Legit Reviews

Washington, D.C. – May 22, 2006 – The following statement should be attributed to Steven Jones, Executive Director of the First Response Coalition (FRC – http://www.firstresponsecoalition.org):

“There are only 9 days before hurricane season begins and the United States is no closer to achieving public safety communications interoperability. With today’s NOAA forecast of an active and dangerous 2006 hurricane season, it is imperative for federal, state, and local governments to ensure first responders have the necessary resources to communicate with each other during the coming storm-related emergencies. The First Response Coalition has repeatedly called attention to the lack of communications interoperability and the danger to first responders and the communities they protect. In our most recent report, ‘The Imminent Storm 2006,’ the FRC highlighted startling interoperability problems in eight hurricane zone states in the Gulf Coast and Atlantic regions. The report also showed that we do not know how much money has been spent on interoperability or where federal funds are going. Despite widespread media attention on first responder communications after the deadly 2005 hurricanes, there was little progress on interoperability solutions. The Department of Homeland Security continues to ‘study’ the problem. Meanwhile, first responders are staring at a potentially life-threatening hurricane season. It is time for swift and dedicated action on communications interoperability before we have another disaster like Hurricane Katrina.”

Background

The FRC’s Imminent Storm report was praised upon its April 2006 release by Senator Joe Lieberman, Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, who said, “I am grateful to the First Responders Coalition for sounding the alarm - again - about insufficient communications capabilities as the 2006 hurricane season approaches. This report should guide the Department of Homeland Security, Congress, and state and local officials in their efforts to achieve interoperable communications so they can better protect the American people during every day emergencies as well as major catastrophes. Stronger national leadership and sufficient, dedicated resources – which I have called for consistently - are necessary to avoid a repeat of the disastrous communications problems that hampered the response to Hurricane Katrina.”

The FRC report offers five recommendations to speed the arrival of communications interoperability for first responders in the eight hurricane zone states and across the country:

· The Department of Homeland Security’s SAFECOM program must expeditiously complete the “National Interoperability Baseline Survey.”

· The Federal government should coordinate with state and local agencies to implement regional emergency communications interoperability.

· The Federal government, states and localities must do a better job of tracking the disbursement and allocation of grant monies.

· If the nation is to make serious progress in achieving interoperability, there must be improvements in the ability to coordinate spending and the transparency of federal grants.

· Finally, there must be both coordination and cooperation between agencies and at various levels.

The FRC report is available at http://www.firstresponsecoalition.org

For more information, contact Steven Jones at 202 263 2904 or [email protected]

About the FRC

The First Response Coalition is a 501(c)(3) organized formed to educate the public on the needs of our first responders. The FRC is an independent voice ensuring that policymakers and legislators address public safety issues such as funding and equipment for communications interoperability, spectrum allocation, and coordination between first responders at the federal, state and local level.

FRC supporters include: American Public Health Association, Fire Department Safety Officers Association, National Association of Hispanic Firefighters, National Black Police Association, National Institute for Urban Search and Rescue, Operation Respond Institute, and Southeast Louisiana Search and Rescue.

For more information, visit http://www.firstresponsecoalition.org