Telecom Firms Seek ‘First Responder’ Treatment

What services and companies should get priority when an area is in and recovering from an emergency? Telecommunications firms would like to argue that they should be a (not the) priority. The Stafford Disaster Relief & Emergency Assistance Act spells out priorities for what the government can do to help restoration, but telecommunications isn't on the list. Typically, health and human services get top priority and others, including 911, follow. BellSouth has urged Stafford Act amendments to ensure telecom gets “first responder” treatment in access to power, fuel, water and security.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Dinesh Kumar]
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