Interop Thesis Offers Insights

A Master’s degree thesis from 2006 offers some insights into the realities of public safety communications interoperability, and points to factors beyond technology that may affect the ability to communications. Ronald Timmons was a student at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey (Calif.) when he completed the thesis, and notes that interoperability pre-dates the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks. “Communications impediments include insufficient radio infrastructure, behavioral reactions by people in stressful situations, intergovernmental relations, inadequate procedures and training, and general lethargy over the need to institute special operating policies differing from routine practices.” Download (pdf) the entire 121-page thesis here.