Following 9/11, many public safety officials reported communications issues between first responders, echoing concerns predating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. With increased availability of grant funds for homeland security, radio interoperability has become a top priority. The rush to address emergency radio interoperability has caused agencies to select equipment without consideration given to the human aspects of communicating during a crisis and proper communication device ergonomics. This paper presents the results of a field study, providing insight into typical communications inefficiencies and opportunities to maximize limited resources via improved procedures and product design.
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