This fiscal year, the City of Pasadena, California, has received more than $1 million in Homeland Security funds through a variety of state and federal grant programs. A significant sum of the money will be spent upgrading the fire and police department's communications systems.

According to an article in Officer.com, "The fire department, along with police, will buy portable radios that communicate on the same frequency, a concept known as interoperability, to prevent a breakdown in communication during a serious emergency."

The FRC commends the Pasadena Fire and Police Departments for their efforts to coordinate their ability to communicate with one another during emergencies. Unfortunately, during a "serious emergency," such as an earthquake, emergency responders from far-away cities and varying levels of government will be responding into Pasadena, all equipped with different communications capabilities, and operating on different frequencies.

Such was the case during the response to Hurricane Katrina.

While Pasadena has made an important first step towards ensuring first responders can talk amongst each other within the city, an effective emergency response will nonetheless be compromised because incoming emergency crews will not have the ability to communicate on Pasadena's frequency.

Our nation needs a National Public Safety Communications Strategy and it we need it now. Emergency responders and the communities they protect deserve it. Communications interoperability should be national priority.