interoperability plan

• PS Canada/CPRC sponsored CCIP Workshop held in Ottawa October 2008– Draft CCIP Ver 1.2 issued November 2008

• CITIG/CCIP Conference held in Dec. 2008– CCIP Ver 2.0 developed with upgrades stemming from

participant inputs

• CCIP Workshop held in Victoria in February 2009 to validate and review - CCIP Ver 2.1 now available

• SOREM and CCEMO now actively involved

CITIG Next Steps

• Working on a strategic plan for CITIG almost ready for review

• OCRI Event for Industry June 22nd at Chateau Laurier: http://www.ottawaregion.com/_news/news_1404.php

• Third National Voice Interoperability Workshop, Nov. 15 – 18th, 2009, Halifax

• Ongoing Regional Forums across Canada — Next Sept. 24th in Yukon

• More S&T money to come

How Can You Help?• Support CITIG!• See this as a “strategic risk management” issue and

one that requires high level “buy-in” and support – not just a “technology” issue.

• Support our work with all levels of government and national governance agencies, such as CCEMO, SOREM, in making this a local, provincial, federal & international priority.

• Consider creating an “Interoperability Project”• Begin Interoperability strategic planning in your

area!

CPRC = Strategic Investor

• Provides leadership, expertise and services to the responder tri-services across Canada

• Invests with public safety partners• Involved in project planning and provides

support• Monitors progress of projects and quality of

deliverables

CPRC’s Priorities

• Improving first responder and public safety• Enhancing operational effectiveness• Developing standards, protocols, best

practices and operational evaluations

CPRC Call for Proposals

• Opens in July 2009• Collaborative projects• Up to $2M to be available• Second call anticipated in

November

Note: CRTI Call – Summer 2009

Proposal Requirements

• Relevance: must demonstrate relevance to the CPRC’s mandate and investment priorities and identified gaps

• Duration: must not exceed 36 months.• Partnerships: must include participation of at

least one Canadian first responder partner (police, fire, emergency medical services agency).

On Scene 2009

October 4 - 8, 2009REGINA SASKATCHEWAN

Join us for the second multi-agency training event involving Law Enforcement, Fire/Rescue and Emergency Medical Services. On Scene 2009 is for all frontline personnel. This is a chance to expand our understanding and relationships as emergency responders. We work together, let’s train together.

Discussion

Questions?

Inspector Lance ValcourOttawa Police Service

On secondment to:Canadian Police Research Centre

Defence R&D Canada – Centre for Security ScienceProgram Manager

Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group

Lance.Valcour@cprc.org613-993-2842

www.cprc.org/citig