The FRC recently spoke with Newsweek's Jennifer Barrett about the communications crisis and what needs to be done to achieve seamless, national interoperability so that first responders can safely and effectively protect the public. Click here to read the interview.

This report was passed on to me from a member of the first response community. You have to sit through a quick commercial, but it's well worth it. The Channel 11 News Team does a great job of illustrating the many problems that plague emergency communications in Pennsylvania.

Click here to watch the report.

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.

Earlier this week, the House Homeland Security committee passed a bill (HR 5351) aimed at improving public safety communications interoperability. The "National Emergency Management Reform and Enhancement Act of 2006" would mandate the creation of a national strategy for emergency communications and require the development of statewide interoperability plans and standards.

HR 5351 also tasks the Department of Homeland Security with setting up a clearinghouse of information about first responders' efforts to achieve interoperability, the technology they use, training and best practices, and creates the new position of emergency communications chief to develop and implement the bill's provisions.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved its own communications-related bill, HR 5316. The RESPOND Act of 2006 would establish a communications interoperability grant program, authorize $200 million per year for each fiscal year through 2008, and mandate that FEMA has interoperable equipment for its own use (assuming FEMA's still around, of course... see Slate blog for more info).

The introduction of emergency communications-related legislation is a promising development in the campaign to "fix the radios." While the fate of each of these bills remains to be determined, it's nonetheless encouraging to see that the communications crisis is finally receiving the attention it deserves. Stay tuned!

In the FRC's most recent report, The Imminent Storm 2006, we indicated that one of the most vexing problems in achieving communications interoperability was political rather than technical. Turf tussles and jurisdictional infighting have actually impeded efforts towards achieving communications interoperability.

During a speech yesterday at the Tactical Interoperable Communications Conference, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff took a cue from our report, stressing the need for cooperation among federal, state, and local agencies to achieve emergency communications interoperability. (The Homeland Security Watch blog has a concise account of the Secretary's speech, with interesting commentary.)

While I'm glad to see that Chertoff read our report, I would suggest that a large part of what hampers coordination among the many stakeholders and between various levels of government is not having a plan everyone can work together on, with a common goal everyone can work together on achieving.

Work began on a National Interoperability Baseline Study in January 2005, and, once it's completed, will help to:

1. Identify where interoperability improvements need to be made
2. Identify steps that can be taken to achieve specific interoperability objectives
3. Direct funding for public safety communications
4. Focus interoperability improvement efforts
5. Establish a baseline against which progress can be measured moving forward

When the project was announced in September 2005, it was estimated the survey would be completed in six months. Now, the findings are not scheduled to be released until late 2006 - five years after 9/11 and well into the 2006 hurricane season.

Emergency responders have waited long enough to receive the resources they deserve. The National Interoperability Baseline Study is needed to assist emergency responders in their coordination efforts. Where is it?