[Scan-DC] Being able to respond (communicate) in DC area situations

[Greg Danes]

having read the Sherwood Notebook piece just now I think its time  the
real world creeps back in on DC area communications. In any given
emergency situation the ability to call for help by first responders
should not be a political football. lack of communication ability
causes loss of life period.

Why If NYPD/NYFD can still be using analog channels and also have
their TAC encrypted when needed, does a city like DC need or want
encrypted everything? Lets get real for a second. "Interoperabilty"
the buzz phrase, was born at the Pentagon on 911 due to Fire
Departments from numerous jurisdictions being unable to coordinate
rescue efforts via radio. BUT they were all very tightly packed
together in a open area, not in a Metro tunnel. Why has no one looked
at how other cities have dealt with underground communications that
work for them and built on this here in DC?

The bottom line is cell networks do not work in major disaster
situations, the networks get swamped and radio is the only method that
does work.The Navy guy on the yellow line train waited like everyone
else for 40 minutes waiting for EMS to arrive then made a personal
decision to pry open the doors to the smoke-filled train and try to
get others to follow him out. Most didn't. It comes back to training
of safety response by Metro and also looking long and hard at why DC
has gaps in coverage areas in train tunnels and "fixing it".Cut the
finger-pointing and fix the problem.


-- 

"I seek not to know all the answers, but to understand the questions"

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