[HCRA] Fw: Public Safety communications legislation

[Daniel Sullivan]

----- Original Message -----=20
From: WESTtele1@aol.com=20
To: arc-comm@will-flor.com=20
Cc: KenAHall@aol.com=20
Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2002 7:31 AM
Subject: Public Safety communications legislation


Some legislation in the House which all of us Red Cross =
telecommunicators should be aware of and follow.=20

H.R. 3397 (The HERO Act) would not allow UHF television stations to file =
extensions on their FCC licenses after January 2007. The intention is to =
make the spectrum available for public safety use and response =
operations.=20

You may read the press releases that I copied and pasted from =
Congresswoman Harman's web site and/or download the attached bill in pdf =
format.=20

Michael Katz=20
Disaster Telecommunications=20
American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles  =20




=20
November 14, 2001=20


HARMAN SECURES $1 MILLION FOR LA COUNTY EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM=20

--Funds to Support Radio Interoperability Network for Local Police & =
Fire--=20

WASHINGTON DC =E2=80=94 The ability of law enforcement agencies =
throughout LA County to communicate with one another during an emergency =
got one step closer to reality following approval of $1 million in =
federal funds announced today by Rep. Jane Harman (D- Los Angeles).=20
The funds would be used to help develop a critical communicating network =
that could save lives and prevent tragedy.=20
"Fifty-two LA County law enforcement agencies which serve and protect =
our citizens have very little ability to communicate with one another," =
said Harman, the Ranking Democrat on the House Subcommittee on Terrorism =
and Homeland Security. "It is literally easier for officers from =
different departments to yell out of their car to each other than it is =
for them to dial up on their radio frequencies =E2=80=94 that is =
unacceptable."=20
Led by Harman, eleven Members of the LA County Congressional Delegation =
wrote the House Appropriations Committee requesting these funds back in =
July =E2=80=94before the Sept. 11th attacks. In the letter the Members =
detailed the many problems associated with a lack of radio =
interoperability including: the numerous frequencies used by safety =
personnel, the diverse technologies =E2=80=94 some agencies use analog, =
while other use digital - and a lack of a coordinated master plan for LA =
County emergency responders.=20
"The lack of a coordinated and streamlined communication system poses =
numerous risks for the safety of both our citizens and officers. If our =
police, fire and other emergency responders can=E2=80=99t communicate =
with each other, then how are they going to help save people during a =
massive earthquake, fire, or terrorist attack," asked Harman.=20
LA County Sheriff Lee Baca, who received the news from Harman, said "the =
tireless effort of Rep. Jane Harman will further my ability as the Chief =
Law Enforcement Official of LA County to develop a radio communications =
system that all law enforcement agencies can use during emergencies."=20
The $1 million in federal funds approved today will allow the LA County =
Sheriff=E2=80=99s department to study ways to improve emergency response =
capabilities of local police and fire teams by allowing emergency =
responders to obtain faster, more reliable information during a crisis, =
and thus improve public and officer safety.=20

December 4, 2001=20

HARMAN FIGHTS TO IMPROVE POLICE AND FIRE COMMUNICATIONS=20

INTRODUCES HOMELAND EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATIONS (HERO) ACTWASHINGTON =
D.C. =E2=80=94 U.S. Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-Redondo Beach) today =
introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure the nation=E2=80=99s police, =
fire and other emergency responders have the broadcast frequencies they =
need for secure, effective and interoperable radio communications. At a =
Capitol press conference announcing the measure, Harman was joined by =
U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA), chairman of the Congressional Fire Caucus, =
and Arlington County (VA) Fire Chief Ed Plaugher, who had overall =
emergency services command at the Pentagon on Sept. 11th. "Ineffective =
and inadequate communications put the lives of emergency responders and =
civilians at risk," said Harman, the Ranking Democrat on the House =
Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security. "In any =
emergency, as well as in their day-to-day work protecting communities, =
law enforcement and fire departments need to instant radio =
communications. But, if they are from different jurisdictions, they =
often use different broadcast frequencies or incompatible equipment and =
are forced to rely on messengers or other means to share information and =
respond to the emergency."The Homeland Emergency Response Operations =
(HERO) Act sets a firm deadline of 2006 by which the Federal =
Communications Commission must give public safety agencies the broadcast =
spectrum first set aside for them by Congress in 1997. That spectrum is =
currently used by TV channels 63, 64, 68 and 69. Congress conditioned =
its transfer to public safety agencies on digital television reaching =
85% of households. At present, only 1% of households have digital =
television. The HERO Act removes this threshold requirement. The =
importance of the Harman-Weldon bill was underscored by Redondo Beach =
Police Chief Mel Nichols, who said, "Criminals don't respect =
jurisdictional boundaries but police radio systems do. Radio =
interoperability is crucial to more effective and efficient police =
operations."Harman, Weldon, and Plaugher were joined by Reps. James =
Moran (D-VA), Benjamin Gilman (R-NY), and District of Columbia Fire and =
EMS Department Deputy Chief Jim Martin. The bill is endorsed by a =
variety of public safety and civic organizations, including the =
International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association =
of Fire Fighters, the National League of Cities, the National Governors =
Association, the National Association of Counties, and the Association =
of Public-Safety Communications Officials International.####=20

January 22, 2002                                                         =
 =20

HARMAN FIGHTS TO IMPROVE POLICE AND FIRE COMMUNICATIONS=20

HOLDS MEETING TO DISCUSS FEDERAL SOLUTIONS TO CURRENT LACK OF EMERGENCY =
COMMUNICATIONS AMONG DEPARTMENTSLOS ANGELES =C2=AD Joined today by local =
police and fire officials, including LA County Sheriff Lee Baca and LA =
County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman, U.S. Congresswoman Jane Harman =
(D-Redondo Beach) discussed the critical need to ensure police, fire and =
other emergency personnel share common emergency broadcast frequencies =
in the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster, or other =
emergency. =E2=80=9CBecause emergency responders don=E2=80=99t share =
common broadcast frequencies, the lives of LA County residents are at =
risk,=E2=80=9D said Harman, the Ranking Democrat on the House =
Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security. =
=E2=80=9CLaw enforcement and fire departments need to rely on instant =
radio communications.  But different jurisdictions use different =
broadcast frequencies and incompatible equipment. It is literally easier =
for officers from one department to yell out of the window of their car =
to another department than it is for them to find a common radio =
frequency. That is unacceptable.=E2=80=9DTo address this problem, Harman =
last month introduced H.R. 3397, =E2=80=9CThe Homeland Emergency =
Response Operations (HERO) Act=E2=80=9D which sets a firm deadline of =
2006 by which the Federal Government must give public safety agencies =
the broadcast frequencies Congress first set aside for them in 1997.   =
But those frequencies are currently used by TV channels 63, 64, 68 and =
69, and Congress conditioned the transfer to public safety agencies on =
digital television reaching 85% of households.  At present, only 1% of =
households have digital television.   The HERO Act removes this =
threshold requirement.   Harman also recently secured $1 million in =
federal funds to help LA County develop a radio communications system =
that all law enforcement agencies can use during emergencies. Among =
those invited to attend the event were: Torrance PD Chief Jim Herren, =
Hawthorne PD Chief Steve Port, Hermosa Beach Fire Chief Russell Tingley, =
LAX Police Sergeant Robert Rios, LAPD Deputy Chief J.I. Davis, Palos =
Verdes Police Chief Timm Browne, Torrance Fire Chief Rick Bongard, LA =
Port Police Chief Noel Cunningham, El Segundo Police Chief Jack Wayt, =
retired El Segundo Police Chief Tim Grimmond, Capt. Mike Grossman, =
LASD/EOB, and Alhambra Fire Captain Raymond Mosack.=20


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