Lieberman and Collins express serious concerns over ‘major weaknesses’ in disaster communication plans for US first responders

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., and Ranking Member Susan Collins, R-Me., have expressed disappointment that the Department of Homeland Security has not moved more efficiently to improve its interoperability communications program and warned that without a strategic approach and firm leadership first responders will continue to be imperiled because of an inability to communicate effectively during an emergency or disaster.

In a letter dated April 24, 2007, to Department Secretary Michael Chertoff, the senators expressed serious concern about the ability of first responders at all levels of government to communicate during a disaster. Based on an April 2, 2007, Government Accountability Office (GAO) report titled, ‘Much Work Remains to Improve Communications Interoperability,’ the senators identified several ‘major weaknesses’ in the Department’s interoperability program, including inadequate procedures to assess grant requests; poor communications planning among federal, state and local governments; ambiguous and incomplete radio standards; and a lack of training that would test the effectiveness of interoperability plans.

To read the full text of the letter, click here

•Date: 26th April 2007 • Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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