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Most of this interoperability between dispatch centers occurs through manual person to person requests. Metro Net has implemented an automated link between their system and Costa Mesa and the Orange County Fire Authority which allows automated unit dispatch requests between Metro Net and Costa Mesa and Metro Net and OCFA. While this concept could be extended to the other centers in the County, the link is a point to point link. It does not provide a mechanism for all dispatch centers to communicate with all other dispatch centers. Even in its current implementation, OCFA does not communicate with Costa Mesa. The business of fire is unpredictable. In the case of larger fires, which require more manpower than one jurisdiction can provide, resources are drawn from many different departments. Other resources are called to backfill vacated departments in order to provide coverage. In these cases, it can be very challenging to gain an understanding of the overall coverage in Orange County, which resources are available and closest to a fire, and which dispatch center to contact to make a request. It is Deloitte Consulting's understanding that this issue is driving the most immediate interoperability needs within Orange County. It is our understanding that this ability is the core and urgent need of the dispatch centers in Orange County. Representatives also expressed interests for much broader interoperability strategies. Several dispatch center representatives have also expressed an interest in Automatic Vehicle Location. The ability to share updated information after a caller has been dispatched such as premise history, medical and hazardous material was discussed. Other interests expressed included expanded wireless device capabilities and functionality to send streaming video. The Fire Departments in Orange County have laid an incredible foundation of cooperation and interoperation but they clearly want to go fin-ther. In the current environment, the increased urgency of homeland security makes such initiatives more important than ever. This environment also presents a multitude of opportunities. With currently available grant funding, the time is right to move forward and develop a plan to support interoperability and integration as the Departments move forward. The plan needs to identify the initiatives that are underway and project priorities for all of the departments. Each initiative and project should be streamlined according to one overarching strategy to direct how those projects should be undertaken to reduce waste and repetition and to allow for the most appropriate degree of integration. Approach Deloitte Consulting has based our approach to this project on a standard strategic planning methodology illustrated in the diagram below. The methodology is broken into five phases: Inception, Assessment, Vision, Strategy & Roadmap and Communicate. As important, there are four threads (Business, Governance, Funding, and Technology) that underlay all of the work that is undertaken in the project. We believe that the results of a technology planning project are 12