Sometimes first responders in the United States hear the comment, “We are from the federal government, and we’re here to help.” Since 9/11, that comment has been said many times, and it is absolutely true—the federal government wants to help. Many federal agencies have the resources to help state and local emergency responders, but, unfortunately, they do not know the specific needs of these responders or the intricacies of how to best help them. Since 1998, the InterAgency Board (IAB) has been working to solve that problem.

Firefighters are continuously exposed to particulates and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that may heighten the likelihood of cancer. This is why they wear a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) during fire suppression and overhaul—to protect the respiratory tract, which is vulnerable to toxic combustion products that are commonly found in smoke and soot.

New fabrics, lighter ceramic plates and flexible thermoplastic sheets are some of the solutions that promise to lower the weight of body armor.

Lighter body armor has been a long-time pursuit, as Army leaders for years have been concerned about the heavy load that soldiers carry in combat. Reducing that burden could pay big dividends in terms of force readiness and well being, defense officials said.

As the federal government continues to promote FirstNet, the Federal Communications Commission-reserved bandwidth intended to allow first responders like police and fire departments to communicate better with one another, officials in the nation’s capital want states to spearhead the next generation of 9-1-1 emergency call systems and public safety broadband.

Communications interoperability among first responders and public safety agencies has been a federal goal ever since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks exposed major interagency response challenges.