For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary Contact: Donald Tighe, 202-282-8010 February 18, 2005
The Department of Homeland Security today announced the addition of a new urban area to its Regional Technology Integration (RTI) initiative, which focuses on speeding the effective integration of innovative technologies and organizational concepts to the homeland security efforts of regional, state, and local jurisdictions.
Through the program, managed by Homeland Security's Science & Technology directorate, four urban areas across the country have now been announced as the initial pilot locations for this program. The Seattle, Washington urban area joins Memphis, Tennessee; Anaheim, California; and Cincinnati, Ohio, as the pilot locations. All of the selected regions are currently participating in the Homeland Security Urban Area Security Initiative and have demonstrated a willingness and capacity to adopt advanced and innovative concepts for emergency preparedness and public safety.
"This initiative helps communities strengthen their security posture by speeding the introduction and implementation of new technologies," said Dr. Charles McQueary, Homeland Security Under Secretary for Science and Technology. "As our research and development work discovers and advances effective tools for communities, we are also focusing on the seamless integration of new technologies with existing systems - ensuring compatibility, interoperability, and greater safety for the American public."
These initial locations will provide the science and technology community with a realistic environment to test maturing hardware and concepts. The program will also provide information on how best to choose, deploy, and manage these technologies to strengthen the security posture of these and other communities.
The goal of Homeland Security's Regional Technology Integration initiative is to facilitate the successful transfer and integration of existing and advanced homeland security technology systems to local governments in order to improve their preparedness and response. The program includes four specific priorities: the prompt implementation of technologies for detection and response; the collaboration with end-users and other Homeland Security programs; the integration of new technologies with the existing infrastructure, systems and concepts to reduce costs and assure sustainability; and measurable objectives and continuous evaluation to ease the utilization of lessons learned and best practices by other communities.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology division serves as the primary research and development arm of the Department, utilizing our nation's scientific and technological resources to provide federal, state and local officials with the technology and capabilities to protect the homeland.