With threats to public safety amplified by recent events, the importance of staying focused on moving the needle forward for instituting in-building communication platforms cannot be overstated.  

Over the last decade, many U.S. fire jurisdictions have adopted standards for in-building public-safety radio-enhancement systems. These standards are designed to ensure adequate indoor radio coverage for firefighters and other public-safety first responders during emergency response. As locally generated standards arose, jurisdictions gradually abandoned the traditional firefighter building telephone system.

As with any public safety movement involving multiple stakeholders with different concerns and priorities, advocating for a technologically sound, well regulated, affordable, interoperable and widespread system of wireless, in-building communication systems is very complicated, to say the least. New codes regarding the future of in-building wireless communications for public safety are constantly being introduced, debated and modified.

Segment 1 – Rodger Reiswig: History and requirements in codes and standards

• NFPA 72: The transition from Two-Way “Telephone” Communication Systems to Two-Way In-Building Radio Communications Enhancement Systems
• IFC: The progression of requirements from the appendix in the 2009 edition to new requirements in the 2018 edition
• NFPA 1221: The requirements for the design and installation of in-building emergency radio communications enhancement systems from the 2016 edition of NFPA 72 to the 2016 edition of NFPA 1221
• UL 2524: UL published an Outline of Investigation (OOI) in January of 2018

Segment 2 – Chief Alan Perdue: Overview of Technologies

• Leaky Coax
• Bi-Directional Amplifiers (BDA)
• Other issues and concerns

Segment 3 – Lynn Nielson: The AHJ Perspective

• Lessons learned

Segment 4 Rodger Reiswig, Alan Perdue and Lynn Nielson AHJ:

• Q&A/Roundtable Discussion

*Original presentation done on March 21, 2019 by Rodger Reiswig, Alan Perdue and Lynn Nielson