FAIRFAX, Va. -- On February 8, 2007, Chief Charles Werner, of the Charlottesville (Va.) Fire Department, testified on behalf of the IAFC before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, chaired by Senator Inouye (D-Hawaii). The purpose of the hearing was to receive testimony on the “Present and Future of Public Safety Communications.” The IAFC took this opportunity to stand solidly behind the formation of a Public Safety Broadband Trust to establish a 30 MHz public/private broadband network in the 700 MHz band.
This is the proposal put forward last year by Cyren Call Communications and is supported by the IAFC board of directors. Also testifying on behalf of public safety was Chief Harlin McEwen representing the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The balance of the panel included Morgan O’Brien, CEO of Cyren Call; Steve Largent, president of CTIA representing the large telecommunications carriers; and two witnesses representing other business interests.
The public safety witnesses made a strong case for the establishment of a commercial broadband network to be managed by public safety for the benefit of public safety. Chief Werner’s testimony can be found on the IAFC website in the Government Relations section, Major Issues Communications. Largent, representing the carriers, took the occasion to say why public safety does not need the 30 MHz of spectrum currently slated for auction by the Federal Communications Commission. The tenor of the hearing, well attended by committee members, was mostly even handed, according to Chief Steven Westermann, IAFC first vice president, who was present at the hearing. “Basically it was a good hearing, our first opportunity to state the fire-service case for the Public Safety Broadband Trust. But it’s clear from the questions by senators that there is a lot of hard work ahead of us.”
Senator McCain (R-Ariz.) is expected to introduce legislation in support of a public safety broadband network. The next step in the process is for the bill to go to a markup session and then to the Senate floor. The IAFC will push hard to expedite this process.
The House has yet to take action on this, although key members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are being contacted by the IAFC and constituent fire chiefs. This will also be an issue for discussion with members of congress at the end of March, during the time of the Congressional Fire Services Institute Dinner.