Responders' Lack Of Spectrum 'Cost Lives'


Former Sept. 11 commission Chairman Tom Kean says first responders in Louisiana not having had access to radio spectrum needed for interoperable communications "cost lives," as it did at the World Trade Center.


It appears it doesn't matter "who you know" but, "who you own!" Our revered 2-party system seems to produce parallel bank accounts more often than legitimate solutions.

Former Sept. 11 commission Chairman Tom Kean says first responders in Louisiana not having had access to radio spectrum needed for interoperable communications "cost lives," as it did at the World Trade Center." On the ground, the people that get there first can't talk to each other because the radio communications don't work," Kean told CNN Sunday. "They haven't got enough what's called spectrum."

News media last week reported that police forces in New Orleans City and the three surrounding parishes all use different and incompatible radio equipment.

Experts say that proper equipment and training and freeing up more and better frequencies are essential pre-requisites for reaching the holy grail of full communications interoperability for first responders.

Kean said a bill in Congress to provide more spectrum was stalled. "Nothing has been happening, and again, people on the ground - police, fire, medical personnel - couldn't talk to each other."
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At issue are the recommendations of a 1995 congressional panel that, as TV broadcasters transitioned to digital transmission - which takes up a much smaller fraction of the spectrum - the frequencies freed up would be allocated to first responders.

Ten years have been wasted propping up some of the most backwards elements of American technology.

The parts of the spectrum identified by the 1995 Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee report are in the high 700-Mhz range - which experts say is ideal for use by emergency services because signals sent over these frequencies can penetrate walls and travel long distances.

"This (part of the spectrum) is prime real estate," said Yucel Ors of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, a non-profit that represents first responder and emergency management communications specialists.

But, he added, "There are squatters on it," referring to the TV broadcasters.
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"It is time to tell the broadcasters to get out of the way," said [Republican Congressman] Weldon, blaming "the lethargy of Congress - both parties and both chambers" for the failure to move on this issue before.

Ors said that broadcasters had also lobbied hard against a deadline. "They have more resources than we do," he said, "First responders are busy on the front lines, we don't have as much time as they do to lobby Congress."

Posted: Tue - September 13, 2005 at 09:00 AM