[MilCom] Radio NON-interoperability mentioned on Nightline

[lrk]

On Wed, Sep 07, 2005 at 07:45:51AM -0500, Bill Superspy Boltinghouse wrote:
>
> Where was NAOC? and Why was it not utilized?

The current head of FEMA is under fire for incompetence. He probably can't
spell NAOC, and probably has never seen one. Surely he has no clue about
any capability it might have.


The major problems are that old simple reliable systems have been replaced
with modern high-tech ones that fail under duress and the lack of expertise
of the operators who have no clue what to do when something fails. This is
not a hurricane problem, it has deteriorated throughout the country.

The P-3 operator trying to get info on available hospitals in the first
couple of days probably had some VHF-FM capability but no idea that there
is a nationwide hospital network frequency. And most of the hospitals no
longer have working radios on that frequency or anyone who knows how to
operate it. McDonald's management theory at work.


I suggested nearly three years ago that all PSAPs and EOCs should have a
basic simple radio "intercom" for co-ordination in this kind of situation
but it was not interesting to the fedz and never implemented. Texas now
has a "final" interoperability plan but it not included in the recent
consultant's report for the Dallas metro area and I have not heard of a
single EOC/PSAP/etc implementing it.


Unfortunately, we live in a country where ignorance and stupidity are
considered virtues and science and engineering are considered heresy.

None of the screwups after Katrina should be a surprize to anyone watching
the world around them for the last few years.


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