Auctioning of spectrum frequencies raises concerns for public safety agencies
Congressman Curt Weldon (R-PA), a former volunteer firefighter and founder and co-chairman of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, has issued a statement in response to a column by William Safire (New York Times, Jan. 10, 1997) in which Safire promoted the idea of auctioning spectrum frequencies to help balance the federal budget.
Weldon stressed that such a proposal “fails to consider the impact that a massive auction of the spectrum would have upon our public safety agencies, a group that is constantly overlooked in the battle between the federal government and the entertainment industry over the spectrum issue.”
Among the points made by Weldon in his statement were the following:
Communication is one of the greatest challenges facing public safety agencies–including our local and state police forces, our community fire companies, and our emergency and ambulance services. “The ability to communicate without interference in hostile environments is critical to the performance of public safety officials,” he stressed. He cited “the lack of sufficient spectrum for the federal, state, and local emergency responders to coordinate their activities” as “one of the biggest obstacles in responding to the Oklahoma City bombing.”
The Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee (PSWAC) report, requested by Congress and which directed the Federal Communications Commission to complete a study on public safety agencies` needs for spectrum through the year 2010, concluded the following: “Unless immediate measures are taken to alleviate spectrum shortfalls and promote interoperability, public safety agencies will not be able to adequately discharge their obligation to protect life and property in a safe, efficient, and cost-effective manner.”
Weldon noted that although he believes federal legislators have the duty to eliminate the deficit, he “cannot sit passively when an issue so important to the safety of America`s first responders is at stake,” especially, he adds, “as someone who has entered a burning building and put my life on the line to save others.” If the spectrum is auctioned, he urged that enough spectrum be set aside to meet public safety needs.
