A National Guard multi-purpose utility truck fords the floodwaters left by Hurricane Katrina to bring supplies to the Super Dome in downtown New Orleans, La., on Aug 31, 2005.
Fortress Technologies is integrating its Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) certified security solutions into the National Guard's nationwide Joint Incident Site Communications Capability (JISCC). JISCC is a deployable communications solution that provides voice, video and data connectivity during emergency response or disaster recovery situations. JISCC is an element of the National Guard's Joint CONUS Communications Support Environment (JCCSE), which focuses on interagency communications interoperability.
"It is well documented that the current communications infrastructure is not always available during major disasters -- both natural and man-made," said Dana Kuntz, vice president, federal sales for Fortress. "The goal of the JISCC is to be able to provide voice, video and data interactions between first responders at an incident site and coordinating locations such as state emergency operations centers, National Guard headquarters and/or the U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM). Fortress is pleased to have been selected as the wireless security provider on this project and looks forward to working with the JISCC development team."
DataPath, Inc. was recently awarded a $16,000,000 contract by the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command to develop the JISCC system. DataPath will incorporate the Fortress certified security solution into its satellite communications base units, which deliver high bandwidth to deployed local wireless and wired networks, Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephones, video teleconferencing systems and interoperable handheld radios. The integration of Fortress' ES520 Secure Wireless Access Bridge solution suite will provide the JISCC system with FIPS certified, secure wireless communications.
JISCC communications systems are designed to be portable to support rapid deployment to disaster and/or incident sites. This procurement will deliver 32 JISCC systems nationally, providing the National Guard with robust communications capabilities that can be quickly leveraged in response to federally declared disasters.
