WASHINGTON, DC – The House Committee on Homeland Security yesterday approved a sense of Congress resolution underscoring the importance of improving interoperable communication for first responders. Homeland Security Authorization legislation was amended to include the resolution. Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland) led the fight to pass this important amendment.
“For years, we’ve heard from experts who’ve told us that we need to focus on improving interoperable communications. We know this is still a problem for first responders across the country, and it severely compromises any response to terrorist attacks or natural disasters,” said Lowey. “The committee is absolutely right to call for more action on this front, and I’ll continue to push for nation standards and greater funding for this initiative.”
The resolution reinforces the need for the Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce as well as the Federal Communications Commission to work together to provide national voluntary consensus standards for our first responders.
Lowey is a long-time proponent of increased resources for interoperability. She is the author of the Connecting the Operations of National Networks of Emergency Communications Technologies for First Responders Act, or CONNECT First Responders Act, which would create a 5 year, $5 billion federal grant program to improve interoperable communications equipment nationwide.
“Lack of interoperable equipment was a major problem during the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and eight years later, that same equipment was used during the response to September 11th. We cannot afford to let our equipment fail again in a terrorist attack. The time to act is well overdue,” said Lowey.
