Public Safety Wireless Network

Public Safety Wireless Network

Public Safety Wireless Network

http://www.pswn.gov

The opening page of the Public Safety Wireless Network (PSWN) Home Page states:

To be effective before, during, and after their [emergency] response, public safety officials, throughout all levels of government, must be able to communicate with each other. Currently, federal, state, and local public safety entities compete for limited radio spectrum, have limited public safety budgets, and face challenges in keeping pace with advances in technology.

The PSWN was established by the White House to address these issues. Its vision is "seamless, co-ordinated, and integrated public safety communications for the safe, effective, and efficient protection of life and property", and thus the PSWN mission is "to plan for and foster interoperability among wireless networks that meets the requirements of local, state, and federal public safety organizations". The network's Web site provides additional information about this effort, sections on recent developments and upcoming symposia, as well as a library with much background information about disaster communications issues.