Today, the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing in Washington, D.C. to discuss public safety communications in the United States. Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), who serves as Chairman of the subcommittee, led the session.
“Communications systems are crucial for our public safety organizations. Our first responders need reliable connections to be able to answer calls for help,” said Chairman Hudson. “Our public safety and law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to help us in our times of need, and we must make sure they have the best tools to do their jobs.”
During the hearing, several members of Congress shared experiences from their districts that highlighted challenges and successes in emergency communication systems.
Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12) described how his district experienced severe impacts from a major hurricane last year. “Last year, my district suffered catastrophic damage and loss from hurricane. This was a once in a hundred year hurricane. […] In the weeks after this hurricane, we had disruptions, as I mentioned, and danger to both personal safety and property. I want to simply reinforce how vital it is that we guarantee our public safety officials can always be assured that their communications will not be disrupted, especially during times of emergency.”
Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05) spoke about recent meetings with local law enforcement agencies using FirstNet technology. “I recently met with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department in my district, where they demonstrated how they utilize FirstNet to ensure they have reliable communication to respond to emergencies. And as one of the Republicans and one of the early members who was here when we created the FirstNet program, I must say seeing FirstNet deployed through my district and the nation underscores how this true public-private partnership has been tremendously successful.”
Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09) emphasized cooperation among different levels of government and interoperability between various communication systems: “Communication is more than convenient. It can be life saving. Today’s hearing reminds us that success requires federal, state, and local partners all rowing in the same direction. In a crisis, no single system can carry the load. True resilience comes from interoperability, making sure radio, cellular, satellite and next generation 911 systems can connect seamlessly, so first responders can communicate and share information in real time.”
The hearing addressed ongoing efforts by lawmakers at different levels to improve emergency communications infrastructure across states.
