Transcripts For SFGTV BOS Rules Committee 20240708 : vimarsa

And 50 minute event. Subcommittee on Emergency Response and public will come to order. The department of Homeland Security and our Intelligence Community regarding current and emerging threats to our homeland. Today the Emergency Preparedness response and recovery subcommittee will examine progress made in Emergency Communications since september 11, 2001 and discussed the challenges that may still persist today. As you know from Emergency Managers and First Responders served september 11 and the 911 Commission Report Police Officers, firefighters and Emergency Medical Services experienced significant problems communicating their own agencies and with others responding back to. On the morning of september 11, i was assigned to the Orlando International airport as the commander of the Orlando Police Department Airport police division. Reports of the attack on the World Trade Center emerged in federal Aviation Administration ordered all aircraft grounded. Airport and Law Enforcement leadership had to immediately execute Emergency Operations to protect passengers, employees and the public. I know how the First Responders felt in orlando. I cant even begin to imagine First Responders on the ground the experience they went through in new york. My husband served in Law Enforcement as well and i have two sons who are firefighters. My heart continues to go out to the families who lost loved ones that tragic day. Communications and interoperability are essential. First responders considered their lifeline. Over the next months and years, incredible progress has been made to address undescribable challenges september 11 in the nations emergency communication apparatus for programs such as First Responder Network Authority and integrated public alert and warning system. However, challenges in operability and interoperability still persist our aging 911 infrastructure poses additional vulnerabilities. In operability and interoperability remain among the greatest concerns that First Responders and Public Safety officials face. Tragedy and disaster can come as we all know, in many forms. Climate change poses significant growing challenges for Emergency Communications from robert spreading wildfires in the west to increasingly strong frequent hurricanes, south powers and radioCommunication Systems remain vulnerable to critical failures. In august, Hurricane Ida filed for category four storm crash, new orleans louisiana 911 call center and First Authority making it difficult, if not impossible to respond to emergencies. Members of congress, we know we have an Important Role in the improvement of Emergency Communications technology. We must continue to provide funding through grants such as state Homeland Security program and urban Area Security initiative. These programs have provided critical funding for jurisdictions by equipment, build and fix Communications Towers and make broadband improvements. Grant programs are created for urban areas, we understand Rural Communities and tribal plants face their own challenges broadband and conductivity that can also complicate Emergency Response. Federal grant support these communities for can always be more robust to meet the needs more completely. Communications interoperability and resilient infrastructure our priorities for emergency and First Responders, the public may only experience their benefit or challenges during times of crisis. Todays hearing will serve as an important form to understand the currency of emergency Communication Systems and any gaps that may still persist. I am grateful today for the participation of our witnesses and i look forward to your testimony. The chair now recognizes Ranking Member of the subcommittee from florida one Opening Statement. Thank you, i appreciate your leadership on this issue and as weve said many times before, florida has two leaders focus on our First Responders, Emergency Preparedness and extremely personal ties to this so thank you for convening this important hearing today on our First Responder communications. As we know, First Responders play an invaluable role in communities across america ensuring they have necessary training equipment, funding and resources is a top priority. I look forward to working with the chairman to address challenges currently facing our First Responders and i know she cares deeply about. Last month we mourned the 20th anniversary of the september 11 attacks, the 9 11 Commission Report that recounted the events surrounding that day called attention to the lack of communication among Emergency Personnel 909 mitigation call centers and individuals in towers causing confusion ultimately costing lives. One Fire Department chief stationed in the north towers quoted saying people watching on tv certainly had more knowledge of what was happening 100 floors above us than we did in the lobby. Without critical information coming in, its difficult to make informeds lifesaving critical positions. I said this before, my own husband that became a firefighter in part because of 9 11 watching 343 men and women run into the towers to save their community members, their neighbors and coworkers and i cant imagine the wife of a First Responder, what would be like to witness in real time lack of communication on the ground. Fast forward after First Responders experienced communication problems in 2005 during katrina, post katrina reform act, this took significant steps to standardize Emergency Communications across the country by establishing National Emergency medications plan. As a result of the work, accomplished by an acp survey conducted in 2018 found 84 of state territorial respondents reported significant or some improvement in the strengthening of their communications operability. Postpetition katrina reform act helped provide state and local First Responders with Grant Funding to develop and implement medication in operability plans to enhance interoperable medications for Public Safety officials at all levels of government. In 2012 Congress Took an additional step to improve nations emergency medication network passing middleclass tax relief and job creation act. This established the First Responder Network Authority, first net which is responsible for overseeing build operation of a nationwide Public Safety broadband network. This Public Safety network has been critical in trying during a disaster necessary information is able to reach First Responders on the ground while both post katrina Emergency Management and middleclass job creation act made significant improvements to emergency communication, many challenges still remain. One such challenge facing networks is the threat of a cyber attack in a recent survey conducted found a third of organizations indicated Cyber Security incidents had an impact on the ability of Emergency Response providers and government officials ability to communicate the past five years the study found Fire Departments and organizations located in rural areas tend to be the least prepared for cybersecurity attacks with 62 of Fire Departments indicating they do not conduct any cybersecurity planning and over 55 of organizations surveyed indicated backup funding is a reason they do not and cannot invest in cybersecurity. First responders in rural areas, one of my counties in my district oftentimes do not have necessary funding to update their technology and even when they can secure the necessary funds the technology can be unreliable because of lack of coverage. While advances in Technology May lead to increase in cyber attack, technological innovation can be revolutionary. Next generation find one enhances capabilities of todays 911 networks allowing compatibility with more communication to provide greater Situational Awareness to dispatchers and Emergency Responders. Next generation or 911 call centers to accept and process voice call, videos and Text Messages from responders and the public. This could be a game changer. For those in need and those responding to the call. As we continue to work to address challenges facing Emergency Communications networks to improve capabilities across the board we must work to ensure we are not pursuing onesizefitsall approach that may not accommodate unique needs many communities face, especially those in Rural Communities. Conversations have been made to improve conversations over the last 20 years but we have a long way to go. In preparation for todays hearing, i spoke with several of my sheriff fire chiefs and Emergency Managers. We are no better today than we were 20 years ago so today i look forward to hearing from our witnesses on what additional steps we can take to ensure First Responders have the information and conductivity to continue serving our communities. With that, i yield back. I want to thank Ranking Members, members are reminded that the subcommittee will operate according to the guidelines laid out by the chairman and Ranking Member in their february 3 call regarding remote procedures. Without objection, members not on the subcommittee shall be permitted to question the witnesses. It is now my honor to welcome our panel of witnesses. Our first witness is doctor curtis rodrigues. Doctor rodriguez is a director of the Homeland Security Emergency Management agency for the district of columbia where he serves as Homeland Security advisor state coordinating officer. The state Administrative Agent for all home and Security Federal Grant Funding. For the district and the National Capitol region. Prior to his current role, he served as director of new jerseys office of Homeland Security and preparedness 2014 2017. Doctor rodriguez serves as Senior Analyst ms. Central Intelligence Agency Counterterrorism Center following the attacks of september 11. Doctor rodriguez, thank you so much for joining us. The chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan to introduce our second witness. Thank you for letting me do a cameo here, i want to to do it just to acknowledge captain meyer, one of your witnesses today. Thank you for allowing me to introduce him, i had the privilege of introducing him in michigan and open county Sheriffs Office to command Emergency Communications Operations Division and one of the foremost advocates for modernizing nations Emergency Communications as chairman of the Public Safety nextgeneration 911 coalition. Overseeing radio 911 within the sheriffs Operation Center communication representative within open counties and Emergency Operations. He began his career in Law Enforcement 28 years ago as a officer in garden state Police Officer before joining the Sheriffs Office in 2009. Hes a local leader and captain meyer is one of michigans most knowledgeable experts on the subject and has been a scholar champion connecting First Responders in two decades. 911 technology and at the forefront of developing their immutably medications in michigan so it is my pleasure, to welcome him to the committee today. Thank you so much for the introduction and captain meyer, thank you for joining us today. Chief was a member of the First Service who responded to ground zero and men had for two weeks. Thank you for your continued service this day. Active in service for nearly 30 years mainly with the seattle department. In addition to the 9 11, responding to incidents including hurricanes in the pacific, atlantic and gulf of mexico. Chief works in the Fire Department Operation Division and 911 center. Communications for nation, the Department Specialty team. Chief, its an honor to have you with us today and thank you for joining us. The chair recognizes the Ranking Member to introduce our fourth witness from the great state of florida. Thank you chairwoman. Everyone has been wondering on this call, is gator actually his name . Yes, hes named gator. Its with great affection and pleasure to introduce my client and fantastic sheriff in florida, sheriff gator. Lifelong resident of Putnam County, hes had a long career in service, starting over 20 years ago. Integral role throughout his career where he held leadership positions, drug unit patrol and property crime to lieutenant of criminal investigation bureau. January 2017, sheriff was born in Putnam County and we are lucky to have you in this role. Im honored to be all representative in congress and thank you for your continued service to our community and your work on the taskforces we have. Thank you for your testimony today and yes, his name is actually gator. [laughter] thank you to the Ranking Member and florida state, welcome sheriff gator. Thank you to our witnesses for joining us today. Without objection, the witnesses statements will be inserted into the record. I ask the witnesses to summarize their statements for five minutes beginning with Doctor Rodriguez. Thank you and good afternoon, everyone. Especially greetings to new jersey representatives who work closely with the state director in 2014 and 17. I am the director of the d. C. Homeland security Emergency Agency and appointee of bowser, i am honored here to talk about the district of columbia needs and communications since the tragic events of 9 11. When it comes to emergency communication, theres no place in the country perhaps in the world than a special capitol region. The ever present threat of terrorism landscape here in the district is unique. We are home to 40 federal and local agencies and a robust mutual aid system in the mid atlantic region. All of us need to communicate across the spectrum of possible contingencies and people often talk about Emergency Communication