House Bill Would Create Emergency Communications Chief
A House committee passed a bill that would create the position of emergency communications chief, responsible for making public safety networks interoperable. The measure, passed unanimously by the House Homeland Security Committee Wed., would “elevate the importance of emergency communications” in the Homeland Security Dept. and require DHS, through the new Asst. Secy. for Emergency Communications, to set up a plan to achieve “redundant, sustainable and interoperable emergency communications systems.”
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The communications sections are part of a broader bill (HR-5351) meant to reflect “lessons learned” in the recovery from Hurricane Katrina. Among other things, it would retain FEMA as a unit of DHS and require better oversight to prevent misuse of govt. recovery money. Committee Chmn. King (R- N.Y.) said he’s optimistic about the bill’s chances for advancement. Although there are other measure dealing with the Katrina aftermath, this is the most comprehensive, he said.
Rep. Reichert (R-Wash.), one of several co-sponsors, said the bill reflects a 2-part strategy for improving communications in disasters: Emergency responders first need operable systems so they can communicate better within their departments and then must make these systems interoperable so different agencies and types of responders can talk to each other. Reichert, chmn. of the committee’s Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee, said the legislation would require DHS to help develop national standards for operability and interoperability and set up a clearinghouse of information about first responders’ efforts to achieve interoperability, the technology they use, training and best practices.
Within a year of the bill’s enactment, and every 5 years after, the communications chief would have to conduct an assessment of communications capabilities in federal, state and local govts. and determine where there are “gaps between such current capabilities and defined requirements.” The communications chief would review all federal, state and local plans for interoperable communications and oversee the development of a national plan for emergency communications. The assistant secretary also would be responsible for ongoing projects such as helping “establish an integrated national public alert and warning system that incorporates legacy systems.”
The bill also would create an Office of Cybersecurity & Telecom with an assistant secretary to “coordinate and leverage” private sector efforts to promote information sharing, do vulnerability assessments and develop “threat warnings.” The office would coordinate recovery efforts and research into cybersecurity. Another section of the bill would set up an Office of Infrastructure Protection with an assistant secretary responsible for determining risks posed by various types of terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure and developing a national plan for protection.
“You never know how many firefighters would have been saved [in the 9/11 attack] if they had carried adequate communications equipment,” said Rep. Lowey (D-N.Y.), who had submitted an amendment calling for $500 million in grants to states to develop interoperable systems. She withdrew the amendment before it was voted on, saying she was pleased with the rest of the communications provisions and willing to compromise on this one.