2. DHS Science & Technology Directorate
First Responder Integrated Product Team (IPT) Development Strategy
Mr. Randel Zeller Director, Interagency and First Responder Programs Science and Technology Directorate U.S. Department of Homeland Security

3. Technology “Development” Process Today
Capability gaps are usually identified by ‘end users’.
(or a vendor … who also has a “solution” to offer)
Most agencies check with other organizations to corroborate the gap and determine what solutions are available.
(i.e. best practice, “what works”)
Technologies utilizing force (LE) require an extensive legal review, including soliciting and addressing public reaction and opinion.

4. Technology “Development” Process Today
A purchase order is requested or locally generated
Procurement decisions are determined by mandate, need, and budget
(Note: Homeland Security Grant Funds augment General Funds)
The new equipment is locally purchased and integrated with the existing deployed systems and equipment
Using agency IT, Motor Pool, or vendor personnel
Compatibility and interoperability issues must be resolved locally
Training, Life cycle maintenance, and privacy issues locally resolved
No universally recognized “honest broker” process or resource
No logical process for meeting the long term technology needs of the agency
Technology push by vendors vice technology development pull by First Responders

5. Technology Needs Development
Department of Justice
Law Enforcement
Associations
Police Officers
Federal Government
Emergency Services
Associations
Emergency Medical
Technician Associations
Territorial
Government
Tribal Government
Firefighter
Associations
Firefighters
State Government
Emergency Medical
Security
Associations
Department of HLS

6. Gathering Mechanism for Customer Requirements: DHS S&T Capstone IPTs
Information Sharing/Mgmt
Border Security
Chem/Bio
Maritime Security
Cyber Security
Transportation Security
First Responder
Counter IED
Cargo Security
People Screening
Infrastructure Protection
Incident Management
Interoperability
Prep & Response

7. First Responder Capstone IPT
Critical Infrastructure
Key Resources (CI/KR)
Requirements
Emergency Services
Sector/Gov Coordinating Council
First Responder RDT&E Coordinating Working Group
DHS First Responder RDT&E Coordinating Council
FEMA Grants
Commercialization
S&T First Responder
Coordination Council
Funding
Solutions
T&E Standards

8. First Responder Capstone IPT
Critical Infrastructure
Key Resources (CI/KR)
Requirements
Emergency Services
Sector/Gov Coordinating Council
First Responder RDT&E Coordinating Working Group
DHS First Responder RDT&E Coordinating Council
International Solutions
FEMA Grants
Commercialization
S&T First Responder
Coordination Council
Funding
Solutions
University based
Centers of Excellence
First Responder
Advanced
Research
T&E Standards

9. DHS RESEARCH AFFILIATES
Homeland Security S&T Enterprise
DHS RESEARCH AFFILIATES
HSI
DHS Labs
Centers of
Excellence
National Labs
DoD
DHS S&T
Directorate
DoE
PUBLIC/ PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS
DoJ
DoT
FEDERAL PARTNERS
EPA
International
HHS
S&T has seven formal bilateral agreements with key partner nations, shown at left, with five others – including Germany -- in the works.
Bilateral Partners: UK, Australia, Canada, Israel (blue star), Mexico (green-white-orange), Sweden, Singapore
Homeland security is not a Federal effort, but a national effort that cuts across disciplines and jurisdictions and includes partners from academia, industry and all levels of government.
This chart depicts the many research partners of DHS S&T that encompass the broader research, private sector and government communities.
Associations
NASA
Industry
NIH
State
NIST
Local
NOAA
Tribal
NSF
Territorial
UARCs
Rev

10. Centers of Excellence S&T DIVISIONS
Explosives
Chemical/Biological
Command, Control & Interoperability
Borders/Maritime
Human Factors
Infrastructure/ Geophysical
COE for Explosives Detection, Mitigation & Response
COE for Transportation Security
IDS-UACs
RVACs
COE for Border Security & Immigration
COE for Natural Disasters, Coastal Infrastructure & Emergency Management
COE for Maritime, Island & Remote/Extreme Environment Security
Consolidated CCI Center
COE for Transportation Security
COE for Transportation Security
–Chart depicts how the Centers of Excellence are aligned with the activities of the six S&T divisions.
Our DHS Centers of Excellence are an important vehicle for carrying out the S&T Directorate’s basic research program.
S&T has established 13 COEs to date.
Five new university-based Homeland Security Centers of Excellence were announced in late February Focus Areas of the five Centers align with S&T divisions and include:
- explosives detection, mitigation, and response;
- border security and immigration;
- maritime, island, and port security;
- natural disasters, coastal infrastructure and emergency management;
- transportation security
Risk, Economics and Operations Analysis Risk Sciences Branch & HSI Risk Determination

11. SAFETY Act
Enables the development and deployment of effective anti-terrorism technologies by creating systems of “risk management” and “litigation management”
Provides important legal liability protections for manufacturers and sellers of technologies that could save lives in the event of a terrorist attack
Protections apply only to claims arising out of, relating to, or resulting from an Act of Terrorism
Removes barriers to industry investments in new and unique technologies to combat the gathering threat of terrorism
Creates market incentives for industry to invest in measures to enhance the security of the Nation
For more information, visit

12. SAVER Mission https://saver.fema.gov
The SAVER Program assists State & local responders making procurement decisions
The SAVER Program:
Conducts impartial, practitioner relevant, and operationally oriented assessments and validations of emergency responder equipment
Provides information that enables decision makers and responders to better select, procure, use, and maintain emergency responder equipment
Recently Transferred from FEMA to S&T

13. Major SAVER Products SAVER Highlight SAVER TechNote SAVER Summary
Very Short, 2 to 3 Paragraphs
Announces start or completion of SAVER Effort
Examples include: Assessment Initiation, SAVER Summary Publication, or Availability of Guide or Handbook
SAVER TechNote
Short two page Report
Summarizes technical issue important to responders
SAVER Summary
Short 5 to 10 page Report
Summarizes a SAVER comparative assessment report or other Report
Written in easy to understand style and format that is useful for the Emergency Responder – “Consumer Report” Style
Technical Reports
Prepared by SAVER Technical Agent
Equipment information important to Emergency Responders
Examples include: Focus Group Reports, Assessment Reports, Handbooks, Market Surveys, etc.

14. TechSolutions
Mission: To rapidly address technology gaps identified by Federal, State, Local, and Tribal first responders
Field prototypical solutions in 12 months
Cost should be commensurate with proposal but less than $1M per project
Solution should meet 80% of identified requirements
Provide a mechanism for Emergency Responders to relay their capability gaps
Capability gaps are gathered using a web site (
Gaps are addressed using existing technology, spiral development, and rapid prototyping
Emergency Responders partner with DHS from start to finish
Rapid Technology Development
Target: Solutions Fielded within 1 year, at ~<$1M

15. Nerve Agents/Toxic Gases
TechSolutions Projects
Next Generation
Breathing Apparatus
Ocular Scanning
Nerve Agents/Toxic Gases
3-D Location
Fire Ground Compass
Biometric Identification
Carrizo Cane – Bio Agent
Next Gen Breathing Apparatus - A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) designed like a backpack provides responders with a lighter, less bulky compressed air system at a disaster site
- Innovative pressure vessel revolutionizes the weight and profile of current SCBA
- Reduces responders equip. load to 9.5 lbs. vs. 25 lbs. w/ conventional system
- Cores in the harness assembly conform better to the back and flex with movement, permitting increased mobility in confined spaces
3-D Locator - An advanced sensor capability that will enable incident commanders and fire chiefs to know the whereabouts of emergency responders at the scene of a disaster at all times. 
- wirelessly transmits inside or outside of structures and through rubble to alert users to the location, within 3 meters, of each firefighter. 
Biometric identification – a mobile tool for fingerprinting and identifying people attempting an illegal entry into the country, e.g. used by Border Patrol agents in remote border areas or by Coast Guard when boarding vessels for inspection
Carrizo Cane eradication project is striving to control an invasive “giant reed” that obstructs Border Patrol agents’ view of areas of the Southwestern border.
Growing as high as 18 feet, the reed is encroaching on access roads, reducing visibility, obscuring illegal activities, and impeding DHS-led operations
S&T is sponsoring research to identify and introduce natural predators of Carrizo Cane to impacted areas of the border

16. Umbrella Portal & Technology Communities of Practices
Tech Clearinghouse
Rapidly disseminates technology information on products and services to Federal, State, local, Tribal government and private sector entities, in order to encourage technological innovation and facilitate the mission of the Department of Homeland Security.
Establishes Central Federal Technology Clearinghouse
Issues Announcements for Innovative Solutions
Establishes S&T Technical Assessment Teams
Provides guidance for the evaluation, purchase, and implementation of homeland security enhancing technologies
Provides users with information to develop or deploy technologies that would enhance homeland security
Enables technology transfer
Umbrella Portal & Technology Communities of Practices

17. FirstResponder.gov 17 17

18. Thank you for your time. And thank you for your dedicated efforts to make the Nation safer. I’ll be happy to take your questions now.

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