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Sharing Public Safety "Best Practices" on Interoperability Day

October 31 , 2007

More than a dozen tactical communications vehicles from around the MARC region converged on the Kansas Speedway the morning of October 18. With masts in the air and cameras atop towers scanning the horizon, an onlooker might think a hostage situation or severe terrorist threat was playing out in the speedway’s parking lot.

But, the mood at the scene was calm and leisurely. Some of the vehicles even had television feeds tuned to Nickelodeon or Turner Classic Movies.

Ors presents to committee No large-scale tactical emergency occurred that morning. Rather, the observance of Interoperability Day provided public safety personnel the chance to explore the equipment used throughout the Kansas City region. During the day, area officials climbed in and out of emergency response vehicles, snapping photos of the gear inside to take ideas back to their own agencies.

Johnson County Emergency Communications Center (ECC), Shawnee Police and Wyandotte County Emergency Management hosted the event, which allowed agencies to share ideas on equipment use and become familiar with one another ’s operations. Kevin Whittaker, communications systems manager for the ECC, says he hopes such events will eventually allow agencies to train together so they can work fluidly in situations requiring a multi-agency response.