Next Generation Public Safety and Emergency Technologies

Abstract

The paper researches the existing European standards for Public Safety and Emergency (PSE) services (also called Public Protection Disaster Relief “PPDR”) 1 , and identifies based on user studies in Denmark conflicts between the current deployments of the standards and the user requirements. The aim is further to identify the potentials of new technologies for PSE. The paper deals with policy and technology frameworks, regulatory issues and in particular the spectrum issues in the current PPDR deployments in the EU countries. The paper draws on the results and concepts developed in two EU-projects. 2 Experience from research projects are used to discuss new possible solutions to the problems. We look at the development in other major 1 PPDR is a broader definition. In Europe, the radio communications networks used by public safety and emergency services will normally be used to provide Public Protection (“PP”). As the trend in some parts of Europe is to allow non-public safety organisations that could be involved in major emergencies and disasters (for example transportation, utilities, military, etc.) to operate on the same networks as used by public safety organisations, it is logical that provision could be made on these networks (issue of terminals) to other agencies providing Disaster Relief (“DR”).