Peer-to-Peer VolP Link for Radio Interoperability, Fire Management, and Security

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Wildfires could cost the US $2 billion in 2002, as over 6 million acres and 650 structures have burned. Eighteen people have died. Fire fighters require instant verbal exchanges with state, tribal, military, National Guard, and local public safety organizations that provide the initial response to 90% of wildfires. Unfortunately, USFS radios cannot talk directly with radios from these agencies, hampering fire management and further endangering lives and property. This solution will provide direct communications between fire fighters and other public safety personnel that can be quickly enabled and modified in the first, critical hours of a fire. It can be immediately deployed with legacy radios, saving lives, property, and tax dollars. Use of existing computer networks rather than dedicated circuits and avoidance of upgrading to new radios provide further cost savings. Catalyst will use its commercialization experience to sell this product to other federal, state and local agencies and to private companies such as utilities for fire management, law enforcement, counter-terrorism, storm restoration, and routine communications.