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From http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/091005/new_communication001.shtml
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La. homeland chief pushes new communications system
By JOHN LaPLANTE
Capitol editor
Louisiana should be the test site for a new communications system that won't break down during a disaster, the head of homeland security for the Louisiana Senate said Friday.
Despite problems during past disasters, such as the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, people die unnecessarily because leaders and emergency workers can't talk to each other during a crisis, Sen. Robert Barham said.
Even 11 days after Hurricane Katrina came and went, "You still can't get into the 504 area code (by phone) with any reliability," said Barham, R-Oak Ridge.
"There is a certain inertia in both the state and federal governments," Barham said. However, "We've got to solve this problem."
The rebuilding of the New Orleans area following Hurricane Katrina is a good opportunity to install a communications system that will be usable after an attack, storm or earthquake, he said.
Barham hosted a briefing Friday for people interested in a communications system developed by Tulane researcher and electrical engineer Grant Holcomb.
Holcomb said he's devoted his career to developing crisis communications systems since his days as a frustrated Marine officer during the first U.S. war with Iraq.
Holcomb has developed software he says will promote "interoperability" – allowing different communications systems to connect to each other during a crisis.
His system includes mobile towers he said could be driven into a crisis area and raised immediately to restore communications.
He said he can almost instantly connect about 100 leaders to each other during a crisis.
Barham said even the best emergency plans require adjustment because of changing conditions, such as a levee break that suddenly endangers people in a specific area or unexpected road flooding that requires changing a rescue route.
Barham said he favors Holcomb's technology but wants anything that will work.
He said he has no idea what it would cost but suggested it would be relatively small compared with the total cost of rebuilding the devastated New Orleans area.
U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal, R-Metairie, attended the hearing and agreed with Barham that the nation should have disaster communications by now.
"We had the problem during 9-11. Four years and billions of dollars later, things were supposed to be a lot better," Jindal said.
He said countless events show the damage and danger caused by people not being able to talk to each other after the storm passed, the congressman said.
For instance, he said it was a week before anyone went to Varnado in Washington Parish because no one knew there was a crisis there. When responders arrived, they found a place with no food or water and people desperate for aid, he said.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/091005/new_communication001.shtml
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I don't know who Bobby Jindal was talking to but I know for a fact that Washington and St Tammany Parish were in touch with the State EOC in Baton Rouge via Ham Radio as soon as Tueday and Wednesday after the storm. Hams at the Ascension Parish EOC were relaying messages to the State EOC from Washington Parish on Wednesday evening.
Sure, the fire department and local police towers may have been down but there WAS definitely communication between the state and the officials in Washington and St Tammany Parish. Heck, I personally talked to the Ham Operator in the St John EOC from my driveway about getting to work in LaPlace Tuesday afternoon after the storm passed.
Comms with State and Fed officials in Baton Rouge WERE up and running within 24 hours of the storm.
----------
La. homeland chief pushes new communications system
By JOHN LaPLANTE
Capitol editor
Louisiana should be the test site for a new communications system that won't break down during a disaster, the head of homeland security for the Louisiana Senate said Friday.
Despite problems during past disasters, such as the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, people die unnecessarily because leaders and emergency workers can't talk to each other during a crisis, Sen. Robert Barham said.
Even 11 days after Hurricane Katrina came and went, "You still can't get into the 504 area code (by phone) with any reliability," said Barham, R-Oak Ridge.
"There is a certain inertia in both the state and federal governments," Barham said. However, "We've got to solve this problem."
The rebuilding of the New Orleans area following Hurricane Katrina is a good opportunity to install a communications system that will be usable after an attack, storm or earthquake, he said.
Barham hosted a briefing Friday for people interested in a communications system developed by Tulane researcher and electrical engineer Grant Holcomb.
Holcomb said he's devoted his career to developing crisis communications systems since his days as a frustrated Marine officer during the first U.S. war with Iraq.
Holcomb has developed software he says will promote "interoperability" – allowing different communications systems to connect to each other during a crisis.
His system includes mobile towers he said could be driven into a crisis area and raised immediately to restore communications.
He said he can almost instantly connect about 100 leaders to each other during a crisis.
Barham said even the best emergency plans require adjustment because of changing conditions, such as a levee break that suddenly endangers people in a specific area or unexpected road flooding that requires changing a rescue route.
Barham said he favors Holcomb's technology but wants anything that will work.
He said he has no idea what it would cost but suggested it would be relatively small compared with the total cost of rebuilding the devastated New Orleans area.
U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal, R-Metairie, attended the hearing and agreed with Barham that the nation should have disaster communications by now.
"We had the problem during 9-11. Four years and billions of dollars later, things were supposed to be a lot better," Jindal said.
He said countless events show the damage and danger caused by people not being able to talk to each other after the storm passed, the congressman said.
For instance, he said it was a week before anyone went to Varnado in Washington Parish because no one knew there was a crisis there. When responders arrived, they found a place with no food or water and people desperate for aid, he said.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/091005/new_communication001.shtml
------------------
I don't know who Bobby Jindal was talking to but I know for a fact that Washington and St Tammany Parish were in touch with the State EOC in Baton Rouge via Ham Radio as soon as Tueday and Wednesday after the storm. Hams at the Ascension Parish EOC were relaying messages to the State EOC from Washington Parish on Wednesday evening.
Sure, the fire department and local police towers may have been down but there WAS definitely communication between the state and the officials in Washington and St Tammany Parish. Heck, I personally talked to the Ham Operator in the St John EOC from my driveway about getting to work in LaPlace Tuesday afternoon after the storm passed.
Comms with State and Fed officials in Baton Rouge WERE up and running within 24 hours of the storm.
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