WASHINGTON— Before the next hurricane, before the next earthquake, or – should such a calamity occur, before the next terrorist attack – firefighters, federal disaster officials, police and the military all need to be given the capability to talk to one another during relief efforts, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) said today. Stabenow’s response to that need is a proposal to provide $5 billion in immediate funds for interoperable communications.

“A blue-ribbon task force headed by former Republican Senator Warren Rudman told us in the fall of 2002 – a year after 9/11 – that America’s first responders were vastly under-equipped for any new terrorist incident,” Stabenow said. “Tragically, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, various law enforcement agencies and other first responders were unable to talk to one another, greatly hampering immediate relief and rescue efforts.

“As I did in 2003, 2004 and again earlier this year, I am asking the Congress to make an immediate commitment to provide funding for the basic hardware that allows emergency responders to talk with one another and coordinate their efforts.”

U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), who has seen and experienced the devastation of Katrina firsthand, called for immediate action to address the communications problems faced by first responders.

“It is difficult to coordinate even a lunch date with girlfriends or a fishing trip with your buddies without a telephone, radio or cell phone that works,” Landrieu said. “Yet, the federal government expected us to evacuate and rescue hundreds of thousands of South Louisianians, from their homes, rooftops, nursing homes and hospitals without even these basic tools. We don’t need more studies, and for goodness sake, we don’t need another national tragedy to highlight the need for interoperability. We need action, and we need it now.”

“We have all heard the stories of how the first responders could not communicate on 9/11 and that lack of communication cost lives,” said U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-MI). “The same situation is happening all over this country and we still do not have a dedicated funding source for interoperable communications. The funding provided in this amendment would help to ensure that our emergency personnel have the communications equipment they need to safely and effectively do their jobs.”

Although Michigan has not experienced a comparable disaster, state officials recognize the need for a free flow of information if they are called up to respond to any hazardous situation.

“The importance of a single, unified communications system for Michigan’s public safety agencies is critical, particularly in light of the challenge of terrorism and natural disasters like we have just witnessed in the Gulf States,” said Col. Tadarial J. Sturdivant, director of the Michigan State Police. “The ability to communicate with other public safety agencies can be the difference between life and death for our first responders.”

Stabenow is making her funding request in the form of an amendment to the annual appropriations bill to fund the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Justice and State.