The Illinois Terrorism Task Force joined local, public, private, state and federal agencies and organizations in this multi-jurisdictional electronic validation demonstration leveraging FIPS 201-compliant and FIPS 201-interoperable credentials.
The task force’s credentials used public key infrastructure from Entrust, Inc. The organization’s First Responder Authentication Credential (FRAC) application successfully participated in the nationwide FEMA, Office of National Capital Region Coordination (NCRC), “Spring Ahead” event this week.
Spring Ahead featured eight separate scenarios throughout the week but the interoperability of the State of Illinois FRAC solution was on display during a three-hour session Thursday. The credentials of up to 25 emergency response officials and other individuals were authenticated as part of Illinois’ participation in FEMA NCRC’s nationwide demonstration.
Fifteen were specific emergency response official credentials, but others included U.S. Department of Defense Common Access Cards (CAC) and basic state-issued driver’s licenses – all of which helped prove the program’s interoperability to authenticate credentials from various agencies.
More than 30 organizations, in 20 locations across the United States, simultaneously authenticated and uploaded digital certificates to a repository. Participants and observers viewed a Web-enabled mapping application that provided local, regional and national emergency operation centers with near-real-time situational awareness of on-scene personnel during simulated emergencies. ![[end]](/resources/bullet/secureidnews-4.gif)
