Advisory Committee to study national public safety communications
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), of the Department of Commerce, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have jointly established the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee (PSWAC) to make recommendations for “significantly enhancing” public safety communications.
The PSWAC objective is to develop an overall requirement reflecting “information transmittal capability” and adequate spectrum for public safety to carry out its responsibilities. The process will involve reviewing the technology available today; known spectrum efficiency initiatives, including NTIA and FCC mandates to move to 12.5 kHz channels; and the general direction of spectrum use.
The Advisory Committee will “analyze spectrum allocation and administration with the goal of providing an environment where public safety`s needs are readily met,” according to Larry Irving, assistant secretary for telecommunications and information for the Department of Commerce, and Reed E. Hundt, chairman of the FCC. The participation of public safety agencies throughout the country is a critical element of the project, Irving and Hundt stress, since the Committee`s recommendations “must reflect the needs of those who use the communications networks every day to carry out the fundamental responsibility of assisting citizens when they are most in need.”
The Advisory Committee will estimate overall public safety communications needs, delineate priorities, and examine the breadth of public safety services (law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical service, disaster preparedness) as distinguished from public services. The estimate will cover present requirements and projections for increased needs over the next 15 years. In addition to communications needs, available technology, geographic areas of operations, and propagation characteristics will be reviewed.
Members of public safety agencies are invited to participate in various ways, including by attending subcommittee meetings, submitting positions on the issues, and relating their own agency`s communications successes and challenges.
To have your name added to the PSWAC mailing list or to join a subcommittee, fax the following information to the PSWAC at (202) 418-2643, or mail the information to the Federal Communications Commission; 2025 M Street N.W., Room 8010; Washington, DC 20554; Attention: Deborah Behlin:
the name of the subcommittee on which you would like to serve: Operational Requirements, Interoperability, Transition, Spectrum Requirements, or Technology; and
the individual`s name (print or type), name of the organization, address, daytime telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address.
For general information pertaining to the PSWAC, contact Deborah Behlin at the FCC at (202) 418-0652, fax (202) 418-2643. Information about the PSWAC is also available from the Internet at the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee homepage (http://pswac.ntia.doc.gov.).
