Today, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano presided over the launch of Virtual USA, an information sharing initiative for first responders. The initiative was created with the collaboration of local, state and federal organizations and will aid communications between first responders across all levels of government.

During the launch, Secretary Napolitano said “Our first responders need interoperable tools to make accurate and timely decisions during emergencies. Virtual USA makes it possible for new and existing technologies to work together seamlessly during disaster response and recovery and gives the public an opportunity to contribute information in real-time to support the efforts of police officers, firefighters and other emergency management officials.”

The launch was carried out in conjunction with the recent announcement of the Open Government Initiative.