Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Feds arrange responder priorities

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2003 14:48:21 -0400

Feds arrange responder priorities
BY Dibya Sarkar
Oct. 13, 2003

Federal officials have begun an ambitious effort with representatives of state and
local governments, police, fire, emergency management and public health
associations to compile a comprehensive list of first responder priorities.

Officials will examine numerous reports, studies and surveys conducted during the
past several years regarding the needs of first responders and consolidate the
findings into one document.
The intent is to better help officials focus their efforts and resources for
research and technology, said Richard Jacques, a senior program manager with the
U.S. Justice Department's National Institute of Justice, which is responsible for
evaluating technologies designed to enhance emergency personnel's responses to
critical incidents.

"We want to basically have a consolidated document that identifies needs and
requirements in order of priority that can be agreed to by these associations and
organizations," Jacques said.

Those priorities will most likely include developing interoperable radio
communications systems.  The critical need for such systems became apparent during
the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center when the inability
of firefighters and police from different jurisdictions to communicate with one
another hampered rescue efforts.

Jacques hopes the groups will produce a final report within a month or two. That
information will also be provided to the National Memorial Institute for the
Prevention of Terrorism, an Oklahoma-based nonprofit organization formed after the
1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

Kevin Shanley, a senior policy analyst with the National Governors Association's
Homeland Security and Technology Division, said the organizations' representatives
are already compiling a large number of documents, and he expects to be involved
throughout the process.
http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/1013/news-respond-10-13-03.asp

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