The Government Accountability Office has said that federal
leadership is needed at the state and local levels in order to
facilitate communications
capabilities for first responders.
It said state and local governments own most of the public
safety communications infrastructure, play a central role
in managing emergency communications, and that emergencies
originate locally, so states should serve as a foundation
for interoperability planning.
However, states are not required to develop such plans and
there is no guidance for what should be included in those
plans, according to GAO-04-1057.
Further, it said SAFECOM, the Department of Homeland Security’s
wireless public safety interoperable communications program,
haslimited authority and ability to oversee and coordinate
federal and state efforts because it is dependent upon other
agencies for funding as well as their willingness to cooperate.
SAFECOM issued a document designed to serve as a set of
baseline requirements and is working to develop a baseline of
current capabilities by July 2005, the details for which still
need to be finalized, said GAO, allowing that it is a difficult
task.
DHS is establishing an office for interoperability and
compatibility — to include SAFECOM — and is currently
finalizing the structure and funding for this office, said GAO.
It raised the possibility of the federal government supporting
the development of: “a national database of interoperable
communication frequencies; a common nomenclature for those
frequencies; a national architecture that identifies
communications requirements and technical standards; and,
statewide interoperable communications plans.”
