Civil danger management, where accidents or natural catastrophes occur, but also terror attacks or for frontier security - that is the business of the "Homeland Security" division of Telefunken Racoms. The company provides system solutions to support authorities, organizations and task forces. Matthias Erler of GIT-SECURITY.com spoke with Ulrich Skubsch (Indepen­dent Marketing Consultant, Homeland Security) and Manfred Müller (Head of Marketing and Projects) at Tele­funken Racoms.

Mr Skubsch, Mr Müller, let‘s first of all take an introductory look at the subject of digital radio for the emergency services in Germany. Can you give us your opinion of the current situation please?

U. Skubsch: The emergency services have been using analog radio up until now, a communications technology that frequently stood out because of its hissing and black spots. Even the new digital radio technology that we now have has shown some dead spots in practice that can be compared to those in GSM mobile radio. Unbeknown to the speaker, the sound is suddenly no longer transmitted, or it arrives incomplete and with gaps. It is a macabre situation that we have been in a sort of definition phase for 12 years now, during which a great deal has been discussed. Then it was finally decided to use a system that does not comply either with those of neighboring countries nor with the EU regulations, the so-called ETSI standard. The devices are not compatible, which significantly impedes information exchange, for example, during a terrorist attack. At the moment it is sometimes not possible, even just beyond city borders, to communicate with the fire brigade of the next community.

What can your company do to counter this?

U. Skubsch: Telefunken Racoms links analog and digital communications technology; incompatibilities are simply bridged. Everything is incorporated into a system that networks sensors, management and even the tactical measures together.

Could you give us a practical example?

U. Skubsch: Critical infrastructures, such as an airport for example, need not only the airport and local fire brigade but also support from others when handling emergency situations, such as the fire brigade of neighboring towns.

This is where the first difficulties arise: does the adjacent county have the same radio equipment? There are also similar problems at large industrial sites, at railway stations, in short everywhere that lots of people are on the move, are working or otherwise spending time together.

You have grouped your products together ­under the title of "Homeland Security". Could you explain this term to our readers?

U. Skubsch: I must point out straight away that we are going on the assumption that the broad title of "Homeland Security" hasn‘t really been defined here in Germany yet. We have been trying for over a year to synchronies the appropriate authorities and organizations on this point during congresses, conferences and in our own premises. The term has taken on a sad association since the attack on the twin towers in New York and internationally has been given totally different meanings since then. We cannot simply transfer this term "Homeland Security" to German conditions, above all because of our federal system in which there is, in practice, no point of contact, for all matters concerning the army for example, that is solely responsible for all associated tasks. We therefore have to speak to 16 different states as well as the federal police.

So you have to carry out a sort of association job in advance?

U. Skubsch: Fundamentally we do more that that. In contrast to an association, we look after not only the interests of those with a local, company-specific background but also those that have a nationwide economic relevance - the experience of Telefunken with the military helps us here. As the Chancellor Angela Merkel encouraged us in 2008 to more closely integrate military experience into civil use, we were quickly able to demonstrate concepts that envisage the cooperation of all involved institutions, such as the civil protection authorities, the fire brigades, the German governmental disaster relief organization (THW), police forces, special forces, the interior ministries etc. As a traditional company we are able to provide tailor-made solutions to the specific German requirements, in contrast to globally oriented concerns that operate differently. At the same time, through the history of our concern, we have access to products that have already been field-proven in Israel, products for all the tasks that you can consider "Homeland Security" technology.

What distinguishes these concepts that you just mentioned in detail?