Communicating in a disaster

[Commentary] What if a massive earthquake struck the U.S? How prepared are we for interoperable communications during emergencies (or day to day)?

Even as the U.S. rushes to aid Haiti, we have to ask ourselves that question. By coincidence, the day the Haiti earthquake hit, leading police chiefs, fire chiefs, and sheriffs representing tens of thousands of public safety officers throughout the U.S. visited policymakers and members of Congress in Washington. Their purpose was to request that Congress devote more radio frequency spectrum for the creation of a nationwide public safety wireless broadband network. This impressive and unusual show of unity among the diverse public safety community is evidence of a much larger message to the nation: The United States must have a nationwide interoperable public safety broadband wireless network. This network will help provide first responders with the reliable, interoperable broadband communications they need and will address a glaring vulnerability in our nation's emergency communications and response capabilities. The creation of this public safety network is not inevitable; it will take concentrated effort and leadership. We must work together to implement a national framework with appropriate funding support that will give public safety the interoperable broadband communications they need, utilizing the most advanced technologies, uniformed technical standards, and economies of scale. We must invest now in our first responders. We should not wait for a disaster to make us wish that we had.

(Barnett is a retired Navy rear admiral who is serving as the Federal Communications Commission's Chief of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.)