NIST, Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) Public Safety Communications First Responder Survey

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS
Welcome to the Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology
Help us get requirements for public safety technology right! This is your chance to tell us what works,
what doesn't, and what technology you think would be useful for incident response communications.
NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is conducting this survey. Our goals are to
identify:
1. technology currently used for communication in public safety today;
2. problems experienced with this technology;
3. other kinds of technology that may be helpful for communication in public safety in the future.
The survey will take about 20 minutes to complete.
Please share the survey link with others you know in public safety, the more folks we hear from the
better. www.XXXX.nist.gov
We appreciate your time and input!

Your Participation is Confidential and Voluntary
All data are de-identified. No personally identifiable information (PII) is collected or associated in any
way with your survey responses. Your participation is voluntary and you may choose to quit the survey at
any time.
This collection of information contains Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) requirements approved by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection
of information subject to the requirements of the PRA unless that collection of information displays a
currently valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to be 20
minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources,
gathering and maintaining the data needed and completing and reviewing the collection of information.
Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden, to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Attn: Mary
Theofanos, [email protected], (301) 975-5889. OMB Control No. 0693-0043, Expiration Date: 12-31-2018.

1

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS
Demographics

1. How many years have you been working in public safety? (Total years of service,
regardless of changing positions or departments.)

2. Do you consider the area you currently work in as MAINLY:
Rural
Suburban
Tribal
Urban

3. Zip Code where you currently work. (We know that some agencies cover
different zip code areas; please list the zip code where your agency/station is
actually located.)

4. State where you currently work

5. Sex
Male
Female

6. Age

2

7. Do you MAINLY work in:
911/Dispatch
EMS
Fire Fighting
Law Enforcement

8. Is your agency:
Private
Public

9. What is your title?

10. What is your jurisdictional level?
Local
County
State
Federal
Tribal

3

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS
Use of technology in your DAY-TO-DAY work
We know there is no such thing as a "typical" day in public safety. However, for this set of questions, focus
on the kinds of things you use in your day-to-day work.

11. Think about your DAY-TO-DAY work and your use of the following devices. (We
know medical equipment is vital to EMS work, however this list focuses
specifically on communication technology and not on things like blood pressure
cuffs, CPR masks, tourniquets, etc.)
Use a lot

Use occasionally

Have but do not use

Do not have

Computer: desktop
Computer: laptop
Flip phone: work
issued
MDT/MDC (mobile
data
terminal/computer)
Mic: wireless
Mic: with cord
Pager
Radio: in-vehicle
Radio: portable
Smartphone:
personal
Smartphone: work
issued
Tablet
Other (please specify)

4

12. Of the following devices, RANK the 5 that are most useful in your DAY-TODAY work, with 1 being the most useful.
Computer: desktop
Computer: laptop
Flip phone: work issued
MDT/MDC (mobile data terminal/computer)
Pager
Radio (with or without mic)
Smartphone
Tablet

5

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

6

13. Think about your DAY-TO-DAY work and your use of the
following applications/software.
Have but do not
Always use

Use a lot

Use occasionally

use

Do not have

AED (automatic
external
defibrillator)
locator
CAD (computeraided dispatch)
Email
EPCR (electronic
patient care
reporting)
ERG (emergency
response guide)
First responder
vehicle tracking
Mapping/driving
directions
Medication/drug
identification or
interaction
RMS (records
management
system)
Report writing
software (other
than patient care
reports)
Traffic
Weather
Other (please specify)

7

14. Of the following applications/software, rank the 5 that are most useful in
your DAY-TO-DAY work, with 1 being the most useful.
AED (automatic external defibrillator) location
CAD (computer-aided dispatch)
Email
EPCR (electronic patient care reporting)
ERG (emergency response guide)
First responder vehicle tracking
Language translation
Mapping/driving directions
Medication/drug identification or interaction
RMS (records management system)
Report writing software (other than patient care reports)
Traffic
Weather

8

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

15. Which of the items below would also be useful for your DAY-TO-DAY work. Check
all that apply
AR (augmented reality)
Automatic transmission of patient vitals and information to hospital
AVL (automatic vehicle location)
Drones
Earpiece: wired
Earpiece: wireless
Health/vitals monitoring of first responders
Health/vitals monitoring of patients
HUDs (heads-up displays)
Indoor mapping
One login (instead of many different usernames and passwords)
Real-time on-scene video
Robots
Self driving vehicles
Smart buildings
Smart glasses
Smart watch
Voice controls for hands-free input
Voice recognition for identification
VR (virtual reality)
None of the above
Other (please specify)

9

10

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS
Problems with your Day-TO-DAY devices
For the next set of questions, think about problems you have experienced with 3 of the devices you
previously selected.

16. With your RADIO, have you experienced problems with:
Most of the
Always

time

Does not
Sometimes

Rarely

Never

apply

Audio quality
Battery life
Channel switching
Cord
Coverage/dead
zones
Durability
Interoperability
Outdated/old
Price: too
expensive
Radio
discipline/etiquette
Size/bulkiness

17. Have you experienced other problems with your RADIO?
No
Yes

18. Please list.

11

12

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

19. With your MIC, have you experienced problems with:
Most of the
Always

time

Does not
Sometimes

Rarely

Never

apply

Audio quality
Cord
Durability
Falling off
Outdated/old
Placement on body
Price: too
expensive
Talk button
location
Talk button size

20. Have you experienced other problems with your MIC?
No
Yes

21. Please list.

13

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

22. With your PAGER, have you ever experienced problems with:
Always

Most of the
time

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

Does not
apply

Battery life
Durability
Falls off easily
Outdated/old
Price: too
expensive
Size/bulkiness

23. Have you experienced other problems with your PAGER?
No
Yes

24. Please list.

14

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

25. With your MDT/MDC (mobile data terminal/computer), have you experienced
problems with:
Always

Most of the
time

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

Does not
apply

CAD (computeraided dispatch)
Durability
Glare
Interoperability
Lack of portability
Mapping/navigation
Logins/passwords
Outdated/old
Price: too expensive
Size/bulkiness
Using while driving

26. Have you experienced other problems with your MDT/MDC?
No
Yes

27. Please list.

15

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

16

28. With your SMARTPHONE (work-issued or personal), have you experienced
problems with:
Most of the
Always

time

Does not
Sometimes

Rarely

Never

apply

Battery life
Coverage/dead
zones
Data plans/data
limits
Dropped calls
Durability
Glare
Interoperability
Logging in (PINS,
passwords,
usernames, etc.)
Outdated/old
Permission/access
to apps
Policies about
usage
Price: too
expensive
Subpoena
possibility for
personal
smartphone
Subsidy for
personal
smartphone
(insufficient or no
subsidy)

17

29. Have you experienced other problems with your SMARTPHONE (work-issued
or personal)?
No
Yes

30. Please list.

18

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

31. With your LAPTOP, have you ever experienced problems with:
Most of the
Always

time

Does not
Sometimes

Rarely

Never

apply

Battery life
Durability
Glare
Internet
connection
Interoperability
Logins/passwords
Outdated/old
Power
source/recharging
issues
Price: too
expensive
Size/bulkiness
Software crashes
Software
updates/upgrades
Weight

32. Have you experienced other problems with your LAPTOP?
No
Yes

19

33. Please list.

20

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

34. With your TABLET, have you experienced problems with:
Always

Most of the
time

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

Does not
apply

Battery life
Durability
Glare
Internet
connection
Interoperability
Logins/passwords
Report writing
Size/bulkiness
Touchscreen
Weight

35. Have you experienced other problems with your TABLET?
No
Yes

36. Please list.

21

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

37. With your DESKTOP COMPUTER, have you ever experienced problems with:
Most of the
Always

time

Does not
Sometimes

Rarely

Never

apply

Internet
connection
Interoperability
Logins/passwords
Outdated/old
Price: too
expensive
Software crashes
Software
updates/upgrades

38. Have you experienced other problems with your DESKTOP COMPUTER?
No
Yes

39. Please list.

22

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS
Use of technology in a MAJOR DISASTER.
The next set of questions focus on your use of technology during major disasters, natural or man-made.

40. Have you ever worked in public safety during a MAJOR DISASTER , something
that disrupts your day-to-day operations? For example, an MCI (mass casualty
incident).
No
Yes

41. Have you ever worked in public safety during a LARGE, PLANNED EVENT ? For
example, a concert, football game, or parade.
No
Yes

23

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

42. Think about the technology you use during a MAJOR DISASTER . How similar
or different is it than the technology you use during your day-to-day work?
I use mostly the same technology.
I use some of the same technology, with some specialized technology.
I use very different technology.

43. Please list the specialized technology you use during a MAJOR DISASTER .

44. Please list the most important technology you use during a MAJOR
DISASTER.

45. In addition to the technology you use day-to-day, which of the following do you
think would be helpful during a MAJOR DISASTER ? Check all that apply.
Deployable communication technology (such as cell towers on wheels)
Drones
Helicopters
Mobile command centers
Remote sensing (by aircraft or satellite)
Robots
Other (please specify)

24

25

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS
Use of technology in a LARGE, PLANNED EVENT.
The next set of questions focus on your use of technology during a LARGE, PLANNED EVENT.

46. Think about the technology you use during a LARGE, PLANNED EVENT . How
similar or different is it to the technology you use during your day-to-day work?
I use mostly the same technology.
I use some of the same technology, with some specialized technology.
I use different technology.

47. Please list the specialized technology you use during a LARGE, PLANNED
EVENT.

48. Please list the most important technology you use during a LARGE, PLANNED
EVENT.

26

49. In addition to the technology you use day-to-day, which of the following do you
think would be helpful during a LARGE, PLANNED EVENT ?
Deployable communication technology (such as cell towers on wheels)
Drones
Helicopters
Mobile command centers
Remote sensing (by aircraft or satellite)
Robots
Other (please specify)

27

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS
VR (Virtual Reality)
These questions ask you to think about the use of VR (virtual reality) in your work.

50. Do you think VR (virtual reality) would be useful for training in your work?
No
Yes
Not sure

51. Do you see VR as useful in other ways for your work?
No
Yes
Not sure

52. Please explain.

28

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

53. While this survey is focused on communication technology, we are also
interested in your views on medical technology. Please list the medical devices or
applications/software that you think are most important for your work.

54. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your experience with
technology in your work?

29

Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology: EMS

Thank you for taking the survey!

30