May 21-27 is National Hurricane Preparedness Week, and the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is urging residents in hurricane-prone areas to make preparations for a very active hurricane season. NOAA is predicting 13 to 16 named storms, with eight to 10 becoming hurricanes, of which 4 to 6 could become 'major' hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.

The FRC released the following statement on the heels of NOAA's announcement earlier this morning:

Washington, D.C. - May 22, 2006
"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."

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

1. The Department of Homeland Security's SAFECOM program must expeditiously complete the "National Interoperability Baseline Survey."

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

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

4. 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.

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