Interoperable Emergency Communications Needed to Ensure Public Safety – Timely Implementation Critical, Delay Unwarranted, Paper Concludes

WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 30, 2006) – Many Americans assume that our nation's police, fire fighters, emergency medical personnel and other first responders can talk to each other and share data when responding to a crisis. Their assumption is wrong. Even more than five years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, first responders still can not easily communicate during a crisis. But the tools, technology and policy are now in place to bring communications interoperability to public safety, according to a white paper released today.

"21st Century Communications Systems for First Responders: The Right Call" concludes that the Administration, Congress and our nation's technology companies were given powerful new tools in legislation passed in the last two months, and must now work together with public safety officials to provide the most advanced technologies available to ensure that communications among all first responders, regardless of agency or jurisdiction, are seamless and failsafe. The white paper notes that Congress responded to the findings of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission and passed legislation last year to free up wireless spectrum exclusively for first responders and public safety. Specifically, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 includes provisions for allocating 24 megahertz of the 700 megahertz band of spectrum for public safety.

Known as the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act, or DTV provisions, the law prescribes a timeline and methodology for moving television broadcasting companies and consumers from analog to digital transmissions, thus freeing up critical spectrum for first responders' communications. The law specifies that the balance of the spectrum will be auctioned by the government and proceeds directed to upgrade communications equipment, such as radios, for public safety Additional auction revenues will be applied to reduce the national budget deficit and implement other important programs.

The paper's authors, Larry Irving and Michael D. Gallagher, said the challenge is to implement the DTV legislation quickly and completely to deliver the interoperability to first responders that America needs.

"It is imperative we provide our first responders with the 21st century tools they need to save lives and finally help make interoperability a reality," Gallagher said. "What is needed now is coordinated leadership among federal, state and local officials, working with technology innovators, to fully implement this vision of 21st century communications."

"Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has committed to enact the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission in the new Congress's first 100 hours. The bipartisan DTV policy passed by this Congress has set the right course for success," Irving said.

The authors both served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. Mr. Irving is President and CEO of the Irving Information Group, and Mr. Gallagher is a Partner with Perkins Coie.