Goods and services that can help first responders to more effectively mitigate manmade or natural disasters have become “big business.” Research and Markets (Dublin, Ireland) forecasts that the private sector will procure $28.5 billion of homeland security products and services between the years 2007 and 2011.1 It lists communication interoperability and biochemical agents (detection and mitigation) among the top 10 fast-growing homeland safety industry sectors.
The GovSec, U.S. Law and Ready! Exhibition is attended by federal level decision makers, first responders, and homeland security professionals. At the 2006 event, in Washington, DC, wireless, mobile, and interoperable communication products; mobile hospitals, emergency response vehicles and mobile command centers; biometric identification devices; bomb diffusers; and personal protection devices were among the product leaders on the exhibit floor. One mobile hospital displayed was a 53-foot medical vehicle used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The vehicle has an operating room and eight critical care beds.
Other prominent product categories were field-ready biological detection and identification devices that can test for eight agents; radios outfitted with a global positioning system (GPS) device that makes it possible for emergency management coordinators to know the exact location of their responders; and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) IMPACT system that enables emergency managers to create identity credential cards on-site and use electronic access control for perimeters, quarantine areas, and hot zones.
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