GHENT, W.VA.—Senator Jay Rockefeller on Wednesday said public safety legislation he wrote last year will eventually help first responders across the state communicate during emergencies.

When fully implemented, the nationwide wireless network will be especially useful in southern West Virginia, which will host thousands of Boy Scouts and related visitors.  

“The Boy Scout Camp and upcoming Jamborees are creating an economic boom for the area, and will bring thousands of people to our state,” Rockefeller said. “It’s critical that we are fully prepared.”

Rockefeller’s remarks came at a roundtable discussion at the Ghent Volunteer Fire Department that focused on the unique communications challenges facing police officers, firefighters, first responders and southern West Virginia communities. Rockefeller brought officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the meeting as well.

“My public safety network law will for the first time set aside a special nationwide, wireless network for all first responders to easily talk to each other during times of crisis,” Rockefeller said. The Senator noted recent emergencies such as flooding, tornadoes and the deadly propane explosion in Ghent as incidents in which a better communications network would have helped emergency officials on the scene. (Read what others are saying about Rockefeller’s legislation here.)

Attendees included:

James Belcher – Chief, Ghent VFD

Mayor Michael Martin – City of Mount Hope

Gary Hartley – Director of Community and Government Relations, Boy Scouts of America, Bechtel Summit

Sheriff Steve Kessler – Fayette County

Jason Mullins – Wyoming County Commissioner

Dr. Drema Mace, PhD – State Trauma and Emergency Medical.  Dr. Mace participated in Senator Rockefeller’s 2011 Public Safety Roundtable in Parkersburg.

Lt. Col. Patrick D. Chard – Director, J6 West Virginia National Guard

1^st Lieutenant G.E. McCabe – Statewide Interoperability Coordinator, WV Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety.  Lt. McCabe was a moderator / presenter at the Homeland Security Summit last June.

Ms. Marty Agee  – Raleigh County Office of Emergency Services and 9-11

Robert Welch – Deputy Regional Administrator, FEMA Region III

John McGowan – Response Division Director, FEMA Region III

Robert Hoban – IMAT Team Leader, FEMA Region III

Background:

Rockefeller authored the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act, which was included in legislation passed in February extending a payroll tax break for American workers. Rockefeller’s public safety legislation will, for the first time, build a nationwide, high-speed network which will enable police, firefighters, EMS workers, and other first responders to communicate wirelessly when responding to natural disasters or other crises and keep America safe. The new law will help prevent the kind of communications failures that occurred during rescue efforts at Ground Zero on 9/11 and at Upper Big Branch mine.

The law sets aside for first responders a chunk of airwaves and provides $7 billion in spectrum auction proceeds to build a public safety communications network.  This network will not cost taxpayers a dime.  Instead, the funds will be raised through voluntary incentive spectrum auctions conducted by the Federal Communications Commission.  In addition to paying for the new network for public safety, the revenues from these auctions will also contribute billions to the unemployment compensation fund, and could provide billions more to pay down the deficit. 

The legislation is endorsed by public safety groups across the country.

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