[House Hearing, 117 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
20 YEARS AFTER 9/11: EXAMINING EMERGENCY
COMMUNICATIONS
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
OCTOBER 7, 2021 and NOVEMBER 2, 2021
__________
Serial No. 117-32
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
46-622 PDF WASHINGTON : 2022
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COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi, Chairman
Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas John Katko, New York
James R. Langevin, Rhode Island Michael T. McCaul, Texas
Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey Clay Higgins, Louisiana
J. Luis Correa, California Michael Guest, Mississippi
Elissa Slotkin, Michigan Dan Bishop, North Carolina
Emanuel Cleaver, Missouri Jefferson Van Drew, New Jersey
Al Green, Texas Ralph Norman, South Carolina
Yvette D. Clarke, New York Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa
Eric Swalwell, California Diana Harshbarger, Tennessee
Dina Titus, Nevada Andrew S. Clyde, Georgia
Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey Carlos A. Gimenez, Florida
Kathleen M. Rice, New York Jake LaTurner, Kansas
Val Butler Demings, Florida Peter Meijer, Michigan
Nanette Diaz Barragan, California Kat Cammack, Florida
Josh Gottheimer, New Jersey August Pfluger, Texas
Elaine G. Luria, Virginia Andrew R. Garbarino, New York
Tom Malinowski, New Jersey
Ritchie Torres, New York
Hope Goins, Staff Director
Daniel Kroese, Minority Staff Director
Natalie Nixon, Clerk
------
SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY
Val Butler Demings, Florida, Chairwoman
Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Kat Cammack, Florida, Ranking
Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey Member
Al Green, Texas Clay Higgins, Louisiana
Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa
Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi (ex Andrew R. Garbarino, New York
officio) John Katko, New York (ex officio)
Lauren McClain, Subcommittee Staff Director
Diana Bergwin, Minority Subcommittee Staff Director
Aaron Greene, Subcommittee Clerk
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
Thursday, October 7, 2021
Statements
The Honorable Val Butler Demings, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Florida, and Chairwoman, Subcommittee on
Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery:
Oral Statement................................................. 1
Prepared Statement............................................. 2
The Honorable Kat Cammack, a Representative in Congress From the
State of Florida, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Emergency
Preparedness, Response, and Recovery:
Oral Statement................................................. 3
Prepared Statement............................................. 5
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Mississippi, and Chairman, Committee on
Homeland Security:
Prepared Statement............................................. 7
Witnesses
Dr. Christopher Rodriguez, Director, Homeland Security and
Emergency Management Agency, District of Columbia:
Oral Statement................................................. 9
Prepared Statement............................................. 10
Mr. Mel Maier, Captain, Oakland County Sheriff's Office:
Oral Statement................................................. 11
Prepared Statement............................................. 13
Mr. Chris Lombard, Deputy Chief, Seattle Fire Department, On
Behalf of International Association of Fire Chiefs:
Oral Statement................................................. 16
Prepared Statement............................................. 17
Mr. H.D. ``Gator'' DeLoach, III, Sheriff, Putnam County Sheriff's
Office:
Oral Statement................................................. 23
Prepared Statement............................................. 26
For the Record
The Honorable Val Butler Demings, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Florida, and Chairwoman, Subcommittee on
Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery:
Statement of Art Acevedo, President, Major Cities Chiefs
Association.................................................. 47
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Statements
The Honorable Val Butler Demings, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Florida, and Chairwoman, Subcommittee on
Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery:
Oral Statement................................................. 53
Prepared Statement............................................. 54
The Honorable Kat Cammack, a Representative in Congress From the
State of Florida, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Emergency
Preparedness, Response, and Recovery:
Oral Statement................................................. 55
Prepared Statement............................................. 57
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Mississippi, and Chairman, Committee on
Homeland Security:
Prepared Statement............................................. 58
Witnesses
Mr. Antwane Johnson, Director, Integrated Public Alert and
Warning System, Federal Emergency Management Agency:
Oral Statement................................................. 59
Prepared Statement............................................. 60
Mr. Billy Bob Brown, Jr., Executive Assistant Director, Emergency
Communications, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security
Agency:
Oral Statement................................................. 65
Prepared Statement............................................. 66
Mr. Edward Parkinson, Chief Executive Officer, First Responder
Network Authority, National Telecommunications and Information
Administration:
Oral Statement................................................. 71
Prepared Statement............................................. 72
Appendix
Questions From Chairwoman Val Demings for Antwane Johnson........ 99
Questions From Ranking Member Val Demings for Antwane Johnson.... 101
Question From Honorable Val Demings for Billy Bob Brown, Jr...... 102
Questions From Honorable Kat Cammack for Billy Bob Brown, Jr..... 102
20 YEARS AFTER 9/11: EXAMINING EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, PART I
----------
Thursday, October 7, 2021
U.S. House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness,
Response, and Recovery,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 12:04 p.m.,
via Webex, Hon. Val Butler Demings [Chairwoman of the
subcommittee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Demings, Jackson Lee, Payne,
Green, Watson Coleman, Cammack, Higgins, and Miller-Meeks.
Also present: Representative Slotkin.
Mrs. Demings. The Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness,
Response, and Recovery will come to order.
The subcommittee is meeting today to receive testimony on
``20 Years After 9/11: Examining Emergency Communications.''
Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare the
subcommittee in recess at any point.
Last month, our Nation marked 20 years since the worst
terrorist attack on U.S. soil. The Committee on Homeland
Security joined many of our colleagues from New York and New
Jersey to visit the National September 11 Memorial and Museum,
and held a roundtable with first responders. We have also
conducted several hearings on the evolution of the Department
of Homeland Security and heard from our intelligence community
regarding the current and emerging threats to our homeland.
Today, the Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
Subcommittee will examine the progress made in emergency
communications since September 11, 2001, and discuss the
challenges that may still persist today.
As you know, from emergency managers and first responders
who served on September 11 and the 9/11 Commission Report,
police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services
experienced significant problems communicating within their own
agencies and with others who responded on that day.
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. As reports of the
attack on the World Trade Center emerged and the 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 can't
even begin to imagine all that the first responders on the
ground experienced and 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 consider it their lifeline.
Over the next months and years, incredible progress has
been made to address the undescribable challenges on September
11 and improve the Nation's emergency communications apparatus
through programs such as First Responder Network Authority and
the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. However,
challenges in operability and interoperability still persist,
and our aging 9-1-1 infrastructure poses additional
vulnerabilities.
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 also poses significant and growing
challenges for emergency communications. From rapid-spreading
wildfires in the West to increasingly strong and frequent
hurricanes, cell towers and radio communications systems remain
vulnerable to critical failures. In August, Hurricane Ida, a
powerful Category 4 storm, crashed the New Orleans, Louisiana,
9-1-1 call center and FirstNet 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 the State
Homeland Security Program and the Urban Area Security
Initiative. These programs have provided critical Federal
funding for jurisdictions to buy equipment, build and fix
communications towers, and make broadband improvements.
While grant programs such as UASI are created specifically
for urban areas, we understand that rural communities and
Tribal lands face their own challenges with broadband and
connectivity that can also complicate emergency response.
Federal grants support these communities, but can always be
more robust to meet the needs more completely.
Though communications, interoperability, and resilient
infrastructure are priorities for emergency and first
responders, the public may only experience their benefit or
challenges during times of crisis. Today's hearing will serve
as an important forum to understand the current state of
emergency communications 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 statement of Chairwoman Demings follows:]
Statement of Chairwoman Val Demings
October 7, 2021
Last month, our Nation marked 20 years passed since the worst
terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. The Committee on Homeland Security
joined many of our colleagues from New York and New Jersey to visit the
National September 11 Memorial & Museum and held a roundtable with
first responders. We have also conducted several hearings on the
evolution of the Department of Homeland Security and heard from our
intelligence community regarding the current and emerging threats to
our homeland.
Today, the Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
Subcommittee will examine the progress made in emergency communications
since September 11, 2001 and discuss the challenges that may persist
today. As we know from emergency managers and first responders who
served on September 11 and the 9/11 Commission Report, police officers,
firefighters, and emergency medical services experienced significant
problems communicating within their own agencies and across all who
responded that day.
On the morning of September 11, I was serving as the Orlando Police
Department's captain of the division stationed at the Orlando
International Airport. As reports of the attack on the World Trade
Center emerged and the 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. Further, given the location and runway
length, the airport became a safe harbor for aircraft to land in
compliance with FAA orders. Communications and interoperability were
essential to our ability to keep the public safe that day.
Over the next months and years, incredible strides were made to
address the system failure on September 11 and improve the Nation's
emergency communications apparatus through programs such as the First
Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) and the Integrated
Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS). However, challenges in
operability and interoperability still persist, and our aging 9-1-1
infrastructure poses additional vulnerabilities.
Operability and interoperability remain among the greatest concerns
that first responders and public safety officials face. During the 9/11
attacks, due to insufficient technology police officers and
firefighters were unable to communicate among themselves and with each
other, delaying response efforts. I know first-hand how valuable every
second is when responding to an emergency and that being unable to get
in touch with fellow officers can have detrimental consequences.
Climate change also poses significant and growing challenges for
emergency communications. From rapid-spreading wildfires in the West to
increasingly strong and frequent hurricanes, cell towers and radio
communications systems remain vulnerable to critical failures. In
August, Hurricane Ida, a powerful Category 4 storm, crashed the New
Orleans, Louisiana 9-1-1 call center and FirstNet Authority, making it
difficult, if not impossible to respond to emergencies.
Members of Congress have an important role in the improvement of
emergency communications technology. We must continue to provide
funding through grants such as the State Homeland Security Program and
the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI). These programs have provided
critical Federal funding for jurisdictions to buy equipment, build and
fix communications towers, and make broadband improvements.
While grant programs such as UASI are created specifically for
urban areas, rural communities and Tribal lands face their own
challenges with broadband and connectivity that can also complicate
emergency response. Federal grants support these communities but can
always be more robust to meet the needs more completely. Though
communications, interoperability, and resilient infrastructure are
priorities for emergency and first responders, the public may only
experience their benefit--or challenges--during times of crisis.
Today's hearing will serve as an important forum to understand the
current state of emergency communications systems and any gaps that may
persist.
Mrs. Demings. The Chair now recognizes the Ranking Member
of the subcommittee, the gentlewoman from Florida, Mrs.
Cammack, for an opening statement.
Mrs. Cammack. Well, thank you, Chairwoman Demings. I
appreciate your leadership on this issue. As we have said many
times before, we are extremely lucky that Florida has two, two
leaders that are focused on our first responders, emergency
preparedness, and have extremely personal ties to this. So
thank you again for convening this important hearing today on
our first responder communications.
As we all know, first responders play an invaluable role in
communities across America, and ensuring that they have the
necessary training, equipment, funding, and resources is a top
priority. I look forward to working with the Chairwoman to
address some of the challenges currently facing our first
responders, an issue I know that she also cares very deeply
about.
Now, last month, we mourned the 20th anniversary of the
September 11 attacks. The 9/11 Commission Report, which
recounts events surrounding that tragic day, calls attention to
the fact that the lack of communication among emergency
personnel, 9-1-1 communication call centers, and individuals in
the towers caused confusion, ultimately costing lives.
One New York fire department chief who was stationed in the
North Tower is quoted in the report as 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, it is very difficult to make
informed, life-saving, critical decisions.''
I have said this before. My own husband, Matt, he 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, their coworkers. I can't imagine as the wife of a
first responder what it would be like to witness in real time a
lack of communication on the ground.
Now, fast-forward, after first responders experienced
similar communication challenges during Hurricane Katrina in
2005, Congress passed the Post-Katrina Emergency Management
Reform Act. This legislation took significant steps to
standardize emergency communications across the country by
establishing the National Emergency Communications Plan. Now,
as a result of the work accomplished by the NECP, a survey
conducted in 2018 found that 84 percent of State and
territorial respondents reported significant or some
improvement in the strengthening of their communications
operability.
The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act also
helped provide State and local first responders with access to
grant funding to develop and implement State-wide communication
interoperability plans to enhance interoperable communications
for public safety and officials at all levels of government.
In 2012, Congress took an additional step to improve our
Nation's emergency communication network by passing the Middle
Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act. This legislation
established the first responder network authority, also known
as FirstNet, which is responsible for overseeing the build-out
and operation of a Nation-wide interoperable public safety
broadband network. This dedicated public safety network has
been critical in ensuring that, during a disaster, necessary
information is able to reach first responders on the ground.
While both the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act
and the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act made
significant improvements to emergency communications, many
challenges still remain. One such challenge facing first
responder networks is the very real threat of a cyber attack.
In fact, a recent survey conducted by SAFECOM found that over a
third of organizations indicated that cybersecurity incidents
have had an impact on the ability of their emergency response
providers and Government officials' ability to communicate over
the past 5 years.
The study also found that fire departments and
organizations located in rural areas tend to be the least
prepared for cybersecurity attacks, with 62 percent of fire
departments indicating that they do not conduct any
cybersecurity planning. Over 55 percent of organizations
surveyed indicated that lack of funding is the reason that they
do not and cannot invest in cybersecurity.
First responders in rural areas like Putnam County, one of
my counties in my district, oftentimes do not have the
necessary funding to update their technology, and even when
they are able to secure the necessary funds, the technology can
be unreliable because of a lack of coverage. However, while
advances in technology may lead to increases in cyber attacks,
technological innovation can also be revolutionary.
Next Generation 9-1-1 enhances the capabilities of today's
9-1-1 networks, allowing compatibility with more types of
communication to provide greater situational awareness to
dispatchers and emergency responders. Next Generation 9-1-1
will enable
9-1-1 call centers to accept and process voice calls, video,
photos, and text message from responders and the public. This
capability really could be a game changer for those in need and
for those responding to the call.
As we continue to work to address the challenges facing
emergency communications networks to improve the capabilities
across the board, we must work to ensure that we are not
pursuing a one-size-fits-all approach that may not accommodate
the unique needs that many of our communities face, especially
those in rural communities.
I applaud the progress that has been made to improve first
responder communications over the last 20 years, but we have a
long way to go. In preparation for today's hearing, I actually
spoke with several of my sheriffs, fire chiefs, and emergency
managers. Coming from a rural district, several said 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 in Congress can take to ensure that
our first responders have the information and connectivity to
continue serving our communities.
With that, Madam Chairwoman, I yield back.
[The statement of Ranking Member Cammack follows:]
Statement of Ranking Member Kat Cammack
I would like to thank Chairwoman Demings for convening this
important hearing today on first responder communications.
First responders play an invaluable role in communities across
America and ensuring they have the necessary training, equipment,
funding, and resources is a top priority of mine. I look forward to
working with the Chairwoman to address some of the challenges currently
facing our first responders, an issue I know she also cares very deeply
about.
Last month, we mourned the 20th anniversary of the September 11
attacks. The 9/11 Commission report, which recounts events surrounding
that tragic day, calls attention to the fact that lack of communication
among emergency personnel,
9-1-1 call centers, and individuals in the towers sowed confusion,
ultimately costing lives. One FDNY chief who was stationed in the North
Tower is quoted in the report as saying, ``people watching on TV
certainly had more knowledge of what was happening a hundred floors
above us than we did in the lobby . . . [W]ithout critical information
coming in . . . it's very difficult to make informed, critical
decisions.''
After first responders experienced similar communication challenges
during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Congress passed the Post-Katrina
Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA). This legislation took
significant steps to standardize emergency communications across the
country by establishing the National Emergency Communications Plan
(NECP). As a result of the work accomplished by the NECP, a survey
conducted in 2018 found that 84 percent of State and territorial
respondents reported significant or some improvement in the
strengthening of their communications operability.
PKEMRA also helped provide State and local first responders with
access to grant funding to develop and implement State-wide
Communication Interoperability Plans to enhance interoperable
communications for public safety and officials at all levels of
government.
In 2012, Congress took additional steps to improve our Nation's
emergency communication networks by passing the Middle Class Tax Relief
and Job Creation Act. This legislation established the First Responder
Network Authority (FirstNet), which is responsible for overseeing the
build-out and operation of a Nation-wide interoperable public safety
broadband network. This dedicated public safety network has been
critical in ensuring that during a disaster, necessary information is
able to reach first responders on the ground.
While both PKEMRA and the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation
Act made significant improvements to emergency communications, many
challenges still remain.
One such challenge facing first responder networks is the very real
threat of a cyber attack. In fact, a recent survey conducted by SAFECOM
found that, ``over a third of organizations indicated that
cybersecurity incidents have had an impact on the ability of their
emergency response providers and government officials' ability to
communicate over the past 5 years.''
The study also found that, ``fire departments and organizations
located in rural areas tend to be least prepared for cybersecurity
attacks [ . . . ] with 62 percent of fire departments indicating that
they do not conduct any cybersecurity planning.'' And over 55 percent
of organizations surveyed indicated that lack of funding is the reason
that they do not invest in cybersecurity.
First responders in rural areas, like Putnam County, Florida,
oftentimes do not have the necessary funding to update their
technology, and even when they are able to secure the necessary funds,
the technology can be unreliable because of lack of coverage.
However, while advances in technology may lead to increases in
cyber threats, technological innovations can also be revolutionary.
Next Generation 9-1-1 enhances the capabilities of today's 9-1-1
networks allowing compatibility with more types of communication to
provide greater situational awareness to dispatchers and emergency
responders. Next Generation 9-1-1 will enable 9-1-1 call centers to
accept and process voice calls, video, photos, and text messages from
responders and the public. This capability could really be a game-
changer--for those in need, and those responding to the call.
As we continue to work to address the challenges facing emergency
communications networks, to improve capabilities across the board, we
must work to ensure that we are not pursuing a one-size-fits-all
approach that may not accommodate the unique needs of many first
responders, especially those in rural communities.
I applaud the progress that has been made to improve first
responder communications in the past 20 years and look forward to
hearing from our witnesses today on what additional steps are needed to
ensure first responders have the information and connectivity to
continue serving our communities.
Mrs. Demings. I want to thank the Ranking Member.
Members are also reminded that the subcommittee will
operate according to the guidelines laid out by the Chairman
and Ranking Member in their February 3 colloquy regarding
remote procedures.
Without objection, Members not on the subcommittee shall be
permitted to sit and question the witnesses. Additional Member
statements may be submitted for the record.
[The statement of Chairman Thompson follows:]
Statement of Chairman Bennie G. Thompson
October 7, 2021
Twenty years ago, on 9/11, we suffered the deadliest terrorist
attack in our Nation's history. During this unprecedented attack, our
brave first responders did their best to locate and rescue survivors
and many lives were saved because of their heroism. Unfortunately,
their heroic efforts to rescue survivors were hampered by
communications challenges.
The 9/11 Commission's investigation found that first responders
were forced to make life-and-death decisions based on poor
communications. Unable to connect with one another, neither the
supporting agencies nor the rescuers themselves could coordinate
effectively to help victims. Systems were overloaded, and 9-1-1 call
centers placed victims on hold multiple times. Operators faced a ``lack
of awareness'' about what was happening at the World Trade Center and
were overwhelmed by the volume of incoming calls. In short, 9/11
revealed fundamental problems with communications systems used by first
responders and public safety officials.
Since then, we have made great strides in technology and
capabilities, including the creation of Integrated Public Alert and
Warning System (IPAWS), the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet
Authority), and Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG 911). However, two decades
later, several emergency communications challenges remain, including,
interoperability issues, network outages, and challenges with FirstNet
Authority.
On December 25, 2020, a bomb was detonated downtown in Nashville,
Tennessee, interrupting 66 emergency communications districts for more
than 97 hours. The AT&T hub was one of the buildings blasted during the
bombing, forcing failure of the generators, and causing a loss of 9-1-1
communications for 4 days. A major issue in these situations is that
generators are often the back-up solution for when a major disaster
renders communication towers inoperable, but it may take days to reach
an area ravaged by storm or explosion, leaving lives at risk. While we
continue to protect our Nation against threats posed by foreign and
domestic terrorist organizations, we also must ensure adequate focus
and funding to end communication infrastructure challenges.
Department of Homeland Security preparedness grants such as Urban
Security Initiative (UASI) and State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)
serve as an important source of funds for first responders and public
safety officials. It allows them to use funding for expenses such as
communications equipment, planning, training, and exercises. As the
threats to our Nation continue to evolve, we must strengthen our
communication systems to better protect our Nation from potential
threats. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses today about the
communication challenges we face and what we can do to aid them in
making our communities safer.
Mrs. Demings. It is now my honor to welcome our panel of
witnesses.
Our first witness is Dr. Chris Rodriguez. Dr. Rodriguez is
the director of the Homeland Security Emergency Management
Agency for the District of Columbia, where he serves as the
Homeland Security advisor and State coordinating officer. Dr.
Rodriguez serves as the State administrative agent for all
Homeland Security Federal grant funding for the district and
the National Capital region.
Prior to his current role, Dr. Rodriguez served as the
director of New Jersey's Office of Homeland Security and
Preparedness from 2014 to 2017. Dr. Rodriguez also serves as a
senior analyst in the Central Intelligence Agency's
Counterterrorism Center following the attacks of September 11.
Dr. Rodriguez, thank you so much for joining us.
The Chair now recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan, Ms.
Slotkin, to introduce our second witness.
Ms. Slotkin. Great. Thank you so much, Madam Chair, for
letting me do a little cameo here. I wanted to do it just to
acknowledge Captain Maier, who is one of your witnesses today.
Thank you for allowing me to introduce him.
I have the privilege of representing part of Oakland
County, Michigan, and Captain Mel Maier from Oakland County
Sheriff's Office, he commands the Emergency Communication and
Operations Division. He has also been one of the foremost
advocates for modernizing our Nation's emergency communications
as chairman of the Public Safety Next Generation 9-1-1
Coalition.
Captain Maier is responsible for overseeing radio and 9-1-1
emergency communications within the sheriff's operations center
and is the sheriff's communications representative within
Oakland County's Homeland Security and Emergency Operations
Center. He began his career in law enforcement more than 28
years ago as a patrol officer with the Garden State Police
Department before joining the Oakland County Sheriff's Office
in 2009. He is one of our local leaders.
I describe him, Captain Maier, as one of Michigan and the
Nation's most knowledgeable experts on the subject of emergency
communications and has been a, quote, stalwart champion of
connecting our first responders and communities over two
decades. He led the deployment of the text to 9-1-1 technology
for Oakland County, and he has been at the forefront of
developing shared emergency communications in Michigan.
So it is my pleasure just as the Representative of part of
Oakland County to welcome him to the committee today.
Mrs. Demings. Representative Slotkin, thank you so much for
that introduction.
Captain Maier, thank you so much for joining us today.
Our third witness is Chris Lombard, the deputy chief of the
Seattle Fire Department. Chief Lombard was a member of the
first service who responded to Ground Zero in Manhattan for 2
weeks.
Chief Lombard, we thank you so much for your service on
that day and your continued service to this day.
Chief Lombard has been active in the fire service for
nearly 30 years, mainly with the Seattle Fire Department. In
addition to
9/11, he has also responded to incidents, including the
Washington landslide and hurricanes in the Pacific, Atlantic,
and Gulf of Mexico.
Chief Lombard works in the Seattle Fire Department's
Operation Division and 9-1-1 center, and manages communications
coordination for the Department's specialty teams.
Chief Lombard, it is an honor to have you with us today,
and thank you so much for joining us.
The Chair now recognizes the Ranking Member to introduce
our fourth witness from the great State of Florida.
Mrs. Cammack. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. I see you
chuckling, because everyone has been wondering on this call, is
Gator actually his name? I can report that, yes, he is named
Gator.
So it is with great affection and a pleasure to introduce
my friend but also one of our fantastic sheriffs in north
central Florida, Sheriff Gator DeLoach. A lifelong resident of
Putnam County, he has had a long career in public service,
starting over 20 years ago. Sheriff DeLoach has played integral
roles throughout his law enforcement career, from sergeant,
where he held leadership positions in the drug unit, patrol,
and property crimes, to lieutenant of Criminal Investigations
Bureau.
In January 2017, Sheriff DeLoach was sworn in as sheriff of
Putnam County, and we are so lucky to have you in that role. I
am honored to be your Representative in Congress, and thank you
for your continued service to our community, as well as your
work on several of the task forces that we have. So thank you
again for your testimony here today, Sheriff DeLoach. Again,
yes, his name actually is Gator.
I yield back.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you to the Ranking Member.
Let this Florida State Seminole welcome you, Sheriff Gator
DeLoach.
Thank you so much to all of our witnesses for joining us
today.
Without objection, the witnesses' full statements will be
inserted in the record.
I now ask each of our witnesses to summarize their
statement for 5 minutes, beginning with Dr. Rodriguez.
STATEMENT OF CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUEZ, DIRECTOR, HOMELAND SECURITY
AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Mr. Rodriguez. Thank you.
Good afternoon, everyone, Chairwoman Demings, Ranking
Member Cammack, Members of the subcommittee, and especially
greetings to our New Jersey Representatives, Bonnie Watson
Coleman and Donald Payne, who I worked very closely with when I
was the State director in 2014 and 2017.
My name is Dr. Christopher Rodriguez. I am the director of
the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency. As
an appointee of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, I am honored to be
before this committee to talk about the strides that the
District of Columbia has made in emergency communications since
the tragic events of 9/11.
When it comes to emergency communications, there is really
no place in the country and perhaps in the world like the
National Capital region. With frequent special events and the
ever-present threat of disasters, terrorism, the hazard
landscape here in the district is unique. We are home to over
40 Federal and local response agencies, and we have a robust
mutual aid system that spans the mid-Atlantic region. All of us
need to communicate seamlessly and reliably across the whole
spectrum of possible contingencies.
I think when people often think or talk about emergency
communications, they think in terms of radios. But the
solutions to these communications challenges that we now face
are multifaceted, and they span technologies beyond just land
mobile radios. With my time today, I would just like to discuss
a few key solutions, successes, and challenges that are unique
to the District.
As mobile data and cellular communications become
increasingly important elements of effective emergency
response, the District first utilized FirstNet for first
responders in 2018. By providing dedicated cellular
connectivity for the public safety community, FirstNet enables
us to continue sharing voice data and video even in the face of
extreme network congestion.
Additionally, our partnership with FirstNet has enabled us
to request rapidly deployable cellular infrastructure to
support the demands of large events and incidents.
Leading up to the 2021 Presidential inauguration and on
January 6, we had coordinated with FirstNet to have such
infrastructure in place to cover the U.S. Capitol complex.
Ultimately, this collaboration and their dedicated bandwidth
allowed FirstNet to perform reliably for our first responders
at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
We are now in the process of working with FirstNet to
acquire two of our own compact rapid deployable units, which
will contribute to increased resilience and self-sufficiency
for the District's emergency communications.
While the ability to communicate between Government
partners is vital, the ability to quickly reach the public with
life-saving information is equally important. There are many
ways to quickly push emergency information to the public during
a crisis, but a unique challenge to the District is that we
receive an extremely high volume of visitors and transient
populations. These individuals may not be in the District long
enough to sort-of learn about our opt-in emergency notification
systems or follow our public safety officials on social media.
Wireless Emergency Alert, or WEA, has proven to be an
incredibly valuable resource in our public learning and warning
toolbox. My agency has been both a regional and National leader
in the WEA space since it was tested before the 2017
Presidential inauguration.
Following the successful first test, which was the first of
its kind in the Nation, our staff were asked to share best
practices on alerting procedures with our State, local, Tribal,
territorial, and even FEMA partners.
But while WEA is a powerful tool, it is not without its
limitations. We still see challenges with the accuracy of
geofencing, which can lead to bleed over outside of our
intended target area. It is also a very high-profile alerting
method and its overuse or inappropriate use can lead
individuals to opt out of the service, which would limit our
ability to reach them in a dire emergency. We did use WEA in
announcing curfews during the Black Lives Matter protests and
the January 6 insurrection, as well as with other extreme
weather events.
So improving the interoperability and reliability of
emergency communications here in the District is a top priority
for us and I know for the Mayor. I appreciate the opportunity
to share these experiences with the subcommittee, so thank you
very much.
[The prepared statement of Dr. Rodriguez follows:]
Prepared Statement of Christopher Rodriguez
October 7, 2021
Thank you, Chairwoman Demings, Ranking Member Cammack, and Members
of the subcommittee. My name is Dr. Christopher Rodriguez and I am the
director of the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.
As an appointee of Mayor Muriel Bowser, I am honored to lead an agency
that is a National leader in emergency management. I appear today to
speak with you about the strides the District of Columbia has made in
emergency communications since the tragic events on 9/11.
When it comes to emergency communications, there is no place like
the National Capital Region. With frequent special events and the ever-
present threat of terrorism and disasters, the hazard landscape in the
District of Columbia is unique. The District is home to over 40 local
and Federal response agencies, and we have a robust mutual aid system
that spans the Mid-Atlantic region. All need to communicate seamlessly
and reliably across the whole spectrum of possible contingencies.
People often think of emergency communications solely in terms of
radios. But the solutions to these communications challenges are
multifaceted and span technologies beyond just land mobile radios. With
my time today I will discuss a few key solutions, successes, and
challenges that are unique to the District.
As mobile data and cellular communications become increasingly
important elements of effective emergency response, the District first
utilized the FirstNet service for our first responders in 2018. By
providing dedicated cellular connectivity for the public safety
community, FirstNet enables us to continue sharing voice, data, and
video even in the face of extreme network congestion. Additionally, our
partnership with FirstNet has enabled us to request rapidly deployable
cellular infrastructure to support the demands of large events and
incidents. Leading up to the 2021 Presidential Inauguration and on
January 6, we had coordinated with FirstNet to have such infrastructure
in place to cover the U.S. Capitol complex. Ultimately, this
collaboration and their dedicated bandwidth allowed FirstNet to perform
reliably for our first responders at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. We
are in the process of working with FirstNet to acquire two of our own
compact rapid deployable units, which will contribute to increased
resilience and self-sufficiency for the District's emergency
communications.
While the ability to communicate between government partners is
vital, the ability to quickly reach the public with life-saving
information in emergency situations is equally important. There are
many ways to quickly push emergency information to the public during a
crisis, but a unique challenge in the District is that we receive an
extremely high volume of visitors and transient populations. These
individuals may not be in the District long enough to learn about opt-
in emergency notification systems or follow public safety officials on
social media. Wireless Emergency Alert, or WEA, technology has proven
to be an incredibly valuable resource in our public alert and warning
toolbox.
The DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency has been
both a regional and National leader in the WEA space since just before
the 2017 Presidential Inauguration, when we became the first local
alerting authority to issue a live WEA test. Following this successful
test, our staff were asked to share best practices and alerting
procedures with State, local, Tribal, territorial, and even our FEMA
partners. While WEA is a powerful tool, it is not without limitations.
The accuracy of geofencing is not perfectly accurate, which can lead to
bleed over outside of the intended target area. Additionally, WEA is a
high-profile alerting method. Overuse or inappropriate use of the
technology can lead to individuals opting out of the service which
would limit or ability to reach them in a truly dire emergency. The
District has found success in using WEA for situations such as Boil
Water Advisories, announcing curfews (for example during the BLM
protests), and extreme weather events. While WEA remains an incredibly
effective tool to alert the public in the District, we employ a multi-
modal approach which includes our Opt-In Alert DC program, Integrated
Public Alert & Warning System (which includes WEA), social media and
traditional media messaging, and door-to-door canvassing.
Improving the interoperability and reliability of emergency
communications systems is a top priority for the District of Columbia.
I appreciate the opportunity to share our experiences with the
subcommittee.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much, Dr. Rodriguez, for your
testimony.
I now recognize Captain Maier to summarize his statement
for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF MEL MAIER, CAPTAIN, OAKLAND COUNTY SHERIFF'S
OFFICE
Mr. Maier. Good afternoon, Chairwoman Demings, Ranking
Member Cammack, and thank you to Congresswoman Slotkin for that
introduction, and Members of the subcommittee. I am Mel Maier,
a captain in the Oakland County, Michigan, Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff of Oakland County, Michael J. Bouchard, is a
member of the Major County Sheriffs of America, MCSA, and I
offer my comments today on behalf of all their members
represented by that association.
I will spend a minute each on four issues: Radio
communications interoperability, 9-1-1 systems, FirstNet, and
IPAWS. I look forward to your questions afterwards.
Overall, 20 years after the 9/11 attacks, we have made a
lot of progress in emergency communications, but there is still
more to be done. We need to meet the needs and expectations of
the American people in the 21st Century.
The ability to communicate and coordinate via radio
networks is essential, no matter the type of incident we are
responding to, whether it is a highway crash, an active
shooter, a wildfire, hurricane, or terrorist attack. Since 9/
11, more advanced radio features and technologies have improved
interoperability between public safety agencies.
Funding from the Department of Homeland Security's UASI and
State Homeland Security grant programs has helped us improve
infrastructure and get responder devices into the field.
However, barriers to radio communications technology growth and
intraoperability still exist. There still remains at times lack
of coordination and intraoperability among agency
communications systems due to the varying levels of radio
technology, system maturity, and continued reliance upon legacy
proprietary systems.
Additional Federal funding would help us accelerate the
move to modern systems and true intraoperability. It would help
agencies implement technologies that can bridge those different
communication networks, enabling data and voice
intraoperability.
Regarding 9-1-1, we are on the verge of seeing Next
Generation 9-1-1 become much more widely deployed across the
United States. Next Generation 9-1-1 was developed to address
long-standing issues with legacy 9-1-1 systems. This technology
[inaudible] like FirstNet. However, without Federal funding,
many jurisdictions will not be able to transition to NG 9-1-1
any time soon. This will create a patchwork of haves and have-
nots, resulting in uneven capabilities throughout the United
States, and that is not fair to the responders or to the
citizens. Some 9-1-1 centers will achieve NG 9-1-1, while
others, especially those in rural areas, will not have the
means.
The Public Safety Next Generation 9-1-1 Coalition includes
many of the leading organizations in the country representing
fire, EMS, law enforcement, and emergency communications
professionals. We are advocating for a one-time commitment of
$15 billion in Federal grant funding to support a Nation-wide
transition to NG 9-1-1.
MCSA strongly believes this once-in-a-generation investment
will allow the successful deployment of NG 9-1-1 Nation-wide.
It improves emergency response. It saves lives.
With regards to FirstNet, the 9/11 Commission recommended
establishing an interoperable Nation-wide broadband network
dedicated solely to first responders. Through this leadership
of the public safety community and Congress, we now have
FirstNet, a reliable, dedicated, Nation-wide high-speed network
solely for first responders.
Since FirstNet's creation, coverage and capacity have
consistently improved. There is a dedicated network core that
is completely focused on public safety. There are now over 2.5
million FirstNet connections across 17,000 public safety
agencies and other organizations, and the FirstNet Authority is
looking further ahead toward 5G connectivity for public safety
in its course dedicated core.
At the same time, the success of FirstNet ultimately
depends on continued investment in the development of reliable
coverage and capacity throughout the United States. The
network's roll-out has been fast by any standard, and there is
still progress to be made. Congress should continue to ensure
that FirstNet Authority gets the support it needs to realize
the full promise of FirstNet.
Finally, with regard to IPAWS, FEMA has simplified the
system, improved the ability to quickly reach more in the
public. In my home State of Michigan, during the COVID
pandemic, we utilized IPAWS to provide information on public
health orders and other recommendations, which resulted in
successfully messaging the important public health emergency
information.
At the same time, there are opportunities to upgrade the
system. Current IPAWS systems do not work on older cellular
devices and may fail to reach the targeted public. Geofencing
is an inaccuracy, as you heard the previous speaker state.
IPAWS should continue to better integrate and leverage IP-based
systems, including integration of NextGen 9-1-1.
I want to thank you, Chairman Demings and Ranking Member
Cammack, for focusing on this critically important issue. Every
single one of our citizens deserves to have their first
responders equipped with the best and most reliable emergency
communications systems. I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Maier follows:]
Prepared Statement of Mel Maier
October 7, 2021
introduction
Good afternoon Chairwoman Demings, Ranking Member Cammack, and
Members of the subcommittee. I am Mel Maier, a captain in the Oakland
County, Michigan Sheriffs Office. Currently, I am the commander of the
Emergency Communications & Operations Division. As commander, I am
responsible for overseeing our radio and 9-1-1 emergency communications
and manage our Operations Center. I have been a sworn law enforcement
officer for more than 31 years and have significant experience with and
insight into emergency communications technology and policy challenges.
I am pleased to testify before your subcommittee to discuss the
current state of emergency communications. I intend to offer my own
first-hand knowledge of the current state of emergency communications
and considerations for future progress. The sheriff of Oakland County,
Michael J. Bouchard, is a member of the Major County Sheriffs of
America (MCSA) and I offer my comments today on behalf of other members
represented by that Association. Truly, the issues we face here in
Oakland County are similar to those faced by sheriff's offices and our
colleagues in public safety agencies across the country.
The tragedy of September 11, 2001 revealed fundamental problems
with communication systems used by our Nation's first responders. These
issues ranged from the lack of a dedicated broadband network for public
safety communications to issues with interoperability and communication
between radio networks and
9-1-1 systems. Twenty years later, significant progress has been made
to address these shortcomings. However, much more needs to be done to
meet the needs and expectations of the American people in the 21st
Century. Thank you for the opportunity to share my perspective on these
critical issues.
radio communications
Since 9/11 more advanced radio features and usage policies have
improved resiliency and system capacity and led to more and better
coordination between first responders. The ability to communicate and
coordinate via radio networks is essential no matter the type of
incident we are responding to, whether it is a highway crash, an active
shooter, a wildfire, a hurricane, or a terrorist attack. APCO Project
25 standards and the P25 CAP program have improved interoperability.
Specific features such as advanced trunking, dedicated event talk
groups and both encrypted and clear channels for Law Enforcement, Fire,
Emergency Medical Service, and Emergency Management have improved how
we use the radio technology. Funding from the Department of Homeland
Security's Urban Area Security Initiative Program (UASI), dedicated to
interoperability, has been pivotal in providing resources to improve
infrastructure and field responder devices. In addition, tabletop and
field-based exercises have been effective in identifying gaps between
communication systems and in establishing better operational policies.
However, barriers to radio communications technology growth and
interoperability still exist. Vendor solutions often introduce new
features and (at times mandatory) upgrades to P25 systems that impede
or defeat any interoperability gains. There is still a lack of
coordination and interoperability among agency communication systems
and varying levels of system maturity including the continued reliance
upon legacy proprietary systems. Increasing costs and decreased Federal
investments have made support for radio communications harder to
maintain.
Additional Federal funding would be helpful in improving overall
radio communications capabilities, and in helping agencies implement
technology that can bridge different communications networks. Public
safety grade networks have become increasingly popular targets for
cyber attacks, and sustainment of these systems will require more on-
going costs to support cybersecurity protections. Systems need to
advance to be able to share voice and data to increase first responder
situational awareness. We should also consider adopting standardized
encryption key management features to better support interoperability
among first responder agencies. Additional grant opportunities and
stronger grant conditions, accountability, and compliance programs for
vendors might help provide the incentives needed to improve
interoperability.
9-1-1 and next generation 9-1-1
Our Nation's 9-1-1 systems are critical infrastructure relied upon
Nation-wide every day by citizens seeking assistance in a variety of
life-or-death situations. Since 9/11, new 9-1-1 technology called Next
Generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1) has been developed to address long-standing
issues with our legacy 9-1-1 systems. This technology offers
improvements to a wide range of issues that affect emergency response
times and capabilities.
Many of the 9-1-1 networks across the United States have not kept
up with advances in communications technology and, in large part, are
based upon technology dating back to the 1960's. Legacy 9-1-1 systems
are built on old copper landline systems and Public Safety Answering
Points (PSAP) are often not able to accept and process texts, images,
videos and other modern data formats. Additionally, 9-1-1 systems have
become popular targets of ransomware and denial-of-service cyber
attacks by malign actors. These cyber events have taken entire 9-1-1
systems off-line, threatening emergency response times and risking
public safety.
Jurisdictions across the Nation have begun to transition to Next
Generation
9-1-1 systems to match capabilities first responders are receiving from
FirstNet. NG 9-1-1 systems can acquire and integrate additional
information useful to handling 9-1-1 requests, like photos, videos, and
location data and support sharing information related to 9-1-1 requests
for emergency assistance among emergency communications centers and
emergency response providers.
However, without Federal funding, many jurisdictions will not be
able to transition to this new technology. This will create a patchwork
of ``haves'' and ``have-nots'' creating sub-optimal responses and
uneven capabilities throughout the United States. Some 9-1-1 centers
will achieve NG 9-1-1 while others, especially those in rural areas,
will not have the means.
As a founding member of the Public Safety Next Generation 9-1-1
Coalition, the Major County Sheriffs of America, together with the
International Association of Chiefs of Police, International
Association of Fire Chiefs, Major Cities Chiefs Association,
Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, National Association of State EMS
Officials, and National Sheriffs' Association is advocating for a one-
time commitment of $15 billion in Federal grant funding to support a
Nation-wide transition to
NG 9-1-1. MCSA strongly believes this once in a generation investment
will allow the successful deployment of NG 9-1-1 Nation-wide, improve
emergency response, and save lives.
first net--nation-wide public safety broadband network
The 9/11 Commission Report recommended establishing an
interoperable Nation-wide broadband network dedicated solely to first
responders. The public safety community, encouraged by the 9/11
Commission report, worked together to advocate for Congress to pass
legislation establishing a reliable, dedicated, and Nation-wide high-
speed network solely for first responders. In 2012, Congress passed the
Middle-Class Tax Relief and Jobs Creation Act which allocated $7
billion and 20 megahertz of broadband spectrum to establish a network
for the Nation's first responders. It also established the FirstNet
Authority, an independent entity, within the Department of Commerce, to
ensure the build-out, operation, and maintenance of that network.
Today, public safety utilizes FirstNet to support a wide variety of
emergency incidents, including hurricanes, wildfires, search-and-rescue
missions, and many other small and large multi-jurisdictional
responses. Since the network's creation, coverage and capacity have
consistently improved. Public safety agency costs have been reduced.
Deployable communications assets have been dedicated to FirstNet users
across the Nation. The FirstNet Authority is looking further ahead
toward 5G connectivity for public safety. It is also working to
facilitate Land Mobile Radio (LMR) to LTE interfaces to provide
complementary services when field responders need extended network
coverage. Overall, the Nation-wide deployment of Band 14 for public
safety is moving at a rapid pace.
The success of FirstNet ultimately depends on continued investment
in the development of reliable coverage and capacity throughout the
United States. FirstNet should continue to ensure the security of
public safety data and ensure secure information exchange. FirstNet
should continue to engage and consult directly with public safety and
support the Public Safety Advisory Committee and look for opportunities
to reduce costs to public safety. FirstNet should also continue to
develop direct-mode mission-critical push-to-talk to provide first
responders reliable voice communications using the network and
prioritize FirstNet core development.
integrated public alert & warning systems
The Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) from FEMA has
simplified the public notification system and improved the ability to
quickly reach more of the public. IPAWS provides the public with
information related to immediate safety issues, information related to
recovery efforts, and links and direction to gain additional assistance
or information. The system also supports multiple languages, which is
critical when serving diverse populations. During the COVID-19
pandemic, we utilized IPAWS to provide information on health orders and
recommendations, as well as testing and vaccination information. We
have also utilized IPAWS to successfully engage the community on
missing and wanted person alerts through Amber and Silver Alerts.
There are many opportunities to upgrade the National emergency
alerting system. Current IPAWS systems do not work on older cellular
devices. IPAWS should continue to better integrate and leverage IP-
based systems including integration into Next Generation 9-1-1 systems,
to provide messages outbound and inbound to Emergency Communications
Centers over a secure and reliable network.
Thank you for the opportunity to address you today and I welcome
any questions you may have.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much, Captain Maier, for your
testimony. There was a little bit of a connectivity issue
there. I know that our team is going to troubleshoot with your
team. So thank you so much for being with us today.
The Chair now recognizes Chief Lombard to summarize his
statement for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF CHRIS LOMBARD, DEPUTY CHIEF, SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT, ON BEHALF OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE
CHIEFS
Mr. Lombard. Good morning, Chairwoman Demings and Ranking
Member Cammack. I am Chris Lombard, the deputy fire chief with
Seattle Fire Department and acting chair of the Communications
Committee for the International----
[Audio interruption.]
Mr. Lombard. I appreciate today's opportunity to discuss
the progress that has been made in emergency communications
since 9/11. As a responder who assisted with efforts at Ground
Zero in New York, I am keenly aware of the communications
issues that faced responders on that day in 2001 and the
progress made since.
SAFECOM and FirstNet are two triumphs that emerged from the
9/11 Commission Report for improving intraoperability. Federal
grants have also greatly improved responder communications
through funding, training, information sharing, and equipment.
As others have mentioned, the First Responder Network
Authority is a Nation-wide cellular network that enables first
responders to communicate within and across jurisdictions,
provides redundancy to ensure network resilience, and reduces
the impact of network congestion. Through FirstNet, first
responders have priority and preemption on dedicated public
safety spectrum. On behalf of the International Association of
Fire Chiefs, I ask that Congress continue to support FirstNet.
SAFECOM is also mentioned by others, a DHS advisory group,
works with stakeholders to develop better technologies and
processes for the coordination of communications systems.
SAFECOM trains first responders in emergency communications,
coordinates grant guidance, and encourages intraoperability.
As the first vice chair of SAFECOM, I have seen its great
work first-hand. On behalf of the IAFC, I ask Congress to
continue to support the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
Security Agency and its support of SAFECOM.
Post-9/11, the State Homeland Security Program and Urban
Area Security Initiative grants have been crucial to improving
emergency communications. These grants incentivize first
responders across jurisdictions to collaborate before, during,
and after an incident. This coordination reduces confusion and
directly saves lives. Our members have used this grant funding
to improve regional radio interoperability and develop
resilient communications. The IAFC urges Congress to continue
to support strong funding for SHSP and UASI grants.
FEMA's Assistance to Firefighter Grants and SAFER grants
are also used for equipment, training, and staffing. AFG grants
are key to public safety communications, especially since 50
percent of fire departments still lack enough portable radios
to equip a full shift. The SAFER grants are used to address
staffing shortages faced by all manner of fire departments. The
IAFC asks Congress to fully fund the AFG and SAFER grants which
are critical to the fire service.
Though great progress has been made in emergency
communications, there is still room for improvement. Many IAFC
members are often mentioning how 9-1-1 calls from jurisdictions
are being improperly routed, resulting in significant delays.
We should be able to do better in an emergency, and this
highlights the need for 9-1-1 infrastructure to catch up with
other commercially available technology.
The IAFC is a member of the Public Safety Next Generation
9-1-1 Coalition. The Coalition requests that Congress enact
legislation funding, a $15 billion NextGen 9-1-1 package via
the reconciliation package.
The availability of spectrum for public safety operations
is also critically important. The 4.9 gigahertz band was set
aside for public safety use after 9/11. Public safety use of
4.9 gigahertz spectrum includes hosting mission-critical
broadband networks. Public safety has increasingly relied on
this spectrum as new technologies become more widely-used.
Last October, the FCC issued an order to set up a system of
State licenses to make 4.9 gigahertz spectrum available to
commercial entities. On September 30 of this year, the FCC
rescinded that order and adopted a notice to seek comment on
public safety and non-public safety use of the ban. The IAFC
supports the FCC's decision to rescind the framework of State
licenses.
Public safety also uses 6 gigahertz spectrum to support
backhaul for communication systems and radio communications in
rural areas across the United States. The IAFC urges Congress
to continue to monitor these FCC proceedings to protect
critical public safety communications in the 6 gigahertz band.
In conclusion, public safety and emergency response are
perhaps the pinnacle of team sports with no higher expectations
and no higher importance for getting it right. Immediately
after 9/11, we recognized our challenges were people-based. We
recognized that our--likewise, the successes I and others
experienced on 9/11 were also because of the people and
relationships we had formed.
We wouldn't be here today without the spirit of working
together and the foundations by the likes of retired police
chief Harlin McEwen from Ithaca, New York, and retired fire
chief and past president of the IAFC, Jeff Johnson,
instrumental in launching efforts like SAFECOM, FirstNet, and
others. It continues today with relationships that public
safety forms, like the one between Captain Mel Maier and
myself, across the country.
Facilitating and forming maintenance of these relationships
may be the biggest single success that the Federal Government
has done, and for that we thank you.
I thank the subcommittee for all it has done to improve
public safety communications in the 20 years since 9/11. I also
have got to thank my family and the support team back at the
IAFC, Ryan Woodward and Ken LaSala. The IAFC looks forward to
continuing the work of the subcommittee and to address the
continued communications needs of public safety.
Thank you very much.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Lombard follows:]
Prepared Statement of Christopher Lombard
October 7, 2021
Good morning, Chairwoman Demings and Ranking Member Cammack. I am
Chris Lombard, deputy fire chief of the Seattle (Washington) Fire
Department and acting chair of the International Association of Fire
Chiefs' (IAFC) Communications Committee. I appreciate the opportunity
today to discuss the progress that has been made in emergency
communications since 9/11 and how Congress and first responders can
build upon this progress going forward.
The IAFC represents the leadership of over 1.1 million firefighters
and emergency responders. IAFC members are the world's leading experts
in firefighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response,
hazardous materials (hazmat) incidents, wildland fire suppression,
natural disasters, search and rescue, and public safety policy. Since
1873, the IAFC has provided a forum for its members to exchange ideas,
develop best practices, participate in executive training, and discover
diverse products and services available to first responders.
America's fire and emergency service is an all-hazards response
force that is locally situated, staffed, trained, and equipped to
respond to all types of emergencies. There are approximately 1.1
million men and women in the fire and emergency service--consisting of
approximately 300,000 career firefighters and 800,000 volunteer
firefighters--serving in over 30,000 fire departments around the
Nation. They are trained to respond to all hazards ranging from
earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods to acts of terrorism,
hazardous materials incidents, technical rescues, fires, and medical
emergencies. We usually are the first on the scene of a disaster and
the last to leave.
the state of public safety communications during and since 9/11
As a member of the fire service who responded to ground zero in
Manhattan for 2 weeks as a member of Washington Task Force 1 with
FEMA's Urban Search & Rescue system in the wake of the September 11
attacks, I am keenly aware of the challenges and issues facing public
safety communications on September 11, 2001; the progress we have made
since; and the work that remains to be done. During the first hours
after the attacks, cell phone networks were jammed, and priority
cellular access was not provided to emergency responders. Radio
channels and phone lines to emergency communications centers also were
jammed.
In addition, there were problems with interoperability between
jurisdictions. Public safety radio systems operated on various
frequencies and were not interoperable. Officials struggled to
coordinate the multiagency response, and to maintain command and
control of the numerous agencies and responders. Pagers and runners
proved to be the most effective form of communication.
The Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks
Upon the United States (also known as ``the 9/11 Commission Report'')
identified the need for improved interoperable communications between
first responders and recommended a Nation-wide public safety wireless
broadband network. In the 20 years since
9/11, Congress and the administration have worked hard to bring these
recommendations into fruition.
SAFECOM and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) are
two triumphs that have emerged from the 9/11 Commission Report's
recommendations and have substantially improved first responder
communications and interoperability. FEMA preparedness grants like the
State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), Urban Area Security Initiative
(UASI), Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and
Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) programs also have done a great
deal to improve first responder communications through funding,
training, information-sharing efforts, and equipment. I thank the
committee for all it has done in the years since 9/11 to bring about
these improvements.
firstnet
Interoperability involves the ability of public safety service and
support providers--law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, emergency
management, public utilities, transportation, and others--to
communicate with staff from other responding agencies, and to exchange
voice and/or data communications on demand, when authorized and in real
time. To address the 9/11 Commission Report's recommendations to
improve interoperability and establish a Nation-wide public safety
wireless broadband network, Congress incorporated a key public safety
communications provision in The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job
Creation Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-96). This legislation provided the
necessary 20 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band and $7 billion to
build a Nation-wide broadband network dedicated to the mission
requirements of public safety. It also created the First Responder
Network Authority (FirstNet), as an independent agency in the U.S.
Department of Commerce.
While mentioning Pub. L. 112-96, I would like to take an
opportunity to thank this subcommittee for their work to remove a
provision of this bill that would have dealt a tremendous blow to
public safety, the T-Band Auction mandate. This mandate would have
required the auctioning of T-Band (470 MHz--512 MHz) spectrum starting
this year and would have required public safety to vacate this spectrum
by 2023. The GAO report requested by Rep. Payne and former Reps.
Donovan and King showed just how irreplaceable this spectrum is for the
operations of public safety's land mobile radios in 11 metropolitan
areas across the country, an area that covers 20 percent of the
Nation's population.
Pub. L. 112-96, also authorized FirstNet to enter a public-private
partnership to deploy the network. Through a competitive bidding
process, FirstNet selected AT&T as its partner in March 2017. AT&T has
been deploying the network as specified in its contract and in State-
specific plans, with 80 percent of the network buildout completed. I
personally think public-private partnerships are extremely valuable to
public safety communications. Public safety has a very low turnover
rate relative to the private sector, and as a result can be very slow
to adopt new technologies. Public-private partnerships offer the
opportunity to pair the adaptability of the private sector with the
knowledge and resources of the public sector.
FirstNet became operational in March 2018 and is based on a single,
National network architecture that evolves with technological advances
and consists of a physically separate evolved packet core (EPC) network
and radio access networks (RANs). This Nation-wide network enables
first responders to communicate with one another within and across
jurisdictions. FirstNet allows multiple agencies to be interoperable
on-scene at an incident. It also provides redundancy which allows it to
be more resilient than commercial networks and prevents the network
being jammed by users during an emergency.
The FirstNet network supplements legacy voice systems by providing
public safety entities with mission-critical advanced data and voice
capabilities and services including, but not limited to messaging,
image sharing, video streaming, group text, voice, data storage,
application, location-based services, and preemption. It also provides
applications, and deployable assets that can restore communications
after disasters.
Agencies are subscribing to and using the network in emergencies,
including the COVID-19 pandemic and wildland fires. In his testimony to
the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation's
Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband in June, Chief
Jeffrey Johnson, chief executive of the IAFC's Western Division said:
``Before FirstNet, field-based first responders, such as wildland
firefighters, were hesitant to adopt new technology solutions because
they couldn't count on it working when they needed it most. Now that we
have FirstNet, first responders have priority and preemption, dedicated
700 MHz public safety spectrum that has been built out across the
country (with aggressive rural coverage build benchmarks--an important
priority for the WFCA), and the ability to request portable cell towers
(Colts and Cows) to make sure first responders have connectivity, such
as in the event infrastructure has been damaged by a fire or when a
command post is staged in a remote mountainous area.''
On behalf of the IAFC, I ask that Congress continue to support
FirstNet in its mission to fulfill the 9/11 Commission Report's
recommendation of a Nation-wide public safety wireless broadband
network.
safecom
Another entity that has been critical to fulfilling the 9/11
Commission Report's recommendation of improved interoperability is
SAFECOM. SAFECOM was formed in 2001 after the September 11 terrorist
attacks, as part of the Presidential E-Government Initiative to improve
public safety interoperability, allowing emergency responders to
communicate effectively before, during, and after emergencies and
disasters. SAFECOM's mission is to improve designated emergency
response providers' interjurisdictional and interdisciplinary emergency
communications interoperability through collaboration with emergency
responders and elected officials across Federal, State, local, Tribal,
and territorial governments, and international borders.
As the first vice chairman of SAFECOM, I have seen first-hand the
great work it has done to fulfill its mission. SAFECOM is one of the
first organizations to bring together representatives from public
safety associations as well as emergency responders in the field. Its
membership includes more than 60 members representing Federal, State,
local, Tribal, and territorial emergency responders, and major
intergovernmental and National public safety associations. I serve on
SAFECOM in my capacity as deputy chief of the Seattle Fire Department.
The IAFC also has two representatives to SAFECOM's membership,
including Greg Rubin, assistant chief of Miami-Dade (Florida) Fire
Rescue.
SAFECOM is managed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security
Agency (CISA) and works with existing Federal communications programs
and key emergency response stakeholders to address the need to develop
better technologies and processes for the coordination of existing
communications systems and future networks. SAFECOM focuses both on
technology and the need for jurisdictions to develop an effective
command interoperability plan. SAFECOM trains emergency responders to
be communications unit leaders during all-hazards emergency operations,
and coordinates grant guidance to use Federal funding to encourage
interoperability.
Through their partnerships, SAFECOM has created key documents such
as the Interoperability Continuum, the Statement of Requirements (SoR)
for baseline communications and interoperability standards, the State-
wide Communication Interoperability Plan (SCIP) Methodology, and the
National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) to assist emergency
responders Nation-wide with improving communications and
interoperability.
SAFECOM serves as a tremendous resource to first responders in
providing key guidance to attain grant funding, improve interagency
communications, and develop interjurisdictional and interagency
relationships. On the behalf of the IAFC, I ask Congress to continue
support CISA in its management of SAFECOM.
the need for investment in next generation 9-1-1 (ng 9-1-1)
Public safety fought hard to establish FirstNet because we knew
that we were being left behind compared to the technologies available
for personal-use communications. The same holds true for NG 9-1-1.
First responders handle over 240 million emergency 9-1-1 calls per
year. Unfortunately, 9-1-1 networks across the United States have not
kept up with advances in communications technology and, in large part,
are based upon technology dating back to the 1960's.
Even though 9-1-1 systems are critical infrastructure in every
community, they are underfunded and technologically inadequate to
address the needs and expectations of the American people in the 21st
Century. While 9-1-1 operations are State and local functions, the
investment of Federal resources in this critical infrastructure will
ensure that all communities in the United States will have a secure,
resilient, interoperable, and reliable way of receiving, processing,
and responding to requests for emergency assistance.
IAFC member and Philadelphia Fire Commissioner, Adam Thiel equates
the upgrading of our Nation's 9-1-1 infrastructure to NG 9-1-1 to
shifting from a rotary phone to a smart phone. When discussing issues
concerning the current state of
9-1-1 infrastructure, Commissioner Thiel often speaks about how 9-1-1
calls coming from his jurisdiction in Philadelphia are often routed
across the river to Camden, New Jersey. This results in significant
delays due to having the call re-routed to the 9-1-1 center in
Philadelphia. IAFC members around the country have spoken of similar
issues and delays. This is unacceptable in an emergency situation where
every second counts.
The focus on improving our Nation's infrastructure provides a
unique opportunity for Congress to make a once-in-a-generation
investment to modernize our 9-1-1 systems to NG 9-1-1. NG 9-1-1 will
enable Emergency Communications Centers (ECCs) to receive a variety of
multimedia (photos, videos) and other data from
9-1-1 callers and seamlessly share this information with other ECCs and
responding fire, EMS, and law enforcement officials in the field. This
will make emergency responses faster and more efficient and make public
safety professionals and the communities they serve safer. Simply put,
NG 9-1-1 will save lives.
The IAFC is a member of the Public Safety Next Generation 9-1-1
Coalition, which consists of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association,
the Major County Sheriffs of America, the Major Cities Chiefs
Association, the National Association of State EMS Officials, the
National Sheriffs' Association, the International Association of Chiefs
of Police, and the Association of Public-Safety Communications
Officials International. This coalition is advocating for a one-time
$15 billion
NG 9-1-1 upgrade to be part of the reconciliation package Congress is
currently considering.
A 2018 study requested by Congress and conducted by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration determined that $9.5-12.7 billion
was required to achieve NG 9-1-1 Nation-wide. In the time since this
study was completed, our
9-1-1 infrastructure has faced additional challenges like increased
cybersecurity threats. To adequately meet these challenges and
cybersecurity concerns, $15 billion is needed to upgrade our Nation's
9-1-1 infrastructure most effectively.
Additionally, the IAFC and the Public Safety Next Generation 9-1-1
Coalition are requesting that the following NG 9-1-1-related priorities
be included in the reconciliation package along with $15 billion in
funding for the NG 9-1-1 upgrade:
(1) Ensure that NG 9-1-1 is interoperable by requiring the use of
standards that are commonplace in the consumer marketplace.
(2) Funding for training, so that an on-scene incident commander
can properly prioritize the data they receive.
(3) Establish a Next Generation 9-1-1 Advisory Board to ensure NG
9-1-1 grants meet the needs of public safety professionals and
the public they serve.
(4) Establish a Nation-wide Next Generation 9-1-1 Security
Operations Center to meet the vital 9-1-1-related cybersecurity
needs of local public safety agencies.
All the priorities listed above are in the House's reconciliation
proposal (H.R. 5376). H.R. 5376 only provides $10 billion in funding
for NG 9-1-1. The IAFC and Public Safety NG 9-1-1 Coalition hope the
Senate will include our NG 9-1-1 priorities in their reconciliation
proposal along with $15 billion in funding, and that the House will
support this funding as well.
importance of shsp and uasi grants
The SHSP grants assist State, local, Tribal, and territorial
efforts to build, sustain, and deliver the capabilities necessary to
prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to acts of
terrorism. The UASI program assists high-threat, high-density urban
areas' efforts to build, sustain, and deliver the capabilities
necessary to prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to acts
of terrorism. In the wake of the terrorist attacks on 9/11, both grant
programs have been crucial in assisting public safety to be better
prepared and trained to address a terror attack or any major incident
that may occur in their communities.
The great success of SHSP and UASI is that they provide an
incentive for Federal, Tribal, State, territorial, and local
jurisdictions to collaborate before, during, and after an incident. By
planning, training, and conducting exercises together, local fire
chiefs, police chiefs, sheriffs, public health officials, emergency
managers, and State and Federal officials are prepared to work together
in the event of an emergency. This preplanning and coordination prevent
confusion during an incident and directly saves lives.
The IAFC's members and the communities they serve have strongly
benefited from SHSP and UASI grant funding. Many of our members have
utilized this funding to strengthen their information sharing and
communications abilities. Our members in the National Capitol Region
(NCR) have utilized funding from these programs to develop several
emergency communications functions to aid in providing information
during an emergency. Through these systems, residents in every
jurisdiction throughout the NCR can sign up for free text messaging
alert systems from local governments that provide real-time emergency
alerts and notifications to cell phones, pagers, email accounts.
The NCR has also utilized this funding to interconnect the fiber
optic networks built and funded by the local jurisdictions to form the
``NCR Net.'' This system enables the seamless transmission of critical
data such as that used by computer-aided dispatch systems throughout
the region thus elevating situational awareness and reducing emergency
call processing time. IAFC members in California have utilized this
funding to improve regional radio interoperability, develop resilient
internal communications, improve fire station security, and train
chiefs and company officers to lead in large-scale and complex
incidents.
IAFC members in Clark County Nevada have used these funds to
support fusion center activities within the Southern Nevada
Counterterrorism Center. These activities include suspicious activity
analysis and reporting; evaluation and support of special events;
multi-agency intelligence and information sharing; and the hardware and
software to support these programs. They also have utilized this
funding to support community outreach and education programs like ``See
Something, Say Something'' campaigns; training and exercises; and the
development of public/private partnerships to help protect the region.
The IAFC is pleased that the Department of Homeland Security
Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 4431) contains $705 million for UASI and
$610 million for SHSP. We urge Congress to continue to support strong
funding for these important grant programs.
importance of afg and safer grants
The AFG and SAFER grant programs are critical to the fire and EMS
service. The AFG program is one of the few grant programs dedicated to
all-hazards preparedness and response. The AFG grant program was
created in 2000 as part of the Fiscal Year 2001 National Defense
Authorization Act (Pub. L. 106-398) to improve the baseline operational
capability of America's fire service through improved equipment,
training, and staffing.
The SAFER grant program was created in 2003 as part of the fiscal
year 2004 National Defense Authorization Act (Pub. L. 108-136) to
specifically address the staffing shortages in career, volunteer, and
combination fire departments. SAFER grants are especially important in
today's environment where volunteer fire recruitment and retention are
suffering.
AFG grants are helpful in improving public safety communications by
enabling fire departments to purchase much-needed radios and
communications equipment. The National Fire Protection Association's
Fourth Needs Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service showed that 50 percent
of all departments still do not have enough portable radios to equip
all emergency responders on a shift.
The IAFC is grateful for the extra $200 million provided to each
the AFG and SAFER programs during the COVID-19 pandemic and ask that
Congress fully fund these programs.
4.9 ghz spectrum
In 2002, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designated the
4.9 GHz spectrum for public safety operations. This spectrum is used by
public safety mostly for fixed point-to-point and secure Wi-Fi
operations. Other public safety uses of
4.9 GHz spectrum include hosting broadband intranet networks, video
camera networks, in-building communications, bomb disposal robot
operations, and airborne public safety video operations. Public safety
has increasingly relied upon 4.9 GHz spectrum as new technologies
emerge and become more widely used. In a 2018 filing with the FCC, the
National Public Safety Telecommunications Council reported that the
number of fixed point-to-point sites on the 4.9 GHz band increased by
31 percent between 2015 and 2018.
In recent years, National public safety organizations, like the
IAFC, and the FCC have disagreed about public safety's level of usage
of 4.9 GHz spectrum. The FCC under Chairman Pai believed that public
safety was not adequately using the
4.9 GHz band. Public safety contended that the FCC was not adequately
accounting and tracking 4.9 GHz licenses. Seattle has both a single
area-license and 58 licensed hops of 4.9 GHz. Seattle uses the 4.9 GHz
spectrum primarily for communications backhaul to support data network
connectivity as well as voice services. The network also supports the
Seattle Police Department's mobile command center and is deployed on
Seattle Fire Department fire boats.
Citing lack of utilization, the FCC moved to open 4.9 GHz spectrum
to commercial users. Last October, the FCC issued an order adopting a
State-by-State leasing framework that would have set up a patchwork
regulation of State-run auctions of 4.9 GHz spectrum to commercial
entities. The IAFC and multiple public safety organizations submitted
comments and petitions opposing this move. After public safety
organizations filed petitions for reconsideration of the FCC's order,
the FCC placed a stay on last October's order in May and on September
30 the FCC unanimously rescinded the State-by-State leasing rules,
finding that they risked fragmenting the band. The FCC also partially
lifted a freeze on applications in this band to allow existing public
safety licensees to modify their licenses and to license new permanent
fixed sites.
Additionally, on September 30 the FCC adopted a Further Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking that explores options to ensure public safety use
of the band, including protecting public safety users from harmful
interference, collecting more granular licensing data, and adopting
technical standards to promote interoperability. The Further Notice
also seeks comment on ways to encourage use of new technologies,
including 5G, and dynamic spectrum access systems to facilitate
coexistence between public safety and non-public safety uses of the
band.
The IAFC is pleased with FCC's decision to rescind the State-by-
State auction framework and views it as a step in the right direction.
The IAFC will remain engaged with the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
regarding 4.9 GHz spectrum that was approved by the FCC on September 30
and urges Congress to monitor these proceedings to ensure public safety
interests on the 4.9 GHz band are preserved.
6 ghz spectrum
Public safety uses 6 GHz spectrum to support backhaul for
communications systems and radio communications in rural areas across
the United States. This spectrum is heavily utilized by public safety
with approximately 30,000 active licenses. In April 2020 the FCC voted
to allow unlicensed users to operate on the 6 GHz spectrum. As a part
of this rule, incumbents and new entrants in the 6 GHz band have
established a multi-stakeholder group (MSG) to discuss concerns and
find mutually-agreeable solutions to sharing the spectrum. The IAFC is
a member of the MSG. The MSG continues to operate three focus groups to
address issues of particular concern relating to the FCC's vote on 6
GHz band. The IAFC is a member of focus group on Harmful Interference.
The IAFC has filed comments with the FCC, critical of its move to
open the
6 GHz spectrum to unlicensed users. In February IAFC, Utilities
Technology Council (UTC), and other organizations submitted comments to
the FCC opposing a January Public Notice opening the 6 GHz band to
unlicensed client-to-client operations. The IAFC opposes this proposal
because it would exponentially increase the potential for interference
to licensed 6 GHz microwave systems and would make it more difficult to
resolve interference complaints. The IAFC, UTC, and others followed up
with reply comments in March.
The IAFC supported the inclusion of language in Pub. L. 116-20
directing the FCC to provide a report to Congress within 90 days on its
progress in ensuring rigorous testing related to unlicensed use of the
6 GHz band. The IAFC continues to monitor the FCC's proceedings related
to 6 GHz spectrum. The IAFC also urges Congress to monitor these
proceedings to ensure public safety interests on the
6 GHz band are preserved.
conclusion
I thank you for the opportunity to address the subcommittee on the
landscape of public safety communications in the 20 years since 9/11.
Through FirstNet, SAFECOM and strong funding for SHSP, UASI, AFG, and
SAFER grants, we have come a long way in 20 years. However, there is
still work to be done to protect these efforts and grants, along with
ensuring full implementation of NG 9-1-1 and the protection of public
safety spectrum. I thank the subcommittee for all it has done to bring
about the progress that has been made in public safety communications
in the years since 9/11. The IAFC looks forward to continuing to work
with the subcommittee to address the continued communications needs of
public safety.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much, Chief Lombard, for your
testimony.
The Chair now recognizes the sheriff from Putnam County,
Sheriff DeLoach, to summarize his statement for 5 minutes.
Thank you, Sheriff, for being with us today.
STATEMENT OF H.D. ``GATOR'' DELOACH, III, SHERIFF, PUTNAM
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Mr. DeLoach. Thank you.
Members of the subcommittee, Chairwoman Demings, and
Ranking Member Cammack, thank you for the opportunity to
testify before this committee today.
As a sheriff in a rural Florida county, my office faces
unique challenges to communicate with our emergency service
providers in the field. It is my pleasure to be with you here
today and to share some of the obstacles we face while we work
together to ensure our Nation is best equipped to respond to
emergent threats and life-safety issues alike.
I want to begin by talking about emergency communications
post-9/11 to offer a rural perspective to Members of the
subcommittee. Although our Nation has seen significant changes
to the way that first responders communicate, there are still
significant gaps and lapses in coverage areas.
Just for a little background, Putnam County is part of
rural northeast Florida, situated approximately 60 miles south
of Jacksonville and north of Daytona Beach. Our community and
county is approximately 827 square miles, with a population
near 75,000 residents. Putnam County is comprised primarily of
farmland and large stands of pine forest harvested for timber.
The county is fiscally constrained and is designated as a
county of critical economic concern by the Florida legislature.
This presents significant challenges to our first responders,
not the least of which is our emergency communications systems.
While emergency services in rural areas look significantly
different than it does for our urban counterparts, many things
we do look the same. We all apply the same statutes and are
held to the same standards by certifying bodies and have
similar missions. What does contrast starkly, however, is how
we communicate.
The majority of our Federal, State, and local partners use
digital P25-based land mobile radio systems. Putnam County is
an outlier in that we currently use an antiquated radio system
which is based on technology developed during the second World
War. Our current communications platform is an analog VHF radio
system, primarily assembled with parts from decommissioned
systems that were donated from other areas and were otherwise
destined for a landfill. This effectively isolates us with no
ability to communicate with our counterparts that we frequently
work with or rely on for assistance.
Imagine a law enforcement officer and a paramedic who were
responding to a domestic violence call in a rural area 25 to 30
minutes away from your current location. When you arrive, you
speak to the victim who is conscious but not ambulatory and has
a large laceration above the eye. Based on her description of
her injuries, you suspect she may have internal injuries as
well. The suspect ran into a densely forested area behind the
residence. You try to reach the emergency communications center
through your portable radio to request an expedited response
from EMS and your back-up but get no response. You then attempt
to use your cell phone to call but have no luck.
Frustrated, you have no choice but to leave the victim in a
vulnerable position while you return to your patrol car to use
your more powerful mobile radio. The dispatchers can hear you,
but your transmission is filled with static and unintelligible
at times. Fortunately, the dispatcher has the foresight to send
another deputy to assist, but, unfortunately, another 20
minutes will lapse before rescue arrives. The victim's
condition deteriorates quickly because of the time delay. She
suffers a stroke and loses her ability to speak and testify
against her attacker.
In 2013, the FCC issued a mandate that required analog VHF
systems to narrowband or otherwise decrease their wavelength
from 25 kilohertz to 12.5 kilohertz to free up additional
frequencies. The net effect of that on us here was a greatly
reduced ability to transmit or receive radio traffic,
especially in buildings or in isolated areas.
Post-9/11 funding was robust immediately following the
attacks but seems to have waned significantly. For rural
communities, this funding was significant in assisting
emergency communications in receiving vital technology in a
timely manner. Larger communities have funded their
communications updates through their ability to leverage money
from an extensive and diverse socioeconomic population. Rural
communities, unfortunately, lack that advantage.
The majority of residents in communities like Putnam are
older, rely on fixed incomes, and do not have diversity of
economic growth as seen in areas such as St. Johns or Orange
counties. At the same time, communities such as Putnam are not
so economically stagnant that we receive an overabundance of
grant funding. Quite simply, we and other communities similar
to ours are in a financial stranglehold where we have to choose
to have the emergency responders to meet the needs of the
community but have the potential to lose signal with
communications, or pay to update the technology and
communications but not have the people to respond to the
emergency call.
Currently in Putnam County, we are still operating on the
Florida Interoperability Network rather than the more up-to-
date digital mutual aid model our area counterparts use. FIN is
the technology developed that allows public safely counterparts
to patch channels together, effectively creating a bridge that
allows radio traffic and data to flow both directions.
In the immediate post-9/11 years, there was a significant
emphasis on interoperability which led to the development of
it. Focus on maintaining the system and others like it has all
but grinded to a halt based on the use of digital mutual aid
channels, which has contributed to a lack of maintenance and
failure of user agencies to remain proficient in the operation
of it. Furthermore, it has limitations, the most obvious of
which being the users' inability to roam outside of their
agency coverage area.
From our perspective, the most logical and cost-effective
strategy for rural areas is regional communications systems
with independent dispatch centers. Multiple users are counties
which hear these systems within a geographic area and would
enable the users to roam freely within their coverage area,
which reduces cost based on shared infrastructure, while still
maintaining the autonomy of independent dispatch centers.
Regional center models are not new. There are several well-
established communication centers built Nation-wide and in
Florida. These systems create additional efficiencies, the most
notable of which creates a workaround allowing certain
transmitters to be optimized for additional coverage, which
isn't currently allowed because the FCC mandates transmitters
cannot transmit more than 5 miles outside of their intended
coverage area. This also can reduce the need to build costly
tower sites by leveraging optimized antenna placement versus
the need to build additional sites when transmitters can be
tuned accordingly.
Although I am not aware of any current agreements, we do
also have the ability to use existing infrastructure through
partnering with internet service providers which allows for a
leasing of tower space for last-mile efforts to further----
Mrs. Demings. Sheriff DeLoach, excuse me, but your time has
expired a couple of minutes ago. But during the line of
questioning from the Members, if there is something that is
still in your opening statement that you want to share with us,
please seize that opportunity to do that.
[The prepared statement of Mr. DeLoach follows:]
Prepared Statement of H.D. ``Gator'' DeLoach, III
Thursday, October 7, 2021
introduction
Chairwoman Demings and Ranking Member Cammack, thank you for the
opportunity to testify before this committee today. As sheriff in a
rural Florida county, my office faces unique challenges to communicate
with our emergency service providers in the field. It is my pleasure to
be here with you today and share some of the obstacles we face while we
work together to ensure our Nation is best equipped to respond to
emergent threats and life safety issues.
emergency communications post-9/11: a rural perspective
Although our Nation has seen significant changes to the way first
responders communicate, there are still significant gaps and lapses in
coverage areas.
Background.--Putnam County is part of rural northeast Florida
situated approximately 60 miles south of Jacksonville and North of
Daytona Beach. Our county is approximately 827 square miles with a
population near 75,000 residents. Putnam County is comprised primarily
of farmland and large stands of pine forest harvested for timber. The
county is fiscally constrained and designated as a county of critical
economic concern by the Florida Legislature. This presents significant
challenges to our first responders; not the least of which is emergency
communications.
While emergency services in rural areas looks significantly
different than it does for our urban counterparts, many things we do
look the same. We all apply the same statutes, are held to the same
standards by certifying bodies and have similar missions.
What does contrast starkly is how we communicate. The majority of
our Federal, State, and local partners use digital P25-based land
mobile radio systems. Putnam County is an outlier, in that we currently
use an antiquated radio system based on technology developed during
World War II. Our current communications platform is an analog VHF
radio system primarily assembled from parts of decommissioned systems
that were donated from other areas and were otherwise destined for a
landfill. This effectively isolates us with no ability to communicate
with our counterparts that we frequently work with or rely on for
assistance.
Imagine a law enforcement officer and paramedic crew responding to
a domestic violence call in a rural area 25 to 30 minutes away from
your current location. When you arrive, you speak to the victim who is
conscious but not ambulatory and has a large laceration above their
eye. Based on her description of her injuries, you suspect she may have
internal injuries as well. The suspect ran into a densely forested area
behind the residence. You try to reach the emergency communications
center from your portable radio to request an expedited response from
EMS and back-up, but get no response. You then attempt to use your cell
phone to call, but no luck. Frustrated, you have no choice but to leave
the victim in a vulnerable position while you return to your patrol car
to use the more powerful mobile radio. The dispatchers can hear you,
but your transmission is filled with static and unintelligible.
Fortunately, the dispatcher has the foresight to send another deputy to
assist, but unfortunately another 20 minutes will elapse before rescue
arrives. The victim's condition deteriorates quickly because of the
time delay, suffers a stroke and loses her ability to speak and testify
against her attacker.
In 2013 the FCC issued a mandate that required analog VHF systems
to narrowband or decrease their wavelength from 25 KHZ to 12.5 KHZ to
free up additional frequencies. The net effect of that was a greatly
reduced ability to transmit or receive radio traffic, especially in
buildings or isolated rural areas.
Post-9/11 funding was robust immediately following the attacks, but
has waned significantly. For rural communities this funding was
significant in assisting emergency communications in receiving vital
technology in a timely manner. Larger communities have funded their
communications upgrades through their ability to leverage money from an
extensive and diverse socio-economic population. Rural communities lack
that advantage. The majority of residents in communities like Putnam
are older, rely on fixed incomes and do not have the diversity of
economic growth seen in areas such as St. Johns or Orange counties. At
the same time communities such as Putnam are not so economically
stagnant that we receive an overabundance of grant funding. Quite
simply we, and other communities similar to ours, are in a financial
stranglehold where we have to choose to have the emergency responders
to meet the needs of the community, but have the potential to lose
signal with communications or pay to update the technology in
communications but not have the people to respond to the emergency
call.
Currently in Putnam County we are still operating on the Florida
interoperability network (FIN) rather than the more up-to-date digital
mutual aid model our area counter parts use. FIN is a technology
developed that allows public safety partners to patch channels
together, effectively creating a bridge that allows radio traffic and
data to flow both directions. In the immediate post-9/11 years there
was significant emphasis on interoperability which led to development
of the FIN. Focus on maintaining this system and others like it has all
but grinded to a halt based on use of digital mutual aid channels which
has contributed to a lack of maintenance and failure of user agencies
to remain proficient in the operation of FIN. Furthermore, FIN use has
limitations, the most obvious being user's inability to roam outside of
their agency coverage area.
where do we go from here?
The logical and most cost-effective strategy for rural areas is
regional communications systems with independent dispatch centers.
Multiple users or counties would share these systems within a
geographic area and would enable users to roam freely within the
coverage area, which reduces cost based on shared infrastructure while
still maintaining the autonomy of independent dispatch centers.
Regional communications models are not new--there are several well-
established regional communications systems built Nation-wide and in
Florida. These systems create additional efficiencies; the most notable
of which creates a work-around allowing certain transmitters to be
optimized for additional coverage, which isn't currently allowed
because the FCC mandates transmitters cannot transmit more than 5 miles
outside their intended coverage area. This also can reduce a need to
build costly tower sites by leveraging optimized antenna placement
versus a need to build additional sites, when transmitters can be tuned
accordingly.
Although I am not aware of any current agreements, we do have the
ability to use existing infrastructure through internet service
provider partnerships which allow leasing of tower space for last-mile
efforts to further reduce cost, where feasible. This has the obvious
benefit of potentially providing internet service for rural areas not
previously afforded access.
conclusion
While tremendous progress toward connectivity was made in the two
decades since the 9/11 attacks, there still remains a significant
amount of work to bridge the communications interoperability gap. In
summary, if we are unable to talk and receive messages, we are unable
to help those in need during their most critical time.
Mrs. Demings. We want to thank you so much for joining us
today. Matter of fact, I want to thank all of our witnesses for
your testimony.
I would remind the subcommittee that we will each have 5
minutes to question the panel.
I will now recognize myself for questions.
I want to start with Chief Lombard. You said having been on
the ground during 9/11, you said something to the effect of you
are, of course, keenly aware of the conditions on the ground
that day. We know one of the major challenges was
intraoperability. Could you just kind-of talk a little bit more
what it was like on the ground that day? Then, since 9/11,
paint a picture for us of the improvements that we have made
but we still need to make.
Thank you.
Mr. Lombard. Sure, Chair. Thank you very much for the
question. So I responded with--so the FEMA contracts around the
Nation to form 28 Urban Search and Rescue teams. The Seattle
Fire Department is part of one of those teams, so we responded.
We were actually in what was the second round, and it was
definitely a life-altering experience. The sights, the sounds,
the smells, like nothing I have ever seen since or had never
seen before. Like you, I was coming off duty that morning and
saw the news on the TV, and it was, again, life-altering.
When we responded to New York, one of the challenges is
that even as the Federal USAR teams, we all had disparate
communications. Further, our communications didn't integrate to
the public safety responders, the police, fire, EMTs, dispatch
on scene as well, so we had to make extensive use of runners.
We had to kind-of come by fly by-wire patching and
communications, you know, networks to try to do the best that
we could at the time.
Thankfully, like I have mentioned in my testimony, you
know, there were some relationships that were already
established, so at least we had some kind of idea on who we
should reach out to and who we should talk to. Talking with
colleagues and counterparts at the Washington, DC aspect of 9/
11, it was kind-of the same thing, that they tried to patch
everything, and then all of a sudden, everybody was talking to
everybody, and nobody could talk.
So probably the biggest success was, again, the bringing
all of the efforts together with SAFECOM under what was
eventually DHS. SAFECOM had a couple of key models to identify
ways to improve governance, equipment, standard operating
procedures, training, and exercises. Through those and
coordinating the grant funds accordingly, in each of those
areas, what we have been able to do since is, through
attrition, public safety all across the United States has been
able to do a much better job at coordinating as far as our
purchases; hey, what are you guys getting, what are we getting,
you know, how should we talk, language, you know.
The example that we always use between police and fire, and
in your family, I am sure you know how these little debates go
between police and fire. Lots of good kidding and ribbing. You
know, if the military says cover me, if a firefighter says
cover me, and if a police officer says cover me, you can get
some very different responses as to what that will mean,
whether it is water, whether it is equipment, or whether there
are guns being pulled out. So we worked on all of those
different aspects.
Again, you know, FirstNet, SAFECOM, the technology is
coming, but we didn't get into that position, you know, on
September 10. It took a long time to get into the pickle, and
it is going to take--continue to take time to get out of it.
Mrs. Demings. Chief, thank you so much for that.
Captain Maier, you talked a little bit in your opening
statement about IPAWS and the usefulness of that platform. What
would you say are some additional things that can be done to
improve the performance of the platform?
Mr. Maier. One of the most important things that FirstNet
has done for us--and can you hear me OK, ma'am? I should check
first.
All right. Thank you. My apologies for the earlier
technical difficulties.
But with FirstNet, we have to talk about the resiliency of
the network and to make sure that the build-out as it is at--I
think it is 95 percent complete at this point moving band 14
across the United States, putting that National public safety
broadband power in the hands of first responders--that we want
to make sure some of that legacy equipment, that the towers are
actually built to standards that we would use for our public
safety radio systems, that the power systems that back them up,
that the diversity of the paths that actually connect those
network of networks together is built to that same standard.
So we see that with FirstNet, they do have a transparency
platform with AT&T where I can see, as a first responder, there
is help with the network. I can see how things are going. I can
see if there is outages or impairments. Here is the thing for
us: As first responders, we actually have to anticipate those
disruptions and impairments to our operations. We do that all
the time, and that includes outages not just related to
FirstNet. We plan for those responses, and then during those
events, as well as for recovery.
So we know that FirstNet is working with them on this. I
have some experience with this. I was part of the FirstNet
Public Safety Advisory Committee for many years, served as its
vice chair, proud to say that I am very proud of the effort we
have seen through the FirstNet Authority and the hard-working
people there.
Also think about the deployables that they have put out.
They have more than 100 deployables ready to go that can be
pre-staged, like they did in the District of Columbia, like
they have done in Michigan, to prepare for events, like they
have done in Florida and New Orleans. Those are things that we
have to be ready for.
I am talking to you from New Orleans right now, and I can
see the devastation when I look out the window of what these
storms can do and how they can tear up infrastructure. That is
what being prepared is doing for us. By partnering with
FirstNet and moving this forward, we are building in more
resiliency, we are identifying the weak parts, we are ensuring
the diversity of the pathways. I am very proud of the work that
is going on with it, and it is a very, very useful tool for
public safety.
Mrs. Demings. Captain Maier, thank you so much for your
response.
The Chair now recognizes the Ranking Member of the
subcommittee, the gentlewoman from Florida, for your questions.
Mrs. Cammack. Thank you, Chairwoman Demings.
This question is going to be for Sheriff Gator DeLoach,
Chief Lombard, and Captain Maier. If you guys could quickly,
because I only have 5 minutes, just weigh in yes or no and then
elaborate just a little bit.
As you guys know, CISA has cybersecurity advisors deployed
across the 10 FEMA regions, and you all have worked with FEMA
in one capacity or another, to assist State and local
governments and the private sector to help mitigate cyber
threats. So my question to you three is, have you had any
engagement with the CISA representatives regarding
cybersecurity services? If so, has that engagement been
beneficial, and how can it be improved?
I will start with you, Sheriff DeLoach.
Mr. DeLoach. Well, my office has not had any personal
engagement with CISA. We do have, even for a very rural county,
a very robust response to cyber threats that we address through
our internal IT staff and also one of the vendors of record
that we use here.
Mrs. Cammack. Thank you.
Captain Maier.
Mr. Maier. Thank you, Congresswoman. Yes is the short
answer. To expand upon that, I was part of the SAFECOM
committee under CISA for many years. I was chair of funding and
sustainment. We took into account building these networks from
the bottom up to include cybersecurity so that they are built
upon the network of networks security. In fact, one of the
things that we have used is that CISA model of really about
intrusion detection and intrusion prevention systems and
building those in.
The contact with CISA is extensive. I mean, honestly, it
would take more than 5 minutes to list it all, but I can tell
you they do have the ability to do a technical assistance
program that they can actually go out and help identify gaps in
what your technology services, especially communications, is
doing----
Mrs. Cammack. Thank you.
Mr. Maier [continuing]. As well as some of the COML/COMT
stuff.
Mrs. Cammack. Excellent. Thank you. Thank you, Captain
Maier.
Chief Lombard.
Mr. Lombard. Yes. Ranking Member, yes. We actually had the
privilege to meet the newly-appointed director, Jen Easterly,
and we have had several meetings with Deputy Director Nitin
Natarajan, and some great outcomes from that.
You know, being from the home of Amazon and Microsoft, one
of the things that we started to do through SAFECOM and working
with CISA is start to really foster some of those public-
private partnerships, you know, where are some of the expertise
and how can we bring some of the talent and the support from
the Federal Government together to start addressing public
safety needs in this.
Mrs. Cammack. Excellent. Thank you, Chief.
Sheriff DeLoach, as you know and we have talked about this
several times before, about 60 million Americans or 1 in 5
Americans live in rural America. In fact, 97 percent of America
is rural. So, knowing that, and you representing a rural
community, can you talk about what it would cost your
department to upgrade your radio system?
Mr. Lombard. Yes, absolutely. So we have--we are actually
in the process of attempting to upgrade our radio system and
identify a funding source right now. The long and short of it
is, is that it would cost us about $7 million to $8 million to
upgrade our radio system and the existing infrastructure. So we
are in a position where we can either buy the car or put gas in
it, so to speak.
Mrs. Cammack. I know we are going to dig into a lot of the
nitty-gritty systems themselves in some of the grant funding
programs, but something that constantly I believe gets
overlooked is the personal human side of what can happen when
these radio systems are going down or they don't work.
Have you ever or anyone in your department had a situation
where an officer was put in danger or there was a loss of life
due to a lack of communications?
Mr. Lombard. Fortunately, we have not had a loss of life.
However, there are more than we can cover in the short period
of time that we have of situations where both fire and EMS
crews and deputies were placed in grave harm or peril because
of their lack of ability to communicate back with our regional
communications center.
Mrs. Cammack. Excellent.
I have got about 20 seconds left, so I am going to open it
up to all of the witnesses. I think it will probably be hit on
later today, but just yes or no in my 10 seconds. You have
experienced within your department potentially tragic
situations or a tragic situation due to a lack of
communication.
Chief Lombard.
Mr. Lombard. Yes. There is many examples in the fire
service where either radio failures or radio system failures
have led to fatalities, lots of reports affirming that.
Mrs. Cammack. Captain Maier.
Mr. Maier. Yes, we had an incident at a shooting scene
where departments could not talk to each other. It created a
much more dangerous event. It is a terrible situation that
could have been averted with better communications.
Mrs. Cammack. I appreciate it. Thank you.
With that, I yield back, Madam Chairwoman.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much to the Ranking Member.
The Chair will now recognize other Members for questions
they may wish to ask the witnesses. In accordance with the
guidelines laid out by the Chairman and Ranking Member in their
February 3 colloquy, I will recognize Members in order of
seniority alternating between Majority and Minority. Members
are also reminded to unmute themselves when recognized for
questioning.
The Chair recognizes for 5 minutes the gentlewoman from
Texas, Ms. Sheila Jackson Lee. Sheila, I know you were on
earlier. Is Ms. Jackson Lee still with us?
OK. The Chair will now recognize the gentleman from New
Jersey, Mr. Payne, for 5 minutes.
Mr. Payne. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for having
this hearing, very timely hearing.
I am very pleased to hear the discussion earlier, in the
beginning of the hearing, with mention of H.R. 615, the DHS
Interoperable Communications Act, which was--I authored that
legislation, so I am very proud of that, and also shepherded in
the FirstNet operation here at DHS. So it is really good to
hear all of that being functioning and active here at Homeland.
Dr. Rodriguez, it is good to see you again. We miss you in
Jersey, but it is wonderful that you landed in Washington.
Mr. Rodriguez. Thank you, sir.
Mr. Payne. Let's see. So access to emergency alerts and
calls are necessary for every American no matter what the
economic background or ability. What systems or initiatives
does your agency have in place to ensure that all residents
receive emergency alerts and information?
Mr. Rodriguez. Congressman Payne, thank you for the
question. You are right, and here in the District we do have a
diverse socioeconomic resident population, and we did see that
certainly in our response to the pandemic but also with some of
the disasters and emergencies that we have experienced.
So in addition to some of the tools that I mentioned in my
opening statements, we do employ a multifaceted and multimodal
approach to disseminating information. I mentioned our Alert
D.C. Campaign, which will go and ping to our resident cell
phones either via text or via email.
We also, through the mayor's office and many of our
community-based organizations, do a lot of door-to-door
canvassing as well directly reaching our residents,
particularly in our more disadvantaged wards, wards 7 and 8 in
particular.
We also try to reach our residents by getting them to also
sign up for some of our telephone notifications. So for
residents that don't have cell phones, for example, we can,
through our public messaging campaigns, again working with the
mayor's office, we are able to reach them in that way so that
we can make calls to them during an emergency.
Mr. Payne. Thank you. In 2018, a false ballistic missile
alert was accidentally issued in Hawaii via the emergency alert
system and the wireless emergency alert system. This false
alarm caused wide-spread concern. How can we ensure that such
accidents never happen again, and are there current challenges
or concerns that you have with the emergency alert system and
the wireless emergency alert system?
Mr. Rodriguez. Thank you. I certainly remember that false
alarm and alert that was sent out. It did reverberate, I think,
across the country and--sorry. For a lot of the witnesses on
the line, it was significant.
So what we did here and in my agency actually disseminates
the WEA alerts on behalf of the District. So we actually looked
at our processes for ensuring that that type of message
wouldn't go out. So we do have a layered approach to not only
drafting a WEA message but also looking at our geofencing and
where we are actually doing it.
I, again, mention the challenges of geofencing. It is not
an accurate technology so we do get bleed-over sometimes into
Maryland and Virginia, our surrounding counties, which can also
be a challenge. But we do have a layered process for ensuring
that once the send is hit on the WEA that that has been looked
at by several individuals before we actually put out--and
vetted before it is put out to the public.
Mr. Payne. Well, thank you for those responses.
Madam Chair, I will yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. Demings. The gentleman yields back. Thank you so much.
The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr.
Higgins, for 5 minutes.
Mr. Higgins. I thank my friend and colleague, the
Chairwoman, and the Ranking Member for holding this hearing
today. I thank our law enforcement and first responders for
being here today.
Madam Chair, I am concerned about continued endeavors to
defund the police. As it relates to today's topic,
communications and the effectiveness thereof, here is an
example: In Austin, Texas, the police department was defunded
to the tune of $150 million. That is about a third of their
budget. It is facing quite a crisis. In fact, the Department is
now reporting that they are not going to respond to many calls.
They have advised the citizens of Austin to dial 3-1-1 for many
complaints, including burglaries, suspicious vehicles and
people, public disturbances.
Let me clarify that, from Austin's website: When you dial
3-1-1, your call is answered by a friendly and knowledgeable
city of Austin ambassador. Our ambassadors are always ready to
answer any questions or assist you with any issue you may have
regarding the city of Austin's departments or services, 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. If you dial 3-1-1,
you can get an ambassador.
Now, let me just say, when an American citizen is in a
bind, they feel like they need to call 9-1-1, they need to be
sure--we, the people, need to be certain that there is a police
officer on the other end of that phone. The Austin example is
quite startling because it is happening across the country in
different ways.
After reviewing each of our first responders and law
enforcement witness testimonies today, there was a common
theme: Every witness here talks about the need for additional
resources.
So the answer to improving emergency response efforts,
including communications and interoperability across
departmental jurisdictional authority, has never been to
withdraw resources from our first responders. As a former cop,
I can assure the country that defunding the police is the
greatest threat to our Nation's ability to respond to
emergencies.
Sheriff DeLoach, I am going to ask you a question, and I am
going to call you Sheriff Gator DeLoach, because that is the
coolest name that has come through this committee in quite some
time. According to a post-Katrina FCC report, more than 1,000
cell sites were knocked out, preventing millions of calls from
going through. The report goes on to say, a large number of
transmission outages also had a huge impact on the ability of
public safety systems to communicate.
Your county is susceptible to hurricanes. I have first-hand
experience in the challenges that first responders face, that
cops face when dealing with the aftermath of a hurricane in
communications. Could you please explain to the committee how
hurricanes challenge the communications interoperability gap,
and how a county sheriff like yourself would respond to those
challenges and as that might relate to moves to defund the
police. I will yield the balance of my time to you, Sheriff
Gator, to answer that question for the country.
Mr. DeLoach. Thank you, Representative Higgins. That is an
excellent question. Yes, hurricanes are one of the biggest
threats that face our communications infrastructure systems. In
fact, that ties directly back in to my testimony, so I will
dovetail off of some of that.
Whenever we talk about a regional communications system and
regional approaches, we are actually in the process of
negotiating with St. Johns County, which is our sister county
to the east, to potentially develop a regional communications
center which would allow coastal counties like St. Johns to tie
into our system or rather us to tie into their system to build
additional redundancies and fail safes in the event that we
have some type of a catastrophic cell failure, which would
allow both entities to continue to operate independent of one
another while still depending on the same core or the same
common system, if that makes sense.
Mr. Higgins. Yes, Sheriff, that makes sense to me.
Madam Chair, I cannot see the clock. I don't know if I have
time remaining.
Mrs. Demings. You have 25 seconds left.
Mr. Higgins. Thank you, Madam Chair, for the clarification.
Sheriff, could you continue and comment, just talk to
America about the challenge that--there is some legitimate
argument, you understand, and it is OK for Americans to have
this debate. But would you just honestly respond from your
perspective to the attempt to defund police across the country?
Mrs. Demings. The gentleman's time has expired, but the
witness may answer the question.
Mr. DeLoach. Thank you, Madam Chair.
So, fortunately, living in rural northeast Florida, we
don't even have those discussions here. Law enforcement is
almost unilaterally respected by our citizens, and we are very
grateful for that.
My heart certainly goes out to my brothers and sisters in
blue who are experiencing some of those devastating blows to
their departments, and certainly even more so to the residents
who are suffering at the hands of the funds to--or the attempt
to defund police right now. It is un-American, in my opinion,
and shouldn't be tolerated.
Mrs. Demings. The Chair now recognizes the gentlewoman from
Texas, Ms. Jackson Lee, for 5 minutes.
Ms. Jackson Lee. I am trying to unmute.
Mrs. Demings. We can hear you now.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you so very much. Let me quickly----
Mrs. Demings. Ms. Jackson Lee, you are on two different
screens. Perhaps if we could eliminate one of them. There is
some feedback. I am going to give you a couple of seconds to do
that.
Ms. Jackson Lee. We have eliminated it, I think. We were
desperately trying to get on everywhere, but here we are.
Mrs. Demings. That is better. That is better. Go right
ahead.
Ms. Jackson Lee. I still see some jeopardy here so I better
talk very fast. First of all, Madam Chair, thank you so very
much. [Inaudible]
Mrs. Demings. Ms. Jackson Lee, we continue to have----
Ms. Jackson Lee. I want to thank you for the committee
hearing and the Ranking Member--[inaudible]
Mrs. Demings. Ms. Jackson Lee, we are still having some
communication issues. We are going to come back to you. We are
going to come back to you.
The Chair will now recognize the gentlewoman from New
Jersey, Mrs. Bonnie Watson Coleman, for 5 minutes.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you. Thank you, Madam
Chairwoman, and thank you to the witnesses.
I haven't had a chance to be here for the entire thing
because I was double-booked, as life is, but I am very much
concerned about this issue. You all represent very different
communities, but one thing you all have in common is the
vulnerability of being hacked by cyber criminals. Standard
communications systems are vulnerable to cyber attacks where
encrypted information can be intercepted and copied, and a
hacker can attack electronic devices used for information
transmission.
So let me ask you, Captain Maier, what are some of your
cybersecurity concerns, and do you feel as though DHS has been
as supportive as it needs to be with this mission?
Mr. Maier. Thank you, Congresswoman. That is the best
question I have had really related to cyber, what keeps me up
at night. Cyber intrusion is a serious threat, and it is a
scary consideration that we put this digital data, personal
information, all this information that is so essential to
criminal justice out on the internet and all these other places
and people are hacking in. It is a danger.
So one of the things we have done is we have said, look,
these need to be closed systems with controls at entry,
controls that have to do with credentialing and management,
controls that have to do with understanding the physical layers
of the network versus the logical layers of the network, and
those are the things that are built into the best systems out
there.
We look at some of the work that the CJIS through DHS and
through NIST and all of those agencies have really done, and we
are talking about risk identification, whether it is assets,
data, and those capabilities. Putting that all together for us,
we protect it, we detect it, we then respond and then we
recover. That is how we do things, and those are the best
systems.
But remember, the most important thing is our employees and
the people that work for us. We have to do the training, and we
have to make sure that they have the information available to
say this is a scam, don't respond to that email. We have all
seen them--or the telephone calls, and DHS has been on the
front of that. Especially having the folks from CISA, they are
actually able to work with us in southeast Michigan. It has
been very important for us and it is effective.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you. Thank you, Captain. We want
to make sure that you have whatever resources and whatever
support that you need from DHS and----
Mr. Maier. Thank you, ma'am. We appreciate your help and
the work of those professionals.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Well, you know, please know that we
are strong supporters of the resources that you need. We are
strong supporters of law enforcement across this country, and
we don't engage in hyperbole or politicization of the
protection of our citizens through its law enforcement.
I have a question for Dr. Rodriguez. Dr. Rodriguez, always
good to see you. You know, the attack that took place on
January 6 was just sort-of unexpected and--I think it was--I
don't know. Maybe--it certainly was unacceptable and it was
unexpected with people like me. I personally said, let's go to
the Capitol because we will be safe there, and lo and behold,
that was like the worst place we could have been on that day.
So Dr. Rodriguez, I want to ask you, could you please
describe the current communications operation in our Nation's
capital and detail what systems worked on January 6 and what
systems caused challenges and where we are in fixing those?
Thank you.
Mr. Rodriguez. Thank you, Congresswoman, and I appreciate
the question. It is good to see you as well.
As I mentioned in my opening statements, the FirstNet
system did work reliably and consistently on January 6, which I
think did assist our first responders, the Metropolitan Police
Department, Capitol Police in doing what they needed to do to
clear the Capitol of the insurrectionists.
I would also add that there are some, as I mentioned also,
our D.C. radio system did work well, as well, on the 6th. We do
continue to look for ways that we can better partner with our
Federal counterparts, our police, the Capitol Police, in order
to make sure that there is that interoperable communications
with our Federal partners.
Because oftentimes, you know, with our First Amendment
events and special events we host here in the Nation's capital,
we do need to make sure that we are able to communicate very
quickly with our Federal counterparts because we are called on
to support them in many instances.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Dr. Rodriguez.
Madam Chair, how much time do I have?
Mrs. Demings. The gentlewoman's time has expired.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. OK. Can I just close with a question
that--can I just close maybe with a comment, because Dr.
Rodriguez raised for me something that was really quite
significant, in that Washington was ready and able to respond
in a timely manner at the point that it knew it needed to
respond.
So the question that's still needed to be answered is why
weren't we proactively prepared?
Thank you, Madam Chair, and I yield back.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much. The gentlewoman yields
back.
The Chair now recognizes the gentlewoman from Iowa, Mrs.
Miller-Meeks, for 5 minutes.
Mrs. Miller-Meeks. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you,
Ranking Member Cammack.
To all of our witnesses, our first responders, our
firefighters, our sheriffs, all of you who are here with us
today, it is greatly appreciated the work that you do.
Now, you know, Sheriff Gator DeLoach, you mentioned
response to hurricanes and how that affects you. Others of you
have mentioned other disasters, how they affect your different
regions. In Iowa, we don't get hurricanes unless they are
called derechos, which are inland hurricanes.
So some of the comments that I have heard today have talked
about resiliency, and I have heard a lot about the FirstNet
system and using, you know, cellular communication.
But in a derecho, I can tell you that here in Iowa and
central Iowa, in fact, at some of our larger cities, and
cellular towers, cellular communication was unavailable. As a
State senator, I have, you know, put through legislation for
broadband. Our Governor, Governor Reynolds, has just put
through $100 million to broadband.
So my question really, and, Dr. Rodriguez, maybe you can
answer this or Sheriff DeLoach can answer, you know, in order
to have resiliency, should we not have also redundancy of
communications systems, because the same natural or unnatural
disaster is not going to affect both areas?
This also leads into the cybersecurity arena as well. You
know, what is the possibility of satellites being taken out in
outer space? What does that do to our communications system? We
have seen U.S. companies purchased by the Chinese Communist
Party, and if a Chinese Communist Party purchases a U.S. system
or, for example, Huawei and 5G as it is being developed and the
challenges with Huawei and security, I think all of these
things are important as we develop a communications system and
strategy, and hopefully we will see that in this upcoming
report.
So if Dr. Rodriguez and Sheriff DeLoach could answer that
question briefly, it would be greatly appreciated.
Mr. Rodriguez. Sheriff, I will defer to you and then I will
come in after you, if that is all right.
Mr. DeLoach. Certainly, thank you. That is an excellent
question. I think one of the key components to focus on here is
with the FirstNet build-out, which coincidentally is almost
complete in Putnam County, and we are nearing the final stages
of completion here.
One of the things that FirstNet brings that makes it so
attractive is an additional layer of redundancy above and
beyond our land mobile radio system, which allows it to serve
as an adjunct to our traditional radio system and even allows
us to transmit data that we would normally transmit over our
digital land mobile radio systems over cellular or LTE network.
With that in mind and with the particular types of storms
that you are talking about, you know, it is difficult to build
out some type of infrastructure that could survive some type of
a, you know, a catastrophic, really powerful, major hurricane
or some type of a 500-year storm. But that was something that
FirstNet actually took into consideration whenever they were in
the design and engineering phase, so certainly credit goes to
them and everyone who had a hand in that.
Mrs. Miller-Meeks. Thank you. Before you answer, Dr.
Rodriguez, you know, we have recently seen with the outage of
Facebook, we know that these types of redundancies are
necessary because one communication avenue may be susceptible.
So, Dr. Rodriguez, if you would expand upon that and thank you,
again, for your testimony.
Mr. Rodriguez. Absolutely. Thank you, Congresswoman. Thank
you, Sheriff. We fought--in the District, our interoperability
coordinator really develops our plan, and it is really based on
the PACE framework, right, the primary which is our radio
system, the alternate which is our cell system, our
contingencies would be satellite, and then our emergency in a
worst-case scenario would be amateur radio runners. So we
follow that framework for our communications ecosystem here and
certainly with the National Capital Region, and we plan and we
train to that.
The other thing I would say is, you know, at the National
level--you were talking about State actors too, Congresswoman--
I think as the National government, the Federal Government
really examines National resiliency, particularly as part of
its continuity of the economy framework, as was mandated in
last year's NDAA in section 9603, I think it is really
important for State and local authorities to be part of that
planning process and that training process so that they know
sort-of at the last mile and how it does impact the residents,
States, and local jurisdictions. Thank you.
Mrs. Miller-Meeks. These are excellent points. Thank you so
much for your testimony.
Madam Chair, thank you for indulging them to answer the
questions despite my time having expired, and I yield back.
Mrs. Demings. The gentlewoman yields back.
The Chair now recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms.
Jackson Lee, for 5 minutes.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Madam Chair, can you all hear me now?
Mrs. Demings. Yes, we can.
Ms. Jackson Lee. OK. Well, I could have a sense of humor
about operating on 2 and 3 and 4 devices trying to get into
this hearing, but I was hearing it, and it is an important
hearing. So I want to, again, thank you very much for your
leadership, two Floridians and the Ranking Member, and I
appreciate the fact that we have a combination, very important
combination of police departments and fire departments in our
Chair and Ranking Member.
I support both in terms of the vital work that they do.
Coming from Texas and coming from Houston and being in the eye
of disasters, we have had to rely upon the teams working
together.
Let me give a brief anecdote as I raise my questions to the
witnesses that are there. I was in the United States Capitol on
9/11. I was told by then-Capitol Police, the first voices we
heard to get out and run as we saw them doing their job.
It was well-known that the first level of information was
not any information, because we did not have the connectedness
that we needed. Rumors were that they were headed toward the
White House, the Capitol, the State Department, and as well
that they were headed to Houston, Texas, because it was the
energy capital of the world.
So I first-hand understand clearly, and contrary to my dear
friend from Louisiana, Mr. Higgins, that we cities and
communities, we support police with funding. We understand and
you should understand that there are issues that would involve
the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, but we are supportive
of the basic infrastructure of law enforcement in this Nation,
and that is all Americans who cede themselves to the authority
of law enforcement and first responders, fire departments, as
they do their job.
So let me ask this general question that may have been
asked but I can ask in a different way. It is all about
infrastructure. It is all about the connectedness that you need
to communicate. In our visit to 9/11, we were so much reminded
of what happened with the firefighters, heroic--running up
those stairs and how different systems cannot communicate.
So I understand we are still on the 1960's and 1970's
infrastructure. Give us just your point of what we need to do
immediately. There is a funding question. There is a technology
question. I know that you have been answering, but give it to
me in a pointed way so that we can end this in 2021 that you
have been in dealing with for this long period of time.
I would be delighted to have the witnesses answer these
questions if they would. Do I need to call on the deputy chief
of the fire department, Seattle, and then others who could
answer? Thank you.
Mr. Lombard. Thank you, Congresswoman.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Chief Lombard, there you are.
Mr. Lombard. Thank you, Congresswoman. So one of the
things--you mentioned the technology, but I can't emphasize
enough the people aspect, that making sure that we have--the
people that we know that we have to talk to.
When I went down to Hurricane Harvey, one of the first
phone calls I was able to make was to Todd Early, your SWIC,
your State-wide interoperability coordinator, and Ken Wright,
who works with the Houston Fire Department. By contacting them,
I was able to find out who I needed to talk to to find out and
facilitate the communications infrastructure, what is working,
what is not, what can we bring, how can we help you.
DHS's support of SAFECOM in the FirstNet Public Safety
Advisory Committee are two great examples where you, as
Congress, are bringing us together so that we can make those
connections, make those relationships so that when disaster
does come we know who to contact on the ground.
Ms. Jackson Lee. So Chief Maier, Sheriff Maier, what is
your assessment of the greater work that we can do for law
enforcement and the connectivity that you need?
Speak about connectivity between different first
responders, such as connectivity with fire departments in
addition to police departments or law enforcement. Chief Maier.
Mr. Maier. Thank you, Congresswoman. Go ahead. Oh, I am
sorry. Can you hear me OK?
Ms. Jackson Lee. Yes, I can hear you now.
Mr. Maier. Sorry. Thank you, ma'am. Congresswoman, thank
you for giving me a chance to talk about this. One of the most
important things that Deputy Chief Lombard talked about was
that communication planning process, and that is a fact. DHS
has been a leader on this.
Continued funding and support of SAFECOM, where I served in
the funding and sustainment, where we developed how to have
radio systems that are not just interconnected but were truly
interoperable, because we understood, as you stated, we have to
talk to the police, the fire, the EMS, and all of the public
safety people that support us, those relationships and in the
planning process are the single most important thing to move
forward.
Technology can be leveraged, most certainly. We have
diversity. We include resilience in our systems. As the sheriff
talked about in Florida, we can have alternate locations to
have our emergency communications centers, so that if they are
affected, they don't take off the entire communications system,
just part of it that is affected. We work around those. That is
what we plan to do. Your continued support and funding of DHS
SAFECOM and the efforts that we are doing will help keep us on
the right path forward.
Mrs. Demings. The gentlewoman's time has expired. Thank you
so much.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you so very much for this hearing.
Mrs. Demings. The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from
Texas, Mr. Green, for 5 minutes.
Mr. Green. Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and I thank
the Ranking Member as well. I am very appreciative that we have
such outstanding witnesses today to share intelligence with us.
This is one of those times when I think we can all agree
that the success of what we are attempting to accomplish is
going to be of great benefit not only in terms of
interoperability as it relates to fire and police, which is
very important, because I was here when Katrina hit. I remember
how we had the lack of interoperability at that time, and this
is very important.
But also, I am concerned about interoperability as it
relates to the general public, because there are times when the
lines, the means of communication by way of cell phone, they
are oversaturated. That oversaturation leaves the public
without an opportunity to ascertain what the salient issues
are.
So I am interested in getting some sense of how we are
interconnecting with interoperability as it relates to the
general public. I will start with Mr. Christopher Rodriguez.
Dr. Rodriguez, your thoughts on the public and how we phase the
public into all of this, because many times I am being called
upon and I can't get through to the people that need to know.
Mr. Rodriguez. Yes, thank you very much, Congressman Green,
for the question. I think it is important to look at the public
as part of a larger emergency communications ecosystem that of
which they are a part of it.
So from our perspective in the District, I mentioned
earlier in my comments about the ways that we try to reach the
public as a city and actually as a region. We do have a
regional watch-and-warn notification team that actually sits in
the District that will alert the National Capital Region
residents, of which there are nearly 6 million, if you include
the District and surrounding counties. So we can reach them.
But also, they need to know how to reach us if there are
issues that they need to bring in emergencies or disasters,
whether it is reporting suspicious activities or letting us
know that, you know, a road is closed or a traffic accident has
happened. So we do a lot of communication with the public to
make sure they know how to sign up for our alerts, how to get
direct feeds from authorities, but also how to communicate with
us as well.
Mr. Green. Let me share an additional concern. When we have
had hurricanes here in Houston, I get a lot of calls to my
office about electric wires, power lines that are down, and
they are out in the street and they are bouncing around. The
public needs to get help--needs to get somebody out to take
care of these wires, and they call my office. So there is an
additional reason for this. This was the thing that came to
mind when it was called to my attention. So that is important.
But let me move on and ask the honorable H.D.--is it
DeLoach? DeLoach. Can you comment on this, Sheriff?
Mr. DeLoach. Yes, sir. Just to dovetail on what Dr.
Rodriguez was talking about, you know, that presents a
significant challenge in a rural community, you know, not
unlike your area where we are frequently faced with hurricanes
and significant storms. I think the early warning is key
because there is that knowledge we have from past storms that
typically there is some infrastructure failures there.
So I think that really what is key to this conversation
that early warning and notification prior to the impact of the
actual storm so that residents can put protective measures in
place and evacuate the areas if they are in low-lying areas.
Not unlike any other place, we use a multifaceted approach
when it comes to communication. We rely heavily on social
media, an early warning system and also a messaging system and
reverse
9-1-1 system to push out those messages. But I think there
still needs to be some significant works that is done as far as
building redundancy and resiliency into those systems so that
they function even when conditions are less than optimal.
Mr. Green. Well, I have about 25 seconds left, according to
my timer. I don't have the actual timer. So let me just share
this thought with you. My uncle was a deputy sheriff, and I
attribute my success in life to him because of some sage advice
that he gave me.
So I want to let you know how much I appreciate the persons
who are in law enforcement, fire departments, the constables,
the various members of the constabulary who are out there
putting your lives on the line to make sure we are safe.
Sometimes you go above and beyond the call of duty even when it
is not required for you to go above and beyond the call of it,
so thank you very much.
Thank you, Madam Chair, again, for your sage advice that
you have given us as we have gone through this process as well.
Thank you, everyone.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much. The gentleman yields back.
We do have time for a second round of questioning if the
Members so desire. I want to thank our witnesses for the
outstanding job and information that you have given us today.
You know, I will begin with myself.
One of the things that I said in my opening statement was
Members of Congress have an important role to play. We have an
important role to play, and today we are here to assess our
progress over the last 20 years to ensure that our first
responders and emergency management personnel have the
resources to effectively respond to tragedies and to protect
human life, to protect the American people. I thank you for
staying focused today on that goal and on that purpose.
We never want a vicious and cowardly attack like we saw on
9/11 to ever happen to us again. That is not a political goal.
That should be everybody's goal. So I want to thank you for
what you have added to this conversation and the information
that you have given us as Members of Congress who are laser-
focused on making sure that you have the resources that you
need.
A part of that, of course, are the DHS grants. I would just
like to ask all of the witnesses, how has the DHS preparedness
grants, such as UASI and State Homeland Security Program,
helped further develop your communication strategies? I would
like to ask all of the witnesses, and, Dr. Rodriguez, we will
start with you.
Mr. Rodriguez. Thank you. I appreciate the question,
Congresswoman. The preparedness grants are an essential part of
our ability to be interoperable. Since 2003, the National
Capital Region has received about $1.2 billion in preparedness
grants, of which close to $300 million has been spent to
upgrade our radio systems and make them more interoperable.
Most of the--but that doesn't tell the whole story, right,
because there are a lot of local budgets that are impacted by
having to upgrade radio systems every year, and then we do a
large replacement of our regional cash every 10 years. So that
cost is about $10 million per year to just do upgrades to the
system.
The other challenge that we have, and we appreciate the
subcommittee's assistance on this, is, of course, FEMA putting
in place mandatory minimums for what we have to spend the grant
on. I think as we enter, you know, a period of where we have to
be very flexible, the mandatory minimums--which account for
about 30 percent of the grants that all the UASI regions get,
kind-of put these limits on what it is we can spend on when, in
my view, we need to remain flexible and nimble, particularly
for State and local jurisdictions.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much, Dr. Rodriguez.
Chief Lombard.
Mr. Lombard. Thank you very much, Chair. The grants have
been phenomenal, and, in fact, they have been absolutely
essential, certainly for our region. You know, we are not just
buying equipment, although the equipment is very important. We
have been able to, you know, get over the hump so to speak as
far as speeding up processes to make sure that our radio
systems intertwine to all of those radio systems around us at
the State, the local, the level, the Tribal level, and whatnot.
But, additionally, they have actually helped us as far as
training and exercises. So the equipment is only as good as
your ability to know what you are using and working. So we have
over the years had multiple training and exercise scenarios
where we actually got to use the equipment and practice talking
to each other before the big disaster.
Then in the usage, we have been able to use the grants to
get together committees to work on policy so that we know, you
know, on game day, here is what I need to do, here is where I
need to go.
So, again, you know, the policy, the equipment, the usage,
putting the governance committees, it has all got to work
together. The grants have been instrumental in making that
happen, certainly in our region and many like ours.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you.
Sheriff DeLoach, I grew up in a rural part of Jacksonville,
in Mandarin. I am sure you are familiar with that area. But I
so appreciate what you said the scenario of, you know, the
challenges may be different, the amount of support that you get
may be different, but you are responding to the same calls,
enforcing the same laws. So the level of service that you are
expected to give is really the same. Could you talk a little
bit about the importance of grants in your area?
Mr. DeLoach. Certainly. Thank you again, Madam Chair. The
unfortunate reality is is that typically what we see, at least
in Florida, with regard to UASI and DHS monies is that they are
typically funded--or funneled toward the more urban areas down
in Broward County and the southern part of the State and even
into Duval and Orange Counties.
I understand the importance of protecting those
infrastructures and ports and some of the assets that we have
in those more populous areas, but sometimes it feels as if some
of the more rural areas in Florida and in across the Nation
often are overlooked or can't meet the demands of the reporting
requirements and other demands the grants place on us.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you, Sheriff.
Last but not least, Captain Maier.
Mr. Maier. One of the things we see with the UASI funding
is it is essential to help us move forward, especially since 9/
11. The funding, while it has been reduced, it has stabilized
the last few years. We would just ask that you continue funding
that moving forward. To align really with what you had said
earlier, with 25--[inaudible]
Mrs. Demings. Captain Maier, we are having some audio--are
you----
Mr. Maier. Communications----
Mrs. Demings. OK.
Mr. Maier. Subcommittee. With the interoperable
communications subcommittee, we have seen our amount of that
shrink too.
But Chris Lombard is correct; we have addressed more
training issues rather than equipment-related. But here is the
thing, through that grant guidance we are able to give the best
direction possible to avoid those proprietary interfaces and
those raw connections for some of these communication packages.
We would be in a much better position. Thank you for supporting
us on that.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much.
The Chair now recognizes the Ranking Member, Mrs. Cammack,
for 5 minutes.
Mrs. Cammack. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. You hit on one
of the issues that I really wanted to bring to light and
discuss today, which is the challenges that some of our rural
communities have with these grants. So many of them are really
just unattainable from a number of vantage points, one being
they don't meet the requirements.
In Putnam County, for example, and Sheriff DeLoach can
speak to this, we have the main city Palatka, which is exactly
400 people over the threshold for certain grants for low
population areas. So because of that they have the exact same
struggles that very small, rural communities have, but that 400
person over the limit has excluded them from a number of grants
putting them in a pile to compete with cities like
Jacksonville, Orlando, or Miami.
So, Sheriff DeLoach, I would love for you to just touch on
this. I just went through about 28 pages of available grants
through DHS, and it looks like Putnam County and several of the
rural communities--and as was mentioned earlier, you know, 97
percent of America is rural. One in 5 Americans live in rural
America. When you look at that list of available DHS grants,
communities, and rural communities only are eligible to apply
to about 10 to 15 percent of those.
Can you talk about how you guys are getting creative and
what we could be doing to open up that grant a little bit more
so that we are covering both the urban areas but also the rural
communities?
Mr. DeLoach. Certainly. I will say this as a qualifier
prior to answering the question, you know, certainly when it
comes to grants and reporting requirements, I understand the
need for accountability. But whenever I manage an organization
like mine where we have 256 full-time employees, a complete
complement of 308 full- and part-time employees, it is
difficult when you contrast us with someone down in south
Florida where they have a staff and several thousand people and
perhaps, you know, an entire floor and a building dedicated to
management of grants. Unfortunately, those are just resources
that we don't have available to us.
Like you just said a few minutes ago, because of the
quagmire that we are placed in because of that awkward stage in
growth where we are now, it knocks us out of eligibility for
many of them. So I would ask each of you to reconsider those
eligibility requirements to open them up to some of rural
America so that we have access to that money.
Mrs. Cammack. Thank you, Sheriff.
This question is for Chief Lombard. So in your testimony
you had highlighted that SAFECOM had been critical to improving
interoperability. You also highlighted how SAFECOM is one of
the first organizations to bring together representatives from
public safety associations as well as emergency responders in
the field.
Can you talk a little bit more about how important it is to
have buy-in from the emergency responders in the field and
across all spectrums, rank-and-file, all the way up to
management when discussing things like SAFECOM or the National
emergency communications plan?
As a caveat to that, can you also talk about, from your
perspective, do you think that rural America is represented
accurately and adequately in these discussions when you are
building this out?
Mr. Lombard. Absolutely. So one of the key points that you
captured on, Congresswoman, was that, you know, first response
is only effective in so much as the secondary response is able
to sustain the events. So one of the things that SAFECOM has
done that has been so well-received is to actually bring in
those other parties.
So, for example, a dear friend of mine, Phillip Mann, who
is the public works director at Gainesville, Florida,
represents public works throughout the United States,
recognizing that, you know, when we are talking about
interoperability issues, when we are talking about sustaining
the response, the police, fire, and EMS, and 9-1-1 are doing,
being able to bring in experts like Director Mann and talk
about, OK, if you want to keep the water on the big fire, if
you want to keep the roads open--how are we going to be able
to, you know, communicate to us and for continuing that dialog?
SAFECOM really strives to maintain a really diverse group
as far as, again, Federal, State, local people are brought
together, responders are brought together, not just big cities.
There is a lot of smaller, more rural areas that are brought
together too, because one of the things that we find at the end
of the day is that even though some of us are bigger or
smaller, so many of these issues are the same. It is just a
matter of scaling.
The western United States, 50 percent or almost 50 percent
of the land is all Federal out here, so you don't have to go
too far outside of the big cities on the West Coast before you
get into some very rural area. As you know, with the wildland
fires every year, we are going there a lot.
So it is--again, the--you know, the funding and the support
that the Federal Government has gotten or put forth on helping
us facilitate those relationships, I think, the bang for the
buck that we have been getting is just amazing as far as
bringing us together and letting us collectively work our
problems out. Hopefully that answers your question.
Mrs. Cammack. No, that does.
Thank you, Chairwoman Demings, and thank you to all of our
witnesses here today. This is an issue that is important in
every single one of our Congressional districts, and we want to
make sure that we are working effectively and efficiently in
delivering real solutions that meet the needs on the ground. So
I look forward to continuing that work. Thank you,
Congresswoman Demings and Chairwoman, for allowing a second
round of questions.
Mrs. Demings. I want to thank the Ranking Member. Of
course, I too look forward to continuing the work with you and
other Members of this subcommittee to make sure that we are
being responsive to the needs of all America, particularly
looking at grant eligibility. So I look forward to that work.
I want to know if there are any additional Members who
would like to ask questions? The Chair now recognizes the
gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Jackson Lee, for 5 minutes.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you, Madam Chair. I would--and thank
you again for the hearing, along with the Ranking Member.
I am going to ask Director Rodriguez, and I certainly want
to express my appreciation. So obviously, January 6 was an
extreme day for all of us, and it drew on everybody for America
to see Americans attacking our first responders in a way that
it was unspeakable.
But to the coordination question that I am consumed with, I
want to ask the question, maybe again, dealing with FirstNet,
because you stated ultimately this collaboration and their
dedicated bandwidth allowed FirstNet to perform reliably for
our first responders on January 6. We are in the process of
working with FirstNet to acquire two of our own units, which
will contribute and self-sufficiency for the district emergency
communications.
I know that you might not pointedly be able to comment, but
I do understand amongst our Capitol Police, for example, they
were speaking about some interoperability, and it is important
that the team in the District of Columbia can all communicate,
that would be the Capitol Police, other Federal authorities,
and all of you.
Can you just speak to the requiring of more funding so that
Congress can--and how we can--I am sorry--approve the funding
on how to secure this competency and also with FirstNet, and
what you might need. Director? Thank you very much.
Mr. Rodriguez. Yes, thank you, Representative Jackson Lee.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Dr. Rodriguez.
Mr. Rodriguez. Yes. Can you hear me OK?
Ms. Jackson Lee. Yes, absolutely.
Mrs. Demings. Representative Jackson Lee, you did have some
communication issues, but I hope Dr. Rodriguez was able to hear
enough to be able to respond to your question.
Mr. Rodriguez. Yeah, thank you, Representative.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Did you--OK. Thank you.
Mr. Rodriguez. OK. No problem. So thank you for the
question. Certainly, during January 6, as I mentioned, FirstNet
did operate consistently and reliably. We--at the time, U.S.
Capitol Police was not on FirstNet. Again, any questions about
getting them on or what the plan is to do that, I would have to
refer to the Capitol Police for that. But I do know that
following the 6th of January, we did sort-of reemphasize the
importance of communication, of interoperability, but also
operational planning.
You will recall, just less than 3 weeks ago, there was a
lot of concern over the September 18 protests that were coming
to the District, and I know a lot of security was put up around
the Capitol. Capitol Police did engage in an extensive
interagency effort to make sure that both local, State, and
Federal law enforcement agencies were all on the same page.
We did institute and use at that time the National Capital
Region's tactical plan, which allowed for interoperability
across the radio channels, which really helped us. So we
learned a lot from January 6 in terms of communications, so we
continue to work with our Federal partners to make sure that we
just keep refining and building out that capability.
Ms. Jackson Lee. So if I might, can you hear me? Would it
be helpful that all of the components, including the Capitol
Police, have FirstNet in a place that is so visited, so much
potential target, and so much a singular entity, which is the
Capitol of the United States and certainly the home of the
residents of the District of Columbia? How important is that to
have that resource?
Mr. Rodriguez. Yes, ma'am, I think it is very important.
Any effort that drives us toward greater interoperability and
coordination is always a good thing.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr. Rodriguez. I would also add----
Ms. Jackson Lee. I will yield back.
Oh, go ahead. Go ahead, Director.
Mr. Rodriguez. I would also just add that, in addition to
radio, video and data is also an important component of that as
well.
Mrs. Demings. The gentlewoman yields back.
With that, I want to thank all of our witnesses for your
invaluable testimony today and for your service every day. I
want to thank our Members for their questions.
Additionally, without objection, I would now like to submit
a statement for the record from the Major Cities Chiefs
Association. The Members of the subcommittee may have
additional--the Members--I am sorry. We submit this statement
for the record.
[The information follows:]
Statement of Art Acevedo, President, Major Cities Chiefs Association
October 7, 2021
Chairwoman Demings, Ranking Member Cammack, and distinguished
Members of the subcommittee: Thank you for the opportunity to submit
this testimony for the record. In addition to being the chief of police
in Miami, Florida, I also serve as president of the Major Cities Chiefs
Association (MCCA). The MCCA is a professional association of police
chiefs and sheriffs representing the largest cities in the United
States and Canada.
Last month, we commemorated the 20th anniversary of the 9/11
attacks. We must never forget those who lost their lives on that
terrible day. We must continue to honor the brave first responders in
New York, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville who made the ultimate
sacrifice to ensure others made it to safety. We must continue to
support those heroes, who came from across the country, as they
continue to battle health complications and other traumas stemming from
their selfless actions during the response and recovery. Finally, we
must remain vigilant as the threat environment facing the homeland
becomes more complex, so the American people never again experience
such tragedy.
Local law enforcement is the front-line response, whether it be a
terrorist attack, natural disaster, or global pandemic. Effective
communications play a critical role in coordinating and executing the
public safety response to a given incident. In the aftermath of 9/11,
deficient and non-interoperable public safety communications were
identified as shortcomings that needed to be addressed. The 9/11
Commission found that:
``The inability to communicate was a critical element at the World
Trade Center, Pentagon, and Somerset County, Pennsylvania, crash sites
. . . the occurrence of this problem at three very different sites is
strong evidence that compatible and adequate communications among
public safety organizations at the local, State, and Federal levels
remains an important problem.''\1\
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\1\ The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United
States, The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National
Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, July 24, 2004,
pg. 397.
While significant progress has been made to improve public safety
communications over the last 20 years, there are still several
outstanding issues. My testimony will provide a local law enforcement
perspective on these remaining challenges and offer a few suggestions
on how they may be addressed.
next generation 9-1-1
Nine-one-one systems are critical infrastructure in every
community. It is ingrained in us from a young age to dial those numbers
if we ever find ourselves in an emergency. Millions of Americans every
year depend on these systems to dispatch help in their time of need.
Considering the importance of 9-1-1 systems, most people are surprised
to learn they are underfunded and technologically inadequate. Many
9-1-1 systems throughout the country rely on decades-old landline
technology--things like copper wires and conventional switches. One
could reasonably argue that the smartphones we all carry in our pockets
are more advanced and have more capabilities than some of the 9-1-1
systems public safety agencies currently operate.
Upgrading our Nation's 9-1-1 systems to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG
9-1-1) systems is sorely needed and long overdue. NG 9-1-1 will enable
faster and more efficient emergency responses, make first responders
and the communities they serve safer, and allow law enforcement and
public safety professionals to better meet the needs and expectations
of the tech-enabled, 21st Century American public. For example, NG 9-1-
1 will enable dispatch centers to receive a variety of multimedia and
other rich data from callers and seamlessly share it with first
responders in the field. The benefits of this capability are endless.
Live videos of a crime scene could help law enforcement more quickly
identify where a suspect is located. Photos from a burning building can
assist firefighters with determining what rescue equipment is needed.
Health information sent from a smartphone or smartwatch can assist EMS
and hospitals with preparing treatments before a patient is in their
care. The ability to utilize advanced data is just one of NG 9-1-1's
many benefits. Simply put, upgrading to NG 9-1-1 will save lives.
To help raise awareness and advocate for NG 9-1-1, approximately 2
years ago, the MCCA helped found the Public Safety Next Generation 9-1-
1 Coalition. The Coalition consists of the leadership of many of
America's major law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical
services, labor unions, and public safety communications associations.
The goal of the Coalition is to work with Congress and other key
stakeholders to ensure the right policies are in place and secure the
requisite resources to bring about a Nation-wide upgrade of existing 9-
1-1 systems to next generation systems. As part of its efforts, the
Coalition established a set of first principles. These principles must
be incorporated into any NG 9-1-1 upgrade to ensure public safety
professionals and the communities we serve can realize the full
benefits of this technology. The Coalition's first principles are:
NG 9-1-1 should be technologically and competitively neutral
and use commonly-accepted standards that do not lead to
proprietary solutions that hamper interoperability, make mutual
aid between agencies less effective, limit choices, or increase
costs.
Development of program requirements, grant guidance,
application criteria, and rules regarding NG 9-1-1 grants
should be guided by an advisory board of public safety
practitioners and 9-1-1 professionals.
NG 9-1-1 must be fully funded to ensure it is deployed
throughout the country in an effective, innovative, and secure
manner and to enable NG 9-1-1 implementation training Nation-
wide.
The process for allocating funds to localities should be
efficient, Federal overhead costs should be minimized, and
grant conditions should not be onerous or extraneous and should
be targeted to achieve important objectives including
interoperability and sustainability.
Cybersecurity of NG 9-1-1 systems should be a primary
consideration.
Incentives for increased efficiency of NG 9-1-1 functions,
including through shared technology and regional collaboration,
should be included.
While all the Coalition's first principles are important, I want to
focus on interoperability. A lack of interoperability is one of the
most significant flaws with current 9-1-1 systems, as 9-1-1 centers
cannot quickly transfer calls to other centers. Instead, public safety
communications professionals typically need to facilitate the transfer
manually. As a result, the individual who called for help often needs
to tell their story again to the dispatcher at the new center. Every
second counts when responding to an emergency, and the delays created
by a lack of interoperability can be the difference between life and
death.
Roughly 80 percent of 9-1-1 calls are now made from cell phones. In
many instances, the 9-1-1 center that receives the call is based on the
location of the cell tower that processed the call. It should be noted
that while wireless carriers and device manufacturers have developed
and implemented features to route calls based on the device's actual
location, it is not always possible to direct calls via this method.\2\
MCCA member agencies typically border multiple jurisdictions, which
complicates the challenges related to interoperability. MCCA members
can provide numerous examples of calls for service in their cities,
especially near jurisdictional boundaries, being routed to 9-1-1
centers in neighboring areas. One member located near the State line
has indicated that emergency calls are sometimes routed to a 9-1-1
center in another State.
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\2\ Mark Reddish, ``New Progress for Getting Wireless 9-1-1 Calls
to the Right ECC,'' APCO International, September 26, 2019. https://
www.apcointl.org/2019/09/26/new-progress-for-getting-wireless-9-1-1-
calls-to-the-right-ecc/.
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The upgrade from landline to IP-based technology, known as ESInets,
is the backbone of an NG 9-1-1 upgrade. This is an important step but
is not enough on its own to solve interoperability issues. As 9-1-1
systems are upgraded to NG 9-1-1, these new systems must be
technologically and competitively neutral. NG 9-1-1 systems also must
use commonly accepted standards and cannot rely on proprietary
solutions. If we fail to do this, we risk ending up in a situation that
shares many of the challenges public safety agencies are currently
experiencing with land mobile radios. I will discuss those issues in
greater detail later in my testimony.
Traditionally, 9-1-1 operations are a State and local function.
Unfortunately, this has created a situation of ``haves and have-nots,''
where 9-1-1 system capabilities vary dramatically between States and
communities. Given the immense public safety value, we must ensure that
all of America, from the largest cities to the most rural counties, can
upgrade to NG 9-1-1 systems as soon as possible. It will be tough to
efficiently implement this upgrade Nation-wide without an investment of
Federal resources. The cost of this upgrade goes well beyond the
infrastructure and technology NG 9-1-1 systems need to operate. There
are also costs associated with other critical components, such as
training dispatchers and other personnel on these new systems and
implementing vital cybersecurity measures to ensure the systems cannot
be taken off-line by malicious actors. Federal assistance for NG 9-1-1
systems must be sufficient enough to address all aspects of the
upgrade. Otherwise, it may further cement the status quo of ``haves and
have-nots.'' It may also inhibit public safety from addressing all
existing challenges with current 9-1-1 systems or fully capitalizing on
the new capabilities NG 9-1-1 systems provide.
The Coalition worked closely with the House, Senate, and other
stakeholders to secure funding for NG 9-1-1 in the reconciliation
package that Congress is developing. These resources will be
instrumental in ensuring that all communities have a secure, resilient,
interoperable, and reliable way of receiving, processing, and
responding to requests for emergency assistance. The MCCA strongly
encourages all Members of Congress to support the NG 9-1-1 portion of
this legislation.
radio interoperability
Land mobile two-way radios are law enforcement officers' primary
communication tool. During calls for service, officers rely on their
radios to stay connected and share and receive information with
dispatch centers, command staff, and other officers in the field. The
ability to communicate seamlessly helps ensure that the law enforcement
response to an emergency is as effective and safe as possible for all
parties involved.
While there are few issues with intra-agency communications,
interagency communications can be complex, especially among agencies
using conventional radio systems. Conventional radios use radio bands
that are typically based on the user's operational needs. For example,
police departments in metropolitan areas may use ultra-high frequency
(UHF) radios due to UHF's ability to permeate buildings. However,
departments in rural areas might use very high frequency (VHF) radios
due to VHF's ability to transmit information over long distances.
Conventional systems are not interoperable, as an agency using a UHF
system cannot communicate with an agency utilizing a VHF system without
deploying additional technology, often at great expense.
Considering these challenges, many MCCA member agencies have
developed and implemented workarounds to facilitate interagency
communications. These solutions do have some shortcomings that can
impact their effectiveness. One workaround is to install patches that
allow radio systems to take incoming communications from one band and
rebroadcast them out on another band. However, for an officer to
receive these communications, they must be in range of a radio tower or
repeater that uses the same band as their radio. This may result in a
loss of interoperability if the officer is outside of their usual area
of operations.
The workarounds to achieve interoperability are also incredibly
expensive, which limits how widely agencies can deploy them. For
example, one MCCA member purchased dual-band radios that could utilize
UHF and VHF but could only afford to put them in patrol cars.
Therefore, these officers lose access to interoperable communications
as soon as they leave their vehicles. While these kinds of solutions do
represent some progress, they do not represent full interoperability.
Despite the
9/11 Commission's recommendation, challenges related to
interoperability have simply been patched, not solved.
The lack of interoperable communications can present several
operational challenges whenever multiple agencies are responding to an
incident. This is especially troubling for the MCCA, as our member
agencies operate in major urban centers with numerous other law
enforcement and public safety agencies. MCCA members work closely with
these agencies to facilitate mutual aid requests and respond to
incidents that cross-jurisdictional boundaries. Furthermore, police
often respond jointly with our fire department and EMS colleagues to
traffic accidents, fires, and medical emergencies. The inability to
easily communicate with each other adds yet another layer of complexity
to these joint responses.
Public safety agencies would significantly benefit by moving from
conventional to digital radio systems. Digital systems create
efficiencies and allow more users to operate on fewer frequencies. Most
importantly, the transition from conventional to digital systems
provides a pathway to full interoperability. Despite this pathway,
there are still several hurdles that need to be overcome. The current
industry standard, P25, has produced a situation that lends itself to
proprietary vendor solutions. Consequently, digital radio systems are
often only interoperable if both parties use the same vendor. To
communicate with systems developed by other vendors, agencies need to
purchase special, expensive, technology called gateways.
There undoubtedly is a need for public safety, industry, the
Federal Government, and other stakeholders to work together to address
the shortcomings in the current standards. The MCCA stands ready to
help advance these conversations. Any updated standards must eliminate
proprietary solutions, which inhibit interoperability. They must also
address emerging issues such as encryption. Currently, radio systems
that use different encryption standards are not interoperable, even
with a gateway. If systems used commonly accepted encryption standards,
it would help eliminate this challenge.
Upgrading to digital radio systems requires significant resources,
as it often necessitates a complete rebuild of the radio system. The
costs include not only the radios themselves but also the purchase and
installation of additional radio towers, repeaters, and other
infrastructure. One MCCA member, located in a smaller jurisdiction,
estimated that transitioning to a digital radio system would cost the
agency $30 million. Most public safety agencies, especially law
enforcement agencies, do not have this kind of funding available in
today's budgetary environment. It will be nearly impossible to achieve
full communications interoperability without assistance from the
Federal Government. Congress should consider appropriating additional
grant funding to assist State and local entities with upgrading their
radios to digital systems.
communications resiliency
Emergencies communications, such as 9-1-1 calls, is one of the
primary methods through which members of the public let police,
firefighters, EMS, and other first responders know they need help. As
such, the systems used to receive and manage these communications must
be resilient and able to withstand all manner of threats, whether they
be natural or man-made.
Unfortunately, just a few weeks ago, the impacts of Hurricane Ida
made it abundantly clear that there is still work to do to harden and
make our communications systems as resilient as possible. It was widely
reported that the 9-1-1 center in New Orleans was off-line for
approximately 13 hours following the hurricane.\3\ This outage was
particularly devastating, considering the sheer number of people who
needed assistance during this time. We commend our MCCA colleague,
Superintendent Shaun Ferguson, and all the brave officers in the New
Orleans Police Department for their efforts to continue to serve their
community and aid those in need in the face of this extraordinary
challenge.
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\3\ Todd C. Frankel, Aaron Gregg, and Drew Harwell, ``911 calls
after Ida went unanswered in New Orleans due to `antiquated
technology,' '' The Washington Post, August 30, 2021. https://
www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/08/30/orleans-ida-911-calls/.
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The outage in New Orleans was attributed to outdated technology. As
mentioned earlier, many communities across the United States still rely
on landline technology to deliver 9-1-1 calls, which can be especially
susceptible to some of the consequences of natural disasters, such as
flooding and power outages. The move to NG 9-1-1, where requests for
assistance are delivered via IP-based technology, would help alleviate
this issue because it would be easier to route incoming calls to
another 9-1-1 center. The events in New Orleans are just another
example of why it is so important to upgrade our country's 9-1-1
systems to next generation systems as quickly as possible.
Natural disasters are not the only threat that can test the
resiliency of public safety communications systems. These systems must
also contend with man-made threats, such as cyber attacks. Over the
past decade, public safety agencies, including many MCCA members, have
experienced increased ransomware, denial of service, and other types of
cyber attacks. According to a compilation of publicly reported
incidents, there have been 105 cyber attacks directed at public safety
agencies in the last 24 months. Several of these attacks were directed
at 9-1-1 services.\4\ It is important to note this only includes
publicly-reported incidents, the actual number of attacks is likely
much higher.
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\4\ Seculore Solutions, ``Cyber Attack Archive,'' accessed on
October 5, 2021. https://www.seculore.com/resources/cyber-attack-
archive.
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As law enforcement and other public safety agencies rely more and
more on technology systems to carry out their missions, these attacks
can have catastrophic effects. Agencies can be especially vulnerable if
their technology systems are outdated, or their personnel are not
adequately trained to mitigate cyber threats. These challenges can be
exacerbated by public safety agencies' connections with more extensive
municipal networks, which may be less secure and provide an alternative
vector for attacks.
Public safety must continue to work tirelessly to mitigate cyber
threats. One of the best defenses is to ensure that agency personnel
are well educated and trained on good ``cyber hygiene.'' Congress can
also take a few steps to help local governments defend themselves
against cyber attacks. First, Congress must ensure the grant programs
that help build local cyber capacity, such as the Homeland Security
Grant Program, are fully funded. Congress should also continue to
ensure agencies such as DHS's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security
Agency (CISA) have the authorities and resources needed to continue
programs and efforts designed to help local government agencies prevent
and respond to cyber attacks.
location accuracy
When an individual places a 9-1-1 call, dispatchers can typically
determine the caller's horizontal location (x- and y-axis) using GPS
coordinates that provide the longitude and latitude. While this directs
law enforcement and other first responders to a place on the ground, it
can be difficult for the dispatcher to determine the caller's vertical
location (z-axis). The lack of accurate vertical location data presents
an operational challenge, especially for MCCA member agencies, which
operate in dense metropolitan areas and frequently respond to calls for
service at multistory buildings. In a profession where seconds matter,
the amount of time it takes to determine if the person who needs help
is on the 5th floor or the 50th floor can have tragic consequences.
Progress is being made, albeit slowly, to improve location
accuracy. In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted
new rules that require wireless carriers to provide either vertical or
dispatchable location information (floor level, room number, etc.) to
help identify a 9-1-1 caller's specific location. To comply with the
FCC's latest order on this topic, the Sixth Report and Order, carriers
would have needed to provide this information for 9-1-1 calls
originating in each of the top 25 U.S. markets by April 2021. However,
they missed this deadline, and the FCC launched enforcement
investigations shortly thereafter.\5\
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\5\ ``FCC Secures Life-Saving Commitments from Wireless Carriers to
Deliver 911 Vertical Location Information Nationwide Within Seven
Days'', Federal Communications Commission, June 3, 2021. https://
docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-372980A1.pdf. See also Page 5 of
the FCC Settlements with the wireless carriers, available here: https:/
/www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-secures-911-vertical-location-commitments-
wireless-carriers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The FCC reached a settlement with the wireless carriers, and the
carriers were given another year to comply with the FCC's rules. In
addition, the carriers were required to immediately begin providing any
available vertical location data.\6\ Unfortunately, in many instances,
9-1-1 centers are either unable to receive this data, or the
information is too inaccurate to use. Given the public safety benefits,
we must continue to improve location accuracy as quickly as possible.
As such, through its oversight efforts, Congress must ensure the FCC
continues to work with all stakeholders to uphold the commitments and
time lines laid out in the FCC's rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ Ibid.
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communications grant funding
Public safety communication systems are very costly to develop,
acquire, maintain, and upgrade. Given the current strain on local
budgets, Federal grants can provide critical resources for agencies
looking to enhance their communications capabilities. There are
numerous grant programs, including FEMA's Urban Area Security
Initiative (UASI) and State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP),
that can be used to fund communications projects. Nevertheless, it is
the primary focus of few, if any, of these programs. As a result,
communications projects may need to compete with other priorities and
projects for grant dollars. UASI and SHSP are two relevant examples
that demonstrate how even though a grant program can be used for
emergency communications projects, several factors may impact how much
of the funding is used for that purpose.
Each year, UASI and SHSP grantees are required to dedicate a
certain percentage of funds to projects that meet the criteria outlined
in the statute or the grant program's Notice of Funding Opportunity.
The percentage of a recipient's award that must be dedicated to these
obligations has continued to grow annually. For example, in fiscal year
2020, grantees were required to commit 20 percent of their funding to
National Priorities Areas, and in fiscal year 2021, this requirement
rose to 30 percent. Since emergency communications do not fall into any
of the National Priority Areas, reducing the discretionary funding
available for projects outside of these priorities may inhibit
agencies' ability to fund communications projects using UASI or SHSP
grants. While National Priorities Areas can help ensure limited grant
funding is used as effectively, they must be developed in consultation
with key stakeholders to ensure the priorities reflect the needs of
grantees.
Further complicating matters is that the UASI and SHSP set aside
that can be used for communications projects, the Law Enforcement
Terrorism Prevention Activities (LETPA), has been weakened over the
years. LETPA was initially a stand-alone grant program but stopped
receiving funding in 2007. Now, it is a 25 percent carve-out for UASI
and SHSP funds. The move from grant program to spending requirement
reduced the available LETPA funding, thereby impacting the universe of
LETPA-funded projects. For example, funding for a fusion center and
Chemical, Biological, Radiation, Nuclear, and Explosive response teams
take up nearly all of one MCCA member's LETPA set-aside every year.
Strengthening LETPA, or restoring it to a stand-alone program, may
increase the amount of funding available to public safety agencies for
emergency communications projects.
conclusion
Public safety communications are an integral part of law
enforcement and other first responders' everyday operations and
response to emergencies. While some progress has been made since the 9/
11 Commission issued its recommendation regarding public safety
communications nearly 20 years ago, there are still challenges that
must be overcome, especially with respect to interoperability and our
country's 9-1-1 systems. Federal assistance will almost certainly be
needed if we are to address these issues quickly and efficiently. The
MCCA stands ready to work with the committee to address our members'
public safety communications challenges.
Mrs. Demings. The Members of the subcommittee may have
additional questions for the witnesses, and we ask that you
respond expeditiously in writing to these questions. Under
committee rules, the subcommittee record shall be kept open for
10 days.
Without objection, the subcommittee stands adjourned. Thank
you, all.
[Whereupon, at 1:57 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]
20 YEARS AFTER 9/11: EXAMINING EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, PART II
----------
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
U.S. House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness,
Response, and Recovery,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:02 a.m.,
via Webex, Hon. Val Demings [Chairwoman of the subcommittee]
presiding.
Present: Representatives Demings, Jackson Lee, Payne,
Green, Watson Coleman, Cammack, Higgins, Miller-Meeks, and
Garbarino.
Mrs. Demings. The Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness,
Response, and Recovery will come to order. The subcommittee is
meeting today to receive testimony on ``20 Years After 9/11:
Examining Emergency Communications Part II.'' Without
objection, the Chair is authorized to declare the subcommittee
in recess at any point.
Good morning. Two months ago, we observed the 20-year mark
since 9/11, the worst terrorist attack experienced on U.S.
soil. In remembrance of that tragic day and the lives lost, the
Committee on Homeland Security has been examining what happened
that day and how our National security fares today.
In October, this subcommittee held a hearing to examine the
progress made in emergency communications since 9/11, focusing
on challenges that emergency managers and first responders
faced 20 years ago and have continued to face in the 2 decades
following. During that hearing, we received testimony from a
city emergency manager, a police chief, a country sheriff from
a rural area, and we also heard from a fire chief who served at
Ground Zero for 2 weeks following 9/11.
Each witness provided valuable insight into the issues we
have faced over the years with emergency communications,
including interoperability, power outages, outdated 9-1-1
systems, and issues with emergency alert systems. As a former
chief of police and first responder, I was honored to have
first responders share their expertise and their on-the-ground
experiences with this subcommittee.
Today, this subcommittee is taking the conversation we have
started with the emergency managers and first responders and
continuing the examination of emergency communications
challenges with our Federal partners. We have seen vast
improvements in the Nation's emergency communications apparatus
through the establishment of programs such as the Integrated
Public Alert and Warning System, IPAWS, the First Responder
Network Authority, FirstNet, and the Emergency Communications
Division.
However, as technology continues to evolve, we must ensure
that these programs and their platforms are able to evolve with
it. Established in 2006, IPAWS allow Federal, State,
territorial, Tribal, and local governments to provide a wide
range of alerts to the public in the event of an emergency.
There have been multiple updates to IPAWS, including the 2012
modernization steps including enabling authorized Federal,
State, territorial, Tribal, and local authorities to send
wireless emergency alerts to mobile devices. Additionally, in
2019, IPAWS continued to make improvements by including several
enhancements to the system, including increased maximum
character count in messages, added support for Spanish language
alerts, and improved geographic accuracy.
However, with these enhancements, there has still been
challenges that need to be addressed. Inappropriate use of the
system has shown to be an issue with the IPAWS system
contributing to panic and confusion. We all remember January
2018 Hawaii faced a false alert that stated a missile was
headed toward the State causing chaos. Though resolved as a
false alarm, it took nearly 40 minutes for officials to release
a retraction statement.
In addition to public alerts, a major component to
emergency communications is the network used for emergency
correspondence among different agencies. FirstNet authority
allows first responders to communicate with one another on a
dedicated platform. With 95 percent of its network having been
deployed Nation-wide, FirstNet has been widely praised by first
responders for its reliability in emergency situations.
However, threats to the homeland by the way of natural and
man-made disasters can still cause outages. On Christmas day of
2020, a bomb was detonated in downtown Nashville, Tennessee,
disrupting phone, internet, 9-1-1 call centers, and FirstNet.
It is imperative that we continue to harden our technology and
ensure our communications networks are resilient from all
hazards.
Though communications, public alerting, and resilient
infrastructure are priorities for this subcommittee, the public
may only experience their benefit or challenges during times of
crisis. Today's hearing will serve as an important forum to
continue the conversation on the current state of emergency
communications systems and any gaps that may persist.
I am grateful for the participation of our witnesses here
today and I look forward to your testimony.
[The statement of Chairwoman Demings follows:]
Statement of Chairwoman Val Demings
November 2, 2021
Two months ago, we observed the passing of 20 years since 9/11, the
worst terrorist attack experienced on U.S. soil. In remembrance of that
tragic day and the lives lost, the Committee on Homeland Security has
been examining what happened that day and how our National security
fares today.
In October, this subcommittee held a hearing to examine the
progress made in emergency communications since 9/11, focusing on
challenges that emergency managers and first responders faced 20 years
ago and have continued to face in the 2 decades following. During that
hearing, we received testimony from a city emergency manager, a police
chief, a county sheriff. We also heard from a fire chief who served at
Ground Zero for 2 weeks following 9/11. Each witness provided valuable
insight into the issues we have faced over the years with emergency
communications, including interoperability, power outages, outdated 9-
1-1 systems, and issues with emergency alerting. As a former chief of
police and first responder, I was honored to have first responders
testify before the subcommittee.
Today, this subcommittee is taking the conversation we started with
the emergency managers and first responders and continuing the
examination of emergency communications challenges with our Federal
partners. We have seen vast improvements in the Nation's emergency
communications apparatus through the establishment of programs such as
the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS), the First
Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority), and the Emergency
Communications Division. However, as technology continues to evolve, we
must ensure that these programs and their platforms are able to evolve
with it.
Established in 2006, IPAWS allows Federal, State, territorial,
Tribal, and local governments to provide a wide range of alerts to the
public in the event of an emergency. There have been multiple updates
to IPAWS, including the 2012 modernization steps of including enabling
authorized Federal, State, territorial, Tribal, and local, authorities
to send Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) to mobile devices.
Additionally, in 2019, IPAWS continued to make improvements by
including several enhancements to the system including increased
character maximum character count in messages, added support for
Spanish-language alerts, and improved geographic accuracy.
However, with these enhancements, there are still challenges that
need to be addressed when using IPAWS. Inappropriate use of the system
has shown to be an issue with the IPAWS system, contributing to panic
and confusion. In January 2018, Hawaii faced a false alert that stated
a ballasting missile was headed toward the State, causing chaos. Though
resolved as a false alarm, it took nearly 40 minutes for officials to
release a retraction statement.
In addition to public alerts, a major component to emergency
communications is the network used for emergency correspondence among
different agencies. FirstNet Authority allows first responders to
communicate with one another on a dedicated platform. With 95 percent
of its network having been deployed Nation-wide, FirstNet has been
widely praised by first responders for its reliability in emergency
situations. However, threats to the homeland by way of natural or man-
made disasters can still cause outages. On Christmas day 2020, a bomb
was detonated in downtown Nashville, Tennessee disrupting phone,
internet, 9-1-1 call centers, and FirstNet.
It is imperative that we continue to harden our technology and
ensure our communication networks are resilient from all hazards.
Though communications, public alerting, and resilient infrastructure
are priorities for this subcommittee, the public may only experience
their benefit--or challenges--during times of crisis. Today's hearing
will serve as an important forum to continue the conversation on the
current state of emergency communications systems and any gaps that may
persist.
Mrs. Demings. The Chair now recognizes the Ranking Member
of the subcommittee, the gentlewoman from Florida, Mrs.
Cammack, for an opening statement.
Mrs. Cammack. Well, thank you so much, Chairwoman Demings
for convening this hearing today to continue our very important
discussion about emergency communications. Last month, this
subcommittee had the privilege of hearing from several local
first responders about the communication challenges that they
face every single day. Now, before I begin discussing some of
the challenges, I would like to take a moment to highlight the
very real human element when talking about emergency
communications.
Lack of communication can put our first responders' lives
in danger. As we heard, a radio system failure has led to first
responders losing their lives. I have said this before, but as
the wife of a first responder, this very real scenario is truly
unimaginable to me. I want to thank all of our witnesses here
today for your dedication to helping improve these vital
communication systems as your work really does help save lives.
Now, during our previous hearing, one of the points that
really stuck with me is how the needs of rural communities
across the country are often overlooked. About 60 million, or 1
in 5 Americans live in rural areas. While these rural
communities face many of the same challenges as larger more
urban communities, rural communities are also faced with
additional challenges brought on by a lack of available
resources and funding. One of the local sheriffs from my
district, Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach testified at the
hearing that his department is still using an antiquated radio
system based on technology developed during World War II. This
antiquated system effectively isolates them with no ability to
communicate with their counterparts as they frequently work
with or rely on for assistance. This also puts our constituents
in grave danger.
Sheriff DeLoach went on to testify that it would cost his
department about $7- or $8 million to update their current
radio system. The cost of updating their current radio system
is made even more difficult when we consider that more often
than not, available grant funding is tailored toward larger,
more urban communities. For example, Palatka, the seat, the
county seat, for which Sheriff DeLoach serves, is exactly 400
people over the threshold to be considered a low population
area for many of the available grant programs. This means that
Palatka must compete with larger cities like Jacksonville,
Orlando, or Miami.
In addition to discussing the challenges facing first
responders in rural communities, we also heard testimony about
the importance of strengthening our cybersecurity
infrastructure. While I mentioned this last hearing, it is a
statistic that I feel needs repeating. A recent survey
conducted by SAFECOM found that over one-third, one-third of
organizations indicated that cybersecurity incidents have had
an impact on their ability of their emergency response
providers' and Government officials' ability to communicate
over the past 5 years. Now, when we are talking about
cybersecurity, it is important to also discuss the important
role that NextGen
9-1-1 will play in the future. Providing faster and more
reliable response efforts is paramount.
In closing, I would like to recognize the significant
progress that has been made to first responder communications
since the initial recommendations by the 9/11 Commission.
SAFECOM, which is managed by CISA, has been critical to
improving interoperability and is one of the first
organizations to bring together representatives from public
safety associations, as well as emergency responders in the
field. FirstNet, established in 2012 by the Middle Class Tax
Relief and Job Creation Act, has set some very aggressive
benchmarks for the rural deployment of a new first responder
communication infrastructure. I look forward to discussing more
of that today.
Last, IPAWS provides life-saving information to individuals
about severe weather, power outages, and law enforcement
situations. In 2012, twice the number of State, local,
territorial, and Tribal agencies used IPAWS to reach their
constituents when compared to 2019. This further ensures the
safety of all Americans.
Finally, in my role as Ranking Member of this subcommittee,
I remain committed to ensuring that our policies take into
account the unique needs of our first responders, especially
those in rural communities. I look forward to hearing from our
witnesses today and working together to improve first responder
communications. Thank you again, Chairwoman Demings. With that,
I yield back.
[The statement of Ranking Member Cammack follows:]
Statement of Ranking Member Kat Cammack
I would like to thank Chairwoman Demings for convening this hearing
today to continue our very important discussion about emergency
communications.
Last month, this subcommittee had the privilege of hearing from
several local first responders about the communication challenges they
face every day. Before I begin discussing some of these challenges, I
would like to take a moment to highlight the very real human element
when talking about emergency communications.
Lack of communication can put first responders' lives in danger,
and as we heard, a radio system failure has led to first responders
losing their lives. I've said this before, but as the wife of a first
responder, this very real scenario is truly unimaginable to me. I want
to thank all the witnesses here today for your dedication to helping
improve these vital communication systems, as your work really does
help save lives.
During our previous hearing, one of the points that really stuck
with me is how the needs of rural communities across the country are
often overlooked.
About 60 million or 1 in 5 Americans live in rural areas. While
these rural communities face many of the same challenges as larger,
more urban communities, rural communities are also faced with
additional challenges brought on by lack of available resources and
funding.
One of the local sheriffs in my district, Sheriff DeLoach,
testified at the hearing that his department is still using an
antiquated radio system based on technology developed during World War
II. This antiquated system effectively isolates them, with no ability
to communicate with their counterparts that they frequently work with
or rely on for assistance.
Sheriff DeLoach went on to testify that it would cost his
department around $7- to $8 million to update their current radio
system.
The cost of updating their current radio system is made even more
difficult when we consider that more often than not, available grant
funding is tailored toward larger communities.
For example, Palatka, which is the county seat for where Sheriff
DeLoach serves, is exactly 400 people over the threshold to be
considered a low-population area for many of the available grant
programs. This means that Palatka must compete with larger cities like
Jacksonville, Orlando, or Miami for funding.
In addition to discussing the challenges facing first responders in
rural communities, we also heard testimony about the importance of
strengthening our cybersecurity infrastructure. While I mentioned this
last hearing, it's a statistic that I feel needs repeating.
A recent survey conducted by SAFECOM found that, ``over a third of
organizations indicated that cybersecurity incidents have had an impact
on the ability of their emergency response providers and government
officials' ability to communicate over the past 5 years.''
When talking about cybersecurity it is also important to discuss
the important role that NextGen 9-1-1 will play in the future.
Providing faster and more reliable response efforts is paramount.
In closing, I would like to recognize the significant progress that
has been made to first responder communications since the initial
recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission.
SAFECOM, which is managed by CISA, has been critical to improving
interoperability and is one of the first organizations to bring
together representatives from public safety associations as well as
emergency responders in the field.
FirstNet, established in 2012 by the Middle Class Tax Relief and
Job Creation Act, has set some very aggressive benchmarks for the rural
deployment of new first responder communication infrastructure, and I
look forward to discussing that more today.
Last, IPAWS provides life-saving information to individuals about
severe weather, power outages, and law enforcement situations. In 2020,
twice the number of State, local, territorial, and Tribal agencies used
IPAWS to reach their constituents when compared to 2019. This further
ensures the safety of all Americans.
In my role as Ranking Member of this subcommittee, I remain
committed to ensuring that our policies take into account the unique
needs of our first responders, especially those in rural communities. I
look forward to hearing from our witnesses today and to working
together to improve first responder communications.
Mrs. Demings. I thank the Ranking Member for her statement.
Members are also reminded that the committee will operate
according to the guidelines laid by the Chairman and Ranking
Member in their February 3 colloquy regarding remote
procedures. Without objection, Members not on the subcommittee
shall be permitted to sit and question the witnesses.
Additional Member statements may be submitted for the record.
[The statement of Chairman Thompson follows:]
Statement of Chairman Bennie G. Thompson
November 2, 2021
The September 11, 2001, terrorist attack revealed critical problems
with our emergency communications systems. Over 20 years later, we have
made great strides in our technology and capabilities, but more remains
to be done. On October 7, first responders testified before the
subcommittee and spoke highly of these advancements and how they have
helped strengthen our emergency communications systems. Two of these
advancements include the creation of the First Responder Network
Authority (FirstNet Authority) and the Integrated Public Alert and
Warning System (IPAWS).
Director Chris Rodriguez of the District of Columbia Homeland
Security and Emergency Management Agency testified that collaboration
and dedicated bandwidth ``allowed FirstNet to perform reliably for our
first responders at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th.'' While FirstNet
has proved to reliable for the District, there are on-going issues,
such as interoperability, outages, and off-network challenges. For
example, we have seen interference with wireless communications during
large-scale natural disasters, such as wildfires or hurricanes.
When Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana, AT&T's cell towers were down for
nearly 2 days after the storm, which crippled communications, including
FirstNet. As a result, first responders struggled to communicate with
one another, which undoubtedly hurt their response efforts. The ability
to communicate during a disaster is of the utmost importance, and we
need to address these gaps and mitigate their impact on emergency
communications.
IPAWS, which FEMA administers, is designed to improve public safety
through the rapid distribution of emergency messages to as many people
as possible over as many communications devices as possible in the
event of a disaster. FEMA designed IPAWS to integrate future
technologies into the platform so it could improve as technology
advances. I hope to hear today how IPAWS has matured and improved
communication for communities during emergencies.
Additionally, the Emergency Communications Division at the
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has made
strides in our emergency communications apparatus through the Safer
America Through Effective Public Safety Communications (SAFECOM), which
provides guidance and assistance to those using the Homeland Security
Grant Program funding to buy emergency communications items. While
technology has improved in the last 20 years, we must ensure that as
the threat landscape evolves, there continues to be adequate focus and
funding for communications infrastructure.
I look forward to hearing from our witnesses today about how their
organizations are confronting communications challenges and learning
what the Committee on Homeland Security can do to aid them in making
our Nation safer.
I now welcome our panel of distinguished witnesses. Our
first witness is Mr. Antwane Johnson, the director of the
Integrated Public Alert and Warning Systems of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency. Mr. Johnson last testified before
the subcommittee in 2018. Welcome back, Mr. Johnson.
Our second witness is Mr. Billy Bob Brown, Jr., executive
assistant director of the Emergency Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency. This is Mr. Brown's first
appearance before the subcommittee. Welcome, Mr. Brown.
Our third and final witness is Mr. Edward Parkinson, chief
executive director of FirstNet Authority. Prior to joining
FirstNet, Mr. Parkinson served as a professional staff member
for 5 years on this subcommittee. Welcome back, Mr. Parkinson.
Without objection, the witnesses' full statements will be
inserted in the record. I now ask each witness to summarize
their statement for 5 minutes beginning with Director Johnson.
STATEMENT OF ANTWANE JOHNSON, DIRECTOR, INTEGRATED PUBLIC ALERT
AND WARNING SYSTEM, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Mr. Johnson. Good morning, Chairwoman Demings, Ranking
Member Cammack, and Members of the subcommittee. My name is
Antwane Johnson and I am the director of the Integrated Public
Alert and Warning System Program. I appreciate the opportunity
to speak to you today about this program and how more than
1,600 agencies across the country are using it to save lives.
An effective, timely, and far-reaching public alert and warning
system is critical to communicating threats to public safety
and providing people with guidance during times of crisis.
IPAWS was created to provide the President with the means to
reach the public under all conditions and to enhance and extend
the National infrastructure to Federal, State, local, Tribal,
and territorial officials for public alert and warning.
There are two main system components. First, the National
Public Warning System supports warnings and emergency
communications from the President or FEMA administrator in the
event of a catastrophic or National emergency. It provides
reach to approximately 90 percent of the U.S. population.
Second, the IPAWS Program also operates and maintains the
IPAWS Open Platform for Emergency Networks, also known as
IPAWS-OPEN. That provides Federal, State, local, Tribal, and
territorial governments with the capability to send emergency
alerts, warnings, and information to mobile devices, radio and
television stations, NOAA Weather Radio, digital signboards and
over 100 other internet-connected services.
Since the inception of IPAWS in 2011, more than 4 million
life-saving alert messages have been processed using IPAWS-
OPEN. In June 2019, there were 1,200 local alerting authorities
across the Nation who could alert and warn approximately 70
percent of the public. As of October of this year, 3 Federal
agencies, all 50 States, 2 territories, 8 Tribal governments,
and thousands of local alerting authorities utilized IPAWS
services. Today, more than 87 percent of the U.S. population is
covered by a local alerting authority and 100 percent of a
population is covered by a State-level alerting authority.
In 2020, approximately 42,000 messages were issued each
month by alerting authorities, of which 43 percent of wireless
emergency alerts and 24 percent of emergency alert system
alerts were initiated with both Spanish and English content.
Pursuant to the PROTECT Act of 2003, the America's Missing:
Broadcast Emergency Response Program, also known as AMBER, was
developed in coordination with the National Center for Missing
and Exploited Children, which is responsible for AMBER plans
and allows authorities to immediately distribute information
about recent child abductions. As of October of this year, 94
children across the country have been safely returned to their
families as a direct result of WEA information and community
engagement.
Our IPAWS team also works closely with the U.S. Department
of Justice Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information
Officers and Tribal Law Enforcement agency members, as well as
the United States Attorney's Office for Missing and Murdered
Indigenous Persons to assist Tribal governments with developing
alert and warning plans. Law enforcement agencies use IPAWS to
issue Blue Alerts. These alerts provide rapid dissemination of
information to law enforcement agencies, media outlets, and the
public to aid in the apprehension of violent criminals who have
killed or seriously injured an officer in the line of duty.
COVID-19 has also sparked a creative use by State and local
alerting authorities. From March of last year through August of
this year, 656 COVID-19-related alerts were sent by IPAWS. For
example, Manatee County Public Safety Department used IPAWS for
the first time to inform the public about local COVID-19
restrictions and the Navajo Nation was the first Tribal nation
to send a COVID-19 alert through IPAWS.
IPAWS was used before, during, and after most severe
weather events and 49 WEAs have been sent for wildfires in
western States this year. Prior to Hurricane Ida's landfall,
the National Weather Service, State and local, Tribal and
territorial alerting authorities issued a series of timely WEA
and EAS messages advising the public to take protective
measures. After the storm passed, IPAWS remained a lifeline to
New Orleans' residents helping them to find shelter and
resources to aid during the recovery process.
To help our partners improve their ability to utilize IPAWS
services, we conduct regular outreach by webinars, social
media, and conducted our first National conference in
September. We also revamped our on-line independent work-study
courses offered through the Emergency Management Institute.
We will continue to promote adoption and use of IPAWS by
emergency management and public safety officials. I thank you
for your interest in the program and we look forward to
collaborating with the subcommittee on ways to improve. I am
happy to take any questions the subcommittee may have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Johnson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Antwane Johnson
November 2, 2021
introduction
Good morning Chairwoman Demings, Ranking Member Cammack, and
Members of the subcommittee. My name is Antwane Johnson, and I am the
director of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)
Program within National Continuity Programs (NCP), Office of Resilience
at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). I appreciate the
opportunity to speak to you today about this program, and how more than
1,600 agencies across the country are using it to save lives.
what is ipaws?
An effective, timely, and far-reaching public alert and warning
system is critical to communicating threats to public safety and
providing people with guidance during times of crisis.
Executive Order 13407 and The IPAWS Modernization Act of 2015
define FEMA's responsibility to provide a public alert and warning
system. Section 706 of the Communications Act of 1934 requires
Presidential access to commercial communications during ``a state of
public peril or disaster or other National emergency.'' The Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Section 202
directs FEMA to provide technical assistance to State and local
governments to ensure that timely and effective disaster warning is
provided. The National Defense Authorization Acts of 2020 and 2021
included additional IPAWS requirements significantly increasing the
role of the FEMA administrator for dissemination of National alerts,
previously only authorized to be sent by the President. In accordance
with these statutes, IPAWS was created to enhance and extend a National
infrastructure and capability to Federal, State, local, Tribal, and
territorial (FSLTT) officials for public alert and warning.
IPAWS is a National system for local alerting. There are two main
system components:
(1) The IPAWS Program Office maintains the National Public Warning
System to support warnings and emergency communications from
the President or FEMA administrator in the event of a
catastrophic or National emergency. The President and/or FEMA
administrator can warn the American people by a broadcast from
private-sector radio stations that partner with FEMA. These
stations, called FEMA Primary Entry Point (PEP) radio stations,
receive all-hazards resiliency improvements at radio
transmitter sites and provide reach to approximately 90 percent
of the U.S. population. Activation of the National Public
Warning System (PEPs) triggers the activation of all other
radio and television providers that participate in the
Emergency Alert System (EAS) in accordance with Federal
Communications Commission regulations.
(2) The IPAWS Program also operates and maintains the IPAWS Open
Platform for Emergency Networks, or ``IPAWS-OPEN'', that
provides FSLTT governments the capability to send emergency
alerts, warnings, and information to people in the geographic
area of their jurisdiction via Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)
to mobile devices, EAS messages on radio and television, NOAA
Weather Radio broadcasts, and a growing number of voluntary
information providers connected by the internet. More than
1,600 agencies are able to use the IPAWS-OPEN capabilities to
provide emergency information in response to threats to public
safety such as those issued this year by multiple States and
local alerting authorities for Hurricanes Henri and Ida, as
well as the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency, and
the mass demonstrations and civil disturbances in major cities
last year. Changes to the Federal Communications Commission's
(FCC) regulations, as directed by The National Defense
Authorization Act for 2021 Section 9201, Reliable Emergency
Alert Distribution Improvement (READI Act), recently authorized
the FEMA administrator to use WEA for National emergencies. The
broadened use of WEA ensures warnings related to situations of,
nation-state attacks, natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and
other man-made disasters can be sent from a Federal authority
to warn people and provide protective action guidance.
ipaws adoption
Since the inception of IPAWS in 2011, more than 4 million life-
saving alert messages have been processed using IPAWS-OPEN. It is
important to note that in June 2019, there were 1,200 local alerting
authorities across the Nation who were authorized to utilize IPAWS
services to alert and warn approximately 70 percent of the public
within the United States. Realizing that all emergencies start locally,
in that same year (2019) FEMA initiated the IPAWS ``Close the Gap''
campaign to increase the number of local alerting authorities. As a
result of this initiative and stakeholder outreach, as of October 2021
3 Federal agencies, all 50 States, 2 territories, 8 Tribal governments
and thousands of local alerting authorities utilize IPAWS services.
Today more than 80 percent of the U.S. population is covered by a local
alerting authority who has been authorized and trained to utilize
IPAWS, and 100 percent of the population is covered by a State-level
alerting authority.
In 2020, twice the number of agencies used IPAWS to send alerts as
in 2019, resulting in a 182 percent increase in the number of alerts to
the public by local alerting authorities in response to COVID-19, civil
unrest, wildfires, AMBER alerts, and several other public safety
threats. In 2020, 43 percent of WEAs and 24 percent of EAS alerts sent
via IPAWS were initiated with both Spanish and English message content,
meaning that devices set with Spanish as the primary language choice
would display the alert in Spanish. IPAWS works to expand its reach in
accessible communications capabilities and services. IPAWS uses the
Common Alerting Protocol, or CAP, which allows alerts sent through the
system to transport rich multi-media attachments and links. By sending
CAP-compliant messages through IPAWS, private industry partners are
able to develop content or compatible devices that can facilitate
receipt of emergency alerts by individuals with disabilities. The IPAWS
Program Management Office (PMO) is diligently working toward
integrating additional, accessible technologies and encouraging
industry innovation to meet the needs of all people.
ipaws alerts, warnings and notifications
IPAWS Use for AMBER Alerts
In 2003, President George W. Bush signed the Prosecutorial Remedies
and Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children Today (PROTECT) Act
of 2003 (Public Law 108-21). This Act established the National
coordination of State and local America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency
Response (AMBER) programs. The National Center for Missing & Exploited
Children (NCMEC) is responsible for AMBER plans, which allows
broadcasters and transportation authorities to immediately distribute
information about recent child abductions to the public and enables the
entire community to assist in the search for and safe recovery of
children.
The AMBER Alert program is a voluntary partnership among law
enforcement agencies, broadcasters, transportation agencies, and the
wireless industry to activate an urgent WEA. For example, on October 6,
2021 a 1-year-old boy was in the back seat of a car that was stolen
from a grocery store parking lot in East Nashville, TN, while his
parents were inside the store. The car was later abandoned with the
child still in the back seat. A State-wide AMBER alert was issued via
WEA, and a citizen recognized the vehicle from the information
contained in the WEA message and notified law enforcement. The child
was recovered safely.
As of October 2021, 94 children across the country have been safely
returned to their families as a direct result of WEA information and
community engagement.
Our IPAWS team works closely with the U.S. Department of Justice
Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information officers and
Tribal Law Enforcement agency members as well as the United States
Attorney's Office for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons to assist
Tribal governments with developing alert and warning plans. Currently,
the Cocopah Tribe, Navajo Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and
the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation have access to
IPAWS and can send geo-targeted Amber Alerts.
IPAWS Use for Other Emergencies
Public Safety Officials have expanded their use of IPAWS to include
both public safety notifications and imminent threat alerts and
warnings. This allows public safety officials to increase their reach
to the public. Some examples include public safety notifications
regarding 9-1-1 outages; boil water notices with respect to
contamination; stay-at-home orders and COVID vaccination sites; missing
and endangered persons, particularly for young adults that do not meet
AMBER alert criteria; and missing and endangered elderly (commonly
known as Silver Alert) and individuals with disabilities (commonly
referred to as a Golden Alert).
Law enforcement agencies use IPAWS to issue Blue Alerts. These
alerts provide rapid dissemination of information to law enforcement
agencies, media outlets, and the public to aid in apprehension of
violent criminals who have killed or seriously injured an officer in
the line of duty. These alerts may also be issued when a suspect is
considered a credible threat to law enforcement, or an officer is
missing in the line of duty. As an example, the Texas Division of
Emergency Management issued a Blue Alert via WEA after an officer was
killed in the line of duty and authorities in Tampa, Florida issued a
Blue Alert via WEA after a 26-year-old police officer was shot in the
head in Daytona Beach. As a result, both suspects were quickly
apprehended by law enforcement.
IPAWS Use During COVID-19, Wildfires, and Recent Disasters
COVID-19 sparked creative uses of IPAWS by State and local alerting
authorities who leveraged IPAWS-OPEN capabilities to alert the public
to rapid increases in COVID-19 infections, mandates, and vaccine
information. IPAWS-OPEN usage from March 2020 through August 2021
included a total of 656 COVID-19-related alerts sent between WEA and
EAS. The Manatee County Public Safety Department used IPAWS for the
first time to inform the public about local COVID-19 restrictions and
the Navajo Nation was the first Tribal nation to send a COVID-19 alert
through IPAWS. As an example, Governors in Maryland, Virginia, and
Michigan used IPAWS to issue mandates and amplify guidance issued by
the White House COVID-19 task force and the CDC, directing people to
stay at home.
IPAWS was used before, during, and after the most severe weather on
the West Coast. As of October 2021, there have been 49 WEAs sent for
wildfires in 2021, and the unprecedented heat wave and severe drought
on the West Coast has also prompted the need for alerts. Counties in
California, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Texas, and Utah sent fire warnings
and follow-up evacuations where warranted. In August 2021, the city of
Portland, Oregon, and Multnomah County sent WEAs in both English and
Spanish informing people of severe heat and the need to stay cool and
check on other people. These have increased recognition of the need to
ensure protective actions are taken before an event turns life-
threatening.
Prior to Hurricane Ida at the end of August 2021, State, local,
Tribal, and territorial alerting authorities issued a series of timely
WEA and EAS alerts advising the public to take protective measures. The
New Orleans Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness as
well as local Alerting Authorities sent more than 200 alerts that aided
the safe evacuation, shelter, and support of residents. The Louisiana
Governor's Office issued IPAWS alerts on behalf of counties that were
unable to issue an alert. After the storm passed and hundreds of
thousands of people were without power, IPAWS remained a lifeline to
New Orleans residents, helping them find shelter and resources to aid
during the recovery process.
The 77 National Primary Warning System (NPWS) PEP stations continue
to serve as a critical communications lifeline for news and updates
before, during, and after powerful storms such as Hurricane Ida, which
left the New Orleans area with no power or television and spotty cell
service. New Orleans radio station WWL is known among locals as the
``hurricane station'' through its use of the PEP station there,
equipped with FEMA-owned back-up equipment and generators. Nineteen
station employees provided around-the-clock coverage to provide updates
and support for the New Orleans community.
As of October 2021, State and local authorities, and the National
Weather Service (NWS) have sent nearly 800 WEAs during the 2021
hurricane season. For the two most significant storms impacting the
United States in the 2021 season, Henri and Ida, State and local
authorities and the NWS sent nearly 400 emergency messages through
IPAWS.
ipaws in recent national defense authorization acts (ndaas)
Public Law 116-92 (NDAA fiscal year 2020) was signed into law in
December 2019 and included Section 1756, Integrated Public Alert and
Warning System. This provision included 33 new and additional
requirements for the IPAWS program that support users and the
development of tools to warn and educate the public about emergency
alerting and protective action guidance to take when they receive an
alert. FEMA is reviewing the NDAA requirements and prioritizing
resources as appropriate.
The National Defense Authorization Act for 2021 Section 9201,
Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement (READI Act) directed
the FCC to adopt regulations to ensure that mobile devices cannot opt
out of receiving WEA alerts from the FEMA administrator, encourage
chief executives of States to form State Emergency Communications
Committees (SECCs), establish a State EAS plan checklist for SECCs,
amend requirements for SECCs, ensure SECCs meet, review, and update
their EAS plans annually, enable the FEMA administrator, State, local,
Tribal, and territorial governments to report false EAS and WEA alerts,
and provide for repeating EAS alerts for emergency warnings issued by
the President, the FEMA administrator, and any other entity determined
appropriate by the Commission, in consultation with the FEMA
administrator. FEMA commends the FCC for quickly acting to change the
WEA alert category ``Presidential'' to ``National'' and authorizing the
FEMA administrator's use of the National Emergency Message category to
send a WEA Nation-wide should we experience an imminent threat of
National consequence.
the ipaws technical support services facility
In response to the National Advisory Council's Recommendation and
NDAA 2020 direction to improve the IPAWS lab, the IPAWS PMO
significantly increased the capabilities of the lab and stood up the
IPAWS Technical Support Services Facility in October 2020.
The new 24/7 Technical Support Services consist of a contract staff
of 18 subject-matter experts, providing around-the-clock support
services to all FSLTT emergency management agencies in their use of
IPAWS. The facility provides alerting authorities with test and
evaluation, operational assessments, IPAWS demonstrations, and expert
technical support. The facility also provides an interactive and closed
IPAWS testing environment and allows users the opportunity to practice
and train to increase familiarity and confidence using IPAWS.
The facility has supported 268 calls from Federal, State, Tribal,
and territorial agencies between January-October 2021 as well as calls
from the public who have questions about alerts in their area.
ipaws-open and npws modernization
FEMA continues sustaining and enhancing IPAWS systems and
infrastructure, including IPAWS-OPEN modernization and migration to a
cloud infrastructure environment, as well as modernization of NPWS
legacy PEP stations.
In April 2021, FEMA transitioned IPAWS-OPEN from Department of
Homeland Security data centers into Amazon Web Services GovCloud
environment to increase system availability and reliability of greater
than 99.9 percent. This improvement in services provides reasonable
assurances that IPAWS-OPEN services experiences no more than 56 minutes
of system down time, (inclusive of maintenance) for the year and the
successful processing of approximately 42,000 messages per month.
FEMA has completed modernization of 13 of the original group of PEP
stations since 2019, increasing the percentage of the U.S. population
covered by a FEMA connected radio station with High Altitude
Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) protection to 51 percent. On October 15,
2021, WBZ radio station in Boston, MA became the 13th station
modernized station to receive the full complement of resilient
transmitter, generation, and fuel-system capabilities and EMP
protections. In May 2021, IPAWS PEP equipment underwent EMP testing at
the Department of Defense's test range at the Patuxent Naval Air
Station. The IPAWS PEP equipment underwent 36 full power pulses, double
the 16 planned pulses without failure or degradation of system
capabilities. This addresses the mandate that our critical
infrastructure systems be mission ready and capable of operating
before, during, and after an EMP event.
stakeholder engagement
As of October 2021, FEMA has conducted 23 IPAWS webinars this year
with average attendance of 151 live participants and 12,611 downloads
of webinar content and issued 35 social media posts with more than
41,000 views and nearly 1,300 connections.
The program also revamped its on-line independent study courses
offered through the FEMA Emergency Management Institute. As of mid-
year, 717 people completed the required IS-247 ``IPAWS for Alert
Originators'' course on-line and 227 people completed the IS-250 on-
line course ``IPAWS for Alerting Authorities.'' This training provides
skills to draft authenticated, effective, and accessible warning
messages, and best practices in effective use of the Common Alerting
Protocol. It is mandatory for establishing new Alerting Authorities.
The program also distributes a ``Monthly Tip'' to all Alerting
Authorities and Vendors. These Tips, sent via email to more than 6,000
stakeholders, provide guidance and insight related to using IPAWS.
We hosted the first-ever virtual IPAWS Users Conference on
September 15. This 6-hour event targeted current IPAWS Alerting
Authorities and Vendors and over 500 people registered.
ipaws program goals and challenges
The IPAWS program office has been engaging vendors of IPAWS-
compatible software to encourage better integration of IPAWS screens
for consistency and creation of effective public alert and warning
messages.
We will continue to promote adoption and use of IPAWS by emergency
management and public safety officials. Through the IPAWS Stakeholder
Engagement and Customer Support teams, the program office works with
State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials to promote use of the
system. We also provide information and support on various Federal
grant programs that may provide funding for alerting authorities to
purchase alerting software that interfaces with IPAWS.
IPAWS will also continue to make local and State emergency managers
aware of the IPAWS Technical Support Services Facility.
In accordance with new WEA rules established by the FCC in 2021,
FEMA is working with wireless carriers and alerting software vendors to
enhance WEA capabilities to support the enhanced role of the FEMA
administrator and the Commission's future actions to address
enhancements to the Emergency Alert System.
conclusion
Every day I am grateful for the opportunity to work with a program
dedicated to helping alert and provide guidance to people during times
of crisis. Thank you for your interest in the program and we look
forward to collaborating with this subcommittee on ways to improve. I
am happy to take any questions you have at this time.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much, Mr. Johnson, for your
opening statement. I now recognize Director Brown to summarize
his statement for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF BILLY BOB BROWN, JR., EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR, EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, CYBERSECURITY AND
INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AGENCY
Mr. Brown. Thank you, Chairwoman Demings, Ranking Member
Cammack, and Members of the subcommittee. It is a pleasure to
be with you here today to discuss the Department of Homeland
Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or
CISA's, efforts in enhancing the Nation's interoperable
emergency communications capabilities. But it is not just CISA.
It is a partnership.
SAFECOM is a partnership of more than 35 public safety
associations and emergency responders. It established our
guiding principle that interoperability is not just about
technology, but about people working together. According to
SAFECOM, 20 percent of the interoperability challenge is
related to technology. Eighty percent is related to people.
The 21st Century Emergency Communications Act of 2006
established a Nation-wide focus on interoperability as a
response to communications challenges experienced during both
September 11 and Hurricane Katrina. Great strides have been
made in improving public safety communications and information
management technologies since that time.
Digital land mobile radio and broadband technologies are
accelerating dissemination of critical information, while Next
Generation 9-1-1 will enable public safety entities to provide
optimal service to their communities and when requested, to
neighboring communities in need of additional resources or
assistance. However, the threat landscape has also evolved with
newer challenges posed by more frequent and extreme weather
events, cyber attacks, and the global pandemic.
CISA is positioned to help our stakeholders and partners
reduce risk by focusing on three areas. First,
interoperability, second, collaborative planning, and third,
expanding the priority service capability.
First, we promote interoperability and resilience by
providing the tools and resources for stakeholders to operate
in the next generation environment and cyber ecosystem,
including direct assistance to jurisdictions across the United
States improving awareness of Next Gen 9-1-1 capabilities.
Second, we continue to bolster our existing partnerships
and are building bridges to emergency communications
stakeholders across critical infrastructure sectors to reduce
risk to the National critical functions. CISA in partnership
with SAFECOM and the National Council of State-wide
Interoperability Coordinators provides resources to the
District, States, territories, and Tribal nations to develop
State-wide communications interoperability plans. These plans
advocate sustainment and investment funding from State and
local governments.
Finally, we are partnering with industry and research
organizations to make priority data, video, and information
services available to all National security and emergency
preparedness stakeholders through a constellation of carrier
partners. CISA ensures that interoperable priority service
requirements are satisfied by cooperating network service
providers as they evolve to Next Generation networks. Promoting
the awareness of these services and the use thereof, is key
because when sharing information, every second counts.
I am encouraged by the progress made since 9/11, and am
proud of the contributions made by our community of
stakeholders. But I am also aware of the fiscal and
technological challenges that remain, as well as the scarcity
of resources.
Additionally, unchecked competitiveness and siloed thinking
is another threat that our adversaries exploit. They seek to
divide and conquer. Our partnerships, CISA's technical
expertise, and your leadership ensure the safety of our
communities and first responders. Together we can wisely
integrate Next Generation capabilities and maintain a steadfast
focus on the people who are using these capabilities to protect
the homeland. Thank you and I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Brown follows:]
Prepared Statement of Billy Bob Brown, Jr.
November 2, 2021
Thank you, Chairwoman Demings, Ranking Member Cammack, and esteemed
Members of the subcommittee. It is a pleasure to be here with you today
to discuss the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency's (CISA) efforts in enhancing the
Nation's interoperable emergency communications capabilities.
Since DHS last appeared before this subcommittee in 2017, the
communication and information management technologies used by the
Nation's public safety community has evolved and advanced dramatically,
including video, data, internet protocol (IP), and broadband
communications. The risk landscape has also become more challenging
with more frequent and extreme weather events, cyber attacks, and the
severe impacts of a global pandemic. As Members heard during the
October 7 hearing: The threats also come in the form of aging
infrastructure (for Land Mobile Radio [LMR] systems, 9-1-1 centers,
etc.) and a lack of dedicated funding for personnel, equipment, and
other communications resources.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act of 2018
established CISA to protect the Nation's critical infrastructure from
physical and cyber threats. At the nexus of physical and cyber threats
lie emergency communications. Our division--previously known as the
Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) and now as the CISA Emergency
Communications Division (ECD)--was created by Congress in response to
the communications challenges experienced during Hurricane Katrina in
2005 and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We believe the
best defense against threats to operable and interoperable emergency
communications is integrated, collaborative planning for strong
governance, standard operating procedures, training & exercises, and
technology solutions. In other words, solutions for effective
interoperable emergency communications is more about people,
partnerships, and practices, and to a lesser extent about the
technology. CISA is positioned to assist our stakeholders and partners
in addressing current and future threats to interoperable
communications even as technologies evolve.
the state of emergency communications
Working at the National Level
Leading from a stakeholder-driven approach is at the heart of
CISA's mission. We engage the people who are doing this work every day
to build guidance for the Nation's National security and public safety
communications community, a community which includes organizations at
all levels of Government and across all disciplines.
CISA is the executive agent of SAFECOM, a public safety advisory
board which aims to improve multi-jurisdictional and intergovernmental
communications interoperability. SAFECOM works with CISA and key
emergency response stakeholders and all public safety disciplines to
improve communications interoperability for all emergency response
providers across Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial
governments, and international borders. CISA also works closely with
the National Council of State-wide Interoperability Coordinators
(NCSWIC), comprised of State leaders from the 56 States and
territories. SAFECOM and NCSWIC develop and release guidance documents,
tools, and resources and facilitate the implementation of these tools
to support the public safety community and improve communications
resilience and interoperability. Additionally, CISA maintains a close
relationship with Federal partners that make up the Emergency
Communications Preparedness Center (ECPC), which includes 14 Federal
departments and agencies, and with the First Responder Network
Authority (FirstNet Authority).
These partnerships, resources, and efforts over the decades were
critical in mitigating and stemming the communications impacts brought
on by the global pandemic (e.g., tele-health, tele-medicine, alternate
care facilities, the need for additional bandwidth for research and
operations).
National Planning
Title XVIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended,
requires that CISA develop a National Emergency Communications Plan
(NECP). The purpose of the NECP is to implement a whole-of-Nation
approach to achieving emergency communications interoperability. The
NECP's goals and initiatives are informed by the SAFECOM Nation-wide
Survey (SNS), which is a Nation-wide effort to obtain actionable and
critical data to inform the Nation's emergency communication policies,
programs, and funding. Additionally, SNS results are used to complete
the Nation-wide Communications Baseline Assessment (NCBA), a
Congressionally-mandated assessment of Federal, State, local, Tribal,
and territorial governments, focusing on analyzing the current state of
emergency communications capabilities, identifying Nation-wide gaps,
and measuring the evolution of emergency communications since the last
assessment. CISA's last released the updated NECP in September 2019.
In 2018, CISA, through the SNS, surveyed thousands of local public
safety organizations about their emergency communications. While the
majority of agencies reported their emergency, communications
capabilities had improved over the past 5 years, the survey also
indicated:
Approximately half of the public safety organizations
reported their LMR systems are more than 10 years old.
76 percent of public safety organizations have no or
insufficient funding for capital investments in emergency
communications network systems.
Less than one-quarter of all the agencies reported having
sufficient cybersecurity funding.
Seven percent of the agencies are sharing biometric data
with other organizations, while over 50 percent are sharing GIS
data.
State-wide and Tribal Planning
Through the Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance
Program (ICTAP), CISA provides all States and territories with direct
support in the form of State-wide planning workshops and technical
assistance (TA) training, tools, and resources. Since 2008, more than
2,550 TAs have been delivered to all States and territories. As the
technology used by public safety has evolved, so have the offerings.
For example, the Communications Unit (COMU) program, which outlines the
functions, positions, training, and certifications required to support
interoperable incident communications, has been updated. It now
includes an Information Technology Service Unit Leader position and
course to assist incident command in managing the confluence of voice,
video, and data communications and information, cybersecurity, and
application management for incident planning and response. To date,
more than 17,000 personnel have been trained to fill COMU positions.
State-wide Communication Interoperability Plans (SCIPs) play the
crucial role of enabling States and territories to align and prioritize
their communications needs and advocate for funding to their local and
State governments. SCIPs are generated via State-wide planning
workshops. This process of meeting and planning to create alignment
allows for the development of key relationships before an incident
occurs.
In 2001, there were no State-wide plans for interoperable
communications. Twenty years later, every State and territory has a
SCIP that is regularly updated to address needs involving governance,
training, technology planning, funding sustainability, and
cybersecurity. CISA is committed to helping States regularly improve
these plans.
Communications Resiliency
CISA administers services that enable the end-to-end movement of
information with priority when networks are congested or degraded. The
Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) provides
priority for landline communications by leveraging commercial networks.
The Wireless Priority Service (WPS) is a model public-private
partnership: CISA administers contracts with all major National and
regional commercial carriers to provide prioritized access for users in
and across wireless networks. Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)
is the third CISA-administered service, enabling prioritized
provisioning and restoration of priority services for organizations
that have a National security mission. While CISA manages these
priority services programs, the Federal Communications Commission's
rules govern some aspects of TSP and WPS. The Commission has proposed
to update its rules to reflect today's marketplace and governance
framework and to authorize the prioritization of next-generation
services and technologies. CISA supports many of the proposed rule
changes.
We are in the final stages of Phase 1--Next Generation Network
Priority Services (NGN-PS), which will provide prioritized access for
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Phase 2 focuses on the movement of
data, video, and information services (DV&IS) with priority, which is
mission-critical in the face of evolving threats and response
capabilities.
Working with our industry partners, we are proud to offer these
services at no cost to our stakeholders. These services provide
resilience in ways that all local, State, Tribal, territorial, and
Federal users can use, and have proved critical in maintaining
communications at the State, local, Tribal, and territorial (SLTT)
level during natural disasters. There is no patchwork of ``have and
have nots'' when it comes to the affordability of resilient
communications.
Field Coordination
Since OEC was established in 2007, we have adapted to better serve
our stakeholders. We went from having a centralized to a regionalized
posture to meet stakeholders in the field. This effort started in 2010
with the establishment of the Regional Coordination Program. CISA now
has 16 full-time experts in the field. CISA Emergency Communications
Coordinators (ECCs) serve as key partners in coordinating
communications and communications restoration before, during, and in
response to natural disasters, pandemic response and large, planned
events (e.g., Super Bowls, Presidential inaugurations). These
coordinators build trusted relationships with and across the public
safety community and Government partners to establish strong
governance, plan for technology insertion, and identify sustainable
funding sources.
CISA has deployed ECCs to support emergency communications
coordination and power restoration during numerous natural disasters
(e.g., hurricanes, wildfires, pandemic) and incidents (e.g., State
cybersecurity incidents) over the years. The ECCs work directly with
the NSWIC to provide on-site support to States and jurisdictions and
situational awareness to CISA leadership. CISA staff members also
provide Emergency Support Function No. 2 (ESF-2) desk support at the
National Response Coordination Center to ensure Federal communications
needs are supported. Emergency activations and provisioning of priority
telecommunications (i.e., GETS, WPS, TSP) are also provided to mitigate
network congestion for Federal partners, SLTT public safety officials,
major hospitals, critical infrastructure manufacturers, and wireless &
wireline service providers.
supporting interoperable emergency communications into the future
As stated in our last statement to the subcommittee in 2017, the
emergency communications ecosystem previously consisted of a citizen
calling a PSAP for help, a call operator radioing the information to
fire or police, and public safety officials and responders speaking to
each other on LMR. However, new technologies have drastically changed
the emergency communications ecosystem, not only transforming how
citizens talk to each other, but also how public safety works together
and engages with citizens. These new technologies bring increased
capability but will require continued and increased support to our
partners through training, technical assistance, and best practices as
LMR remains a critical communications tool, along with these new
capabilities for public safety.
CISA counters the evolving threats to emergency communications by
focusing its initiatives in three priority areas:
1. Emergency Communications Interoperability: Promoting
operability, resilience, and interoperability by providing the
tools and resources for stakeholders to operate in the next
generation environment and cyber ecosystem.
2. Integrated, collaborative communications planning: Bolstering
and building teams and communities of practice with public
safety stakeholders and communicators across all parts of the
Federal and SLTT (FSLTT) and critical infrastructure sectors.
3. Priority services adoption: Partnering with industry and
research organizations to make priority DV&IS available to all
stakeholders with national security missions.
Emergency Communications Interoperability
Integrating LMR and Broadband Communications.--Although LMR remains
essential in emergency communications, the benefits and opportunities
broadband offers to public safety are undeniable. Citizens will be able
to send a picture of a suspicious package or videos of an event as it
is happening to PSAPs that can then share those files with first
responders. This capability accelerates the provision of critical
information to determine how to respond and what resources will be
needed. These advancements are tied to the progress toward implementing
the newest tool in the emergency communications toolbox. LMR will
continue to be a primary method of communication for first responders
as broadband continues to greatly improve interoperable communications
across the country.
Public Safety Transition to Next Generation-911 (NG-911).--The
transition to NG-911 is an effort to move PSAPs across the country from
the analog systems used since before 9/11 to a digital or IP-based 9-1-
1 system. CISA will provide direct assistance to jurisdictions across
the United States to implement NG 9-1-1 capabilities and ensure
cybersecurity interconnectivity and interoperability amongst those
systems using common standards Nation-wide. Among the benefits of
Nation-wide interoperability are the ability to respond to 9-1-1
requests faster and with greater accuracy, greater situational
awareness, greater resilience, and with more consistent quality. It
will enable first responders, emergency management, and other public
safety entities to provide optimal service not only to their own
communities, but also to neighboring communities in need of additional
resources or assistance. Furthermore, interconnectivity and
interoperability among 9-1-1 systems positions the Nation to obtain
better awareness of community needs, identify trends, and evaluate how
effectively U.S. residents and visitors are served.
Cybersecurity in Emergency Communications.--The technologies that
have made the Nation's emergency communication more efficient have also
exposed it to the risks and vulnerabilities inherent in information
technology and operational technology. As emergency communications
transitions from voice-only to DV&IS, emergency communicators must
defend against attacks from adversaries seeking to interfere and
profit. To do so, CISA is improving its cybersecurity capabilities to
counter threats, mitigate critical vulnerabilities, and manage
incidents, as well as help organizations build resilience, design
technology securely, and manage risk before cyber incidents occur.
Specifically, CISA is working to:
Share cybersecurity information, analyze cybersecurity
threats and vulnerabilities, and issue guidance and best
practices to detect and prevent cyber intrusions into emergency
communications networks, including Next Generation 9-1-1.
Adapt governance models to incorporate cybersecurity
planning and intrusion prevention.
Customize cyber-focused Technical Assistance for Public
Safety Emergency Communications Centers, 9-1-1 Systems and LMR
functions to mitigate ransomware/Telephony Denial of Service
(TDoS) attacks on public safety networks, and systems that
affect 9-1-1 and emergency communications.
Shape cybersecurity initiatives (secure mobile, etc.) that
include Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for Federal voice
networks and CISA-hosted interoperability grant programs for
both voice and DV&IS capabilities.
Refine interoperability and NG 9-1-1 risk profiles; and
Customize assessment tools into a user-friendly software
assessment for CISA COMU specialists and Cybersecurity Advisors
(CSAs).
Integrated, collaborative communications planning
Advancing Interoperability in Federal Agencies, Tribal, and
International Communities (One DHS, ECPC, Tribal Engagement).--To
ensure both horizontal and vertical emergency communications
interoperability, CISA's support must continue to extend beyond its
current SLTT stakeholders and proactively engage in interoperability
advancement activities for Federal Agencies, Tribal Nations, and
International communities. CISA will proactively engage in technical
advisement, standards promotion, and advocacy activities to guide
interoperability planning for these stakeholder groups. CISA seeks to:
Extend outreach and technical assistance for rural
communities and other underserved public safety entities.
Build cybersecurity expertise in public safety emergency
communications.
Bolster and Build communities for emergency communications
interoperability planning.--Integrated, collaborative communications
planning is the center of gravity in CISA's work with the public safety
community. We will continue to bolster our relationships with partners
at all FSLTT levels. At the same time, this model of trusted
partnerships sets the example of what CISA ultimately aims to achieve
across all 16 critical infrastructure (CI) sectors. The focus will be
on building teams and communities of practice that can offer lessons
learned and resources to others in the community so that everyone
benefits from working together. To that effect, CISA seeks to:
Engage CI Sectors by extending emergency communications
interoperability assistance and outreach to some of the 4,000
critical infrastructure sector entities with ties to National
security and emergency preparedness.
Champion local/regional-level relationship-building with
stakeholders.
Priority services adoption
Priority Services Awareness and Adoption and Priority Services Next
Generation Phase II.--CISA ensures that priority communications
requirements are satisfied as service providers evolve to next
generation networks that employ emerging technologies. Promoting the
awareness of these services and the use thereof is as important as the
technological investment in evolving these services.
Priority Services Awareness and Adoption.--Engage in strategic
communications and outreach activities with stakeholders to increase
awareness, enrollment, and usage of services.
NGN-PS Phase 2.--NGN-PS is a multi-phase, technology insertion that
will ultimately deliver priority for voice and data communication
services. The Phase 2 DV&IS Program moves beyond Phase 1 (voice) and
will provide priority for DV&IS over the IP networks. Phase 2 will
acquire DV&IS priority capabilities through several major service
providers, including cellular and cable networks. Additionally, Phase 2
includes proofs of concept for critical components necessary to achieve
cybersecurity assurance for priority across multiple networks, provides
end-to-end priority, and develops requirements for priority over Wi-Fi.
conclusion
Thank you, Chairwoman Demings, Ranking Member Cammack, and Members
of this subcommittee for the opportunity to provide this overview and
update with you today. The Nation's public safety agencies protect the
homeland, and they rely on resilient, interoperable communication
systems to carry out their mission and protect our Nation. While we
have made tremendous strides in building interoperable emergency
communications capabilities through close coordination with the
National security and public safety community, the work must continue
and evolve. As the technologies continue to advance, so does the threat
landscape. CISA has and will continue to serve as a trusted partner to
help public safety officials defend against threats and build their
capabilities for the future. With your continued support, we know we
can help our partners and stakeholders prepare for the future of
emergency communications and wisely integrate next generation
capabilities while always maintaining a focus on the people who are
using these capabilities as they protect the homeland. We are stronger
together. I look forward to our discussion this morning, and I am
pleased to answer any questions you may have.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much, Director Brown, for your
testimony. I now recognize Mr. Parkinson to summarize his
statement for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF EDWARD PARKINSON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, FIRST
RESPONDER NETWORK AUTHORITY, NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND
INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
Mr. Parkinson. Thank you very much, ma'am, and good morning
to yourself, Ranking Member Cammack, and all subcommittee
Members. I appreciate the opportunity to being here today to
provide an update on the status of the First Responder Network
Authority and the progress that we have made along with our
contracting partner to deploy the Nation-wide interoperable
public safety broadband network. My name is Edward Parkinson
and I am the CEO of the Authority and again, thank you very
much, ma'am, for the shout-out to my alumni status in front of
this subcommittee. I know there are some--it is strange being
on this side of the camera having been on behind the dais,
especially when Mr. Johnson and Billy Bob's predecessors were
there. So, it is good to see a lot of familiar faces.
I will submit my opening statement for the record, of
course. But really just the initial idea of the First Responder
Network Authority and was rooted in the 9/11 Commission Report.
With this recommendation, public safety tirelessly advocated in
front of the committee, in front of the whole of Congress, and
ultimately a bipartisan agreement, bicameral agreement was
reached to allocate dedicated spectrum to public safety. The
result was the creation of FirstNet.
Since we were created, the FirstNet Authority has been
focused on the Congressionally-mandated mission to deploy
public safety's network. This isn't our network. This isn't the
Authority's network. This is public safety's. FirstNet is
trusted by over 18,5000 agencies. Over 2.8 million public
safety connections are now leveraging FirstNet. All of these
numbers were zero just at the beginning of 2018.
We know that behind those numbers are our Nation's heroes
running toward danger 24/7, 365. There are paramedics using GPS
to find the fastest route to a stroke victim's home.
Firefighters, such as Representative Cammack's spouse,
utilizing first responders and FirstNet's deployable trucks to
connect to the network as they battle wildfires out west and,
indeed, hurricane response and many other disasters around the
country. There are law enforcement officers at county fairs and
marathons receiving text messages with a photo of a missing
child and being able to now deliver that to their peers to
hopefully find those children safe. We have got numerous
examples of that taking place.
FirstNet was also successfully leveraged to support D.C.
first responders during the Capitol riots on January 6. It is
proven that dedicated spectrum works. This type of dedicated
service did not exist prior to FirstNet. We at the Authority
engage extensively with public safety to understand their
needs, to inform future investments into the network. In fiscal
year 2020, my team conducted over 1,200 engagements with public
safety in every single State, territory, and the District of
Columbia with all public safety disciplines. We are lucky to
have a board, including Representative Billy Bob Brown, who
represents the Secretary of Homeland Security, as well as
private and public safety experts. Our Public Safety Advisory
Committee, PSAC, our new chair, in fact, Chris Lombard
testified at the first of these two hearings just a few weeks
ago. Based on public safety's feedback, the Authority's first
set of network investments expanded our fleet of deployable
assets, which are used by first responders at zero additional
cost. We began upgrading our core for initial 5G capabilities.
These investments reflect our dual focus on better service and
providing 5G capabilities on the network, which is visible
today in numerous markets.
Now, there are two issues I would like to particularly
highlight for the committee. The first is the renewal of the
First Responder Network Authority's Band 14 spectrum license.
The second is the reauthorization of our program. The Bank 14
spectrum license is crucial to providing dedicated
communications for first responders. Our enabling statute back
in 2012, only instructed the FCC to initial--to license an
initial 10-year license. The statute requires that we, the
Authority, apply for and the FCC to decide on next year whether
or not to renew this license. This spectrum issue is linked to
reauthorization. Next February, the GAO, as required by the
Act, will present their recommendations to Congress regarding
the FirstNet's 15-year sunset provision, which is slated to go
into effect in 2027. I look forward to working with the FCC on
license, as well as this committee and all of Congress on the
details of the GAO recommendations and our spectrum renewal.
I ask the subcommittee to continue to support the Authority
and, indeed, entire program as we enter the next phase of this
program to innovate and invest in public safety's network. The
support of Congress is crucial to FirstNet and in turn, public
safety's success. This is not, as I mentioned before, our
system, this is public safety's. The public safety community
fought long and hard for the creation of FirstNet and it is up
to us to continue to strive to achieve their vision. Thank you
very much for the time. I look forward to the questions as
well.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Parkinson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Edward Parkinson
November 2, 2021
Chairwoman Demings, Ranking Member Cammack, and all subcommittee
Members, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to appear here
today to provide an update on the First Responder Network Authority
(FirstNet Authority) and the deployment of the Nation-wide,
interoperable public safety broadband network (NPSBN, Network, or
FirstNet). My name is Edward Parkinson, and I am the executive director
of the FirstNet Authority. I am also a proud alumnus of the House
Homeland Security Committee. Having worked for 5 years as a
professional staff member for the committee, I have a great
appreciation for the important work the committee does every day.
I'd also like to recognize my colleagues on the panel, executive
assistant director Billy Bob Brown, Jr. with the Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Emergency Communications
Division, and (acting) deputy assistant administrator, Antwane Johnson,
with the Department of Homeland Security's Integrated Public Alert and
Warning System (IPAWS). I appreciate the work that CISA and IPAWS have
done to improve emergency communications in the United States, and
personally appreciate Executive Assistant Director Brown for his work
as the Department of Homeland Security's designee to the FirstNet
Authority Board.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ See FirstNet Authority, FirstNet Authority Board: https://
firstnet.gov/about/leadership/billy-bob-brown-jr.
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Today's hearing aims to examine emergency communications 20 years
after September 11, 2001. While many challenges certainly remain, I
believe that the FirstNet Authority has enhanced the Nation's emergency
communications, and thus has made Americans safer and more secure.
9/11 commission report and public safety's need for dedicated spectrum
FirstNet was derived from the tragedy of 9/11--the initial idea for
a Nation-wide public safety ``communications'' network is rooted in the
recommendations of the
9/11 Commission Report.\2\ In their July 2004 report, the 9/11
Commission recommended that Congress support the allocation of
dedicated radio spectrum for public safety:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National
Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (``9/11
Commission Report''), available at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/
GPO-911REPORT/.
``Recommendation: Congress should support pending legislation which
provides for the expedited and increased assignment of radio spectrum
for public safety purposes . . . .''\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ See 9/11 Commission Report at 397.
With this recommendation and the support from first responders and
the public safety community across the country, the FirstNet Authority
was eventually established by Congress, with this very committee taking
a lead in the development of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job
Creation Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-96) (Spectrum Act).\4\ Public safety
is forever indebted to Congress for the bipartisan support that this
legislation enjoyed in fulfilling the 9/11 Commission Report's
recommendation and allocating 20 MHz of dedicated spectrum to public
safety.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ See S. Rep No. 112-260, at 3 (2012), available at https://
www.congress.gov/112/crpt/srpt260/CRPT-112srpt260.pdf.
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firstnet today and into the future: an operational and expanding
network increasingly relied on by public safety
Since the passage of the Spectrum Act, the FirstNet Authority has
been solely focused on our Congressionally-mandated mission of
deploying public safety's Nation-wide, interoperable broadband network.
The initial phase of the program called on the Authority to consult
with all 56 States, territories, and the District of Columbia, to
ensure that public safety's voice was heard and reflected in the
development of the NPSBN. Subsequently, millions of data points,
encompassing multiple public safety disciplines, were included in the
request for proposal. After an open and competitive process, AT&T was
awarded the contract to build, operate, and maintain the network. In
2017, every Governor--from American Samoa to Maine--chose to adopt the
FirstNet model for deployment of the NPSBN.
With over 2.8 million Network connections and more than 18,500
agencies utilizing the network, there are first responders trusting
FirstNet with their lives, every day in your districts, and across the
country, and that is a responsibility that we take very seriously. It
has taken years of consultation, developing trust with public safety
partners across various, diverse backgrounds, to reach where we are
today. Unlike other communications solutions, the FirstNet Authority is
in a unique position where we work solely in the interest of all of
public safety--including Federal, State, local, and Tribal--and for the
communities that strive to keep each and every person in this country
safe. As the challenges that the public safety community faces evolve,
we at the FirstNet Authority will strive to provide the communication
tools required by public safety to protect the American public.
Following the infusion of $7 billion from the Spectrum Act, the
FirstNet Authority is a financially self-sustaining program and not
reliant on appropriated funding from Congress. Through the FirstNet
contract, AT&T makes annual payments for access to the FirstNet
Authority's licensed Band 14 spectrum--the license for which must be
renewed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) next year to
allow the FirstNet program to continue--which funds our operating costs
and additional investments in the Network for public safety.
Through our forward-looking technology Roadmap \5\ and investment
program, the organization's focus continues to be consulting with
public safety to prioritize Network investments for the greatest
impact. Based on public safety's feedback, the FirstNet Authority's
first set of Network investments expanded the fleet of deployable
assets dedicated to FirstNet users and began upgrading the FirstNet
Core for initial 5G capabilities.
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\5\ SeeFirstResponderNetworkAuthorityRoadmap, https://firstnet.gov/
system/tdf/FirstNet_- Roadmap.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=1055.
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Next February, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), as
required by the Spectrum Act, will present their recommendations to
Congress regarding FirstNet's 15-year sunset provision, which is slated
to go into effect in 2027. I look forward to working with this
committee, and indeed all of Congress on the details of GAO's
recommendations.
looking back: learning from public safety
Looking back at that fateful day, now more than 20 years ago, there
are numerous stories of public safety officials lacking the basic
communication tools required to support mission success. All of us in
the community know the stories of public safety officials writing notes
on pieces of paper and running them around Ground Zero because all
communications capabilities were down. I'm sure that many of us here
today can recall instances where commercial systems were saturated due
to high demand. I think back to when I was a Congressional staffer for
this very committee back in August 2011 when the earthquake in Virginia
caused the House offices to shake and for the buildings to be
evacuated. Communicating with our loved ones was almost impossible on
that day given that the commercial networks were overwhelmed by the
demand.
While many of us on Capitol Hill lived that moment for the first
time in 2011, public safety had been experiencing such scenarios since
before September 11, 2001. This committee, and indeed the whole of
Congress, knew that the time had come that something needed to be done,
and FirstNet was that solution.
As such, public safety asked for a network specifically built for
their mission, utilizing dedicated Nation-wide spectrumas recommended
in the 9/11 Commission's report, and Congress heard that call with the
creation of FirstNet.
As the FirstNet Authority planned for the Network, we consulted
public safety in all 50 States, 5 U.S. territories, the District of
Columbia, and across Indian country, as well as leveraged the expertise
and experiences of our Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC),\6\ to
ensure the Network reflected public safety's broadband communications
needs. Public safety told us the network needed to be affordable,
reliable, interoperable, and custom-built for them. The network
solution needed to be designed to work in dense urban areas, where
challenges come in the form of urban canyons, in-building coverage dead
zones, and subway tunnels; and likewise, the network needed to provide
coverage in rural parts of our country, where previously the business
case did not exist for the commercial providers to build mobile
broadband networks. That input was instrumental in creating the network
we have today and will continue to inform the network of tomorrow.
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\6\ Under the 2012 Act, the FirstNet Authority was required to
``establish a standing public safety advisory committee.'' 2012 Act
6205(a)(1) (47 U.S.C. 1425(a)(1)), Pub. L. No. 112-96, 126 Stat. 156
(2012). The FirstNet Authority established the PSAC in February 2013
consisting of members representing all disciplines of public safety as
well as State, territorial, Tribal, and local governments. The PSAC
also has at-large members and Federal members.
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The mission of the PSAC is to assist the FirstNet Authority in
carrying out its statutory duties and responsibilities.
a truly nation-wide network
One of the challenges in designing a Nation-wide network for public
safety has been finding solutions that meet the many unique needs of
first responders across the country. To address that challenge, in
2017, the FirstNet Authority worked with AT&T, our Nation's Governors,
the State Points of Contact, and public safety leadership in the States
to design individualized FirstNet State plans to build out the Network
and meet public safety's needs. These State plans detailed the initial
5-year Network deployment for each State, with expanded coverage and
capacity in rural, suburban, and urban areas. While Governors had a
choice to ``opt-out'' and build their own State networks, all Governors
across all 56 States and territories ultimately decided to ``opt-in''
to the FirstNet build.
By March 2018, the FirstNet Authority and AT&T officially began the
Nation-wide Network deployment and offering public safety services,
such as priority and preemption, to FirstNet subscribers. AT&T remains
ahead of schedule on the Nation-wide deployment and is anticipated to
have almost completed the initial 5-year network buildout (originally
slated for 2023) by the time the FirstNet Authority seeks renewal of
its FCC license in late 2022. Since the Network is operational and
serving thousands of public safety users today, we believe that it is
clearly in the public interest to renew the FirstNet Authority's FCC
license so that the FirstNet Authority can fulfill its mission
throughout the life of the 25-year agreement with AT&T.
Today, we are over 3 years into the deployment of FirstNet's
dedicated Band 14 on both new and existing towers, and already we have
seen the Network make a major difference in the lives of first
responders and the communities they serve.
network performance during january 6, 2021: why dedicated spectrum
matters
Earlier this year, the FirstNet network was stress-tested by an
event where priority and preemption and a dedicated network proved
critical to local first responders right here in the District. As Dr.
Chris Rodriguez--Director of Washington, DC's Homeland Security and
Emergency Management Agency--testified before this subcommittee last
month, Washington's local first responders utilized the FirstNet
service and dedicated FirstNet deployable units in response to the
January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol building.\7\
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\7\ See: https://homeland.house.gov/imo/media/doc/2021-10-7-EPRR-
HRG-Testimony-Rodriguez.pdf.
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During the response, multiple public safety agencies used FirstNet
service so that first responders could communicate. Where commercial
network calls failed and texts and videos could not be sent or received
due to congestion caused by a surge in traffic, FirstNet worked. As
reported by PC Magazine:
``As mobs stormed the U.S. Capitol, plenty of people nearby reported
their phones having no signal or non-functional connections . . . The
cops' phones all keep working because they're on a special part of the
AT&T network called FirstNet, which gives priority to first
responders.''\8\
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\8\ See: https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/why-cell-networks-cut-out-
at-the-us-capitol-riot.
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supporting public safety during the pandemic
Upon the deployment of FirstNet and the availability of its
services, public safety has relied on the network to serve its
broadband communications needs. Notably, we have seen an increase in
the use of FirstNet during the pandemic--a sign that the network is
helping public safety carry out its mission in the face of COVID-19.
Health care workers and responders are using FirstNet services at
COVID-19 testing centers, field hospitals, and vaccination distribution
sites across the country. We are seeing an increase in the use of data
to confront the pandemic at nearly double the rate of consumer data
traffic.
First responders are taking advantage of FirstNet for telehealth as
well as adapting the use of the network in creative ways to fit the
needs of their specific operations. For example, hotspots and
smartphones powered by FirstNet are enabling 9-1-1 telecommunicators to
take calls and dispatch operations from their homes and remote
locations. This enables agencies to allow for social distancing among
their staff, keeping these front-line essential workers safe so they
can continue to serve the community.
Throughout the pandemic, the city of Alexandria, Virginia's,
emergency communications center (ECC) has relied on FirstNet to support
remote operations. Using hotspots and smartphones powered by FirstNet,
Alexandria dispatchers are able to take calls from their homes and
remain in contact with staff on-site. The FirstNet Push-to-Talk (PTT)
solution, enabling FirstNet phones to act as two-way radios, ensures
that telecommunicators working from home are as connected and ready to
respond as if they were still back at the call center. Palm Beach
County, Florida,
9-1-1 call centers also have depended on FirstNet to enable remote
dispatching and call-taking. Similarly, the Oglala Sioux Tribe's
Department of Public Safety relies on FirstNet to keep their police
officers connected to ECC dispatch when they are responding to an
incident. FirstNet supports applications that enable dispatchers to
transmit mission-critical information to responders and remain in touch
with them as they respond to an incident.
In addition to supporting remote call-taking and mobile
communications, FirstNet can act as a secondary network for ECCs in
case of a primary network failure. These applications will only grow in
their importance as ECCs transition to Next Generation 9-1-1, in which
data needs to be able to travel in and out of an ECC in a quick and
seamless manner.
FirstNet also has improved interoperability on the Network through
supporting mutual-aid efforts, including situations where ambulances
are called in to assist from outside a hard-hit region. Paramedics
using FirstNet devices and enhanced PTT capabilities can seamlessly
communicate and work together with neighboring agencies. As we do for
all major emergency operations, the FirstNet Authority will continue to
gather public safety use cases and best practices from the response to
COVID-19 so that agencies and practitioners can learn from each other
and further understand how the Network can support their communications
needs.
In the midst of a pandemic, responders must address and prepare for
other emergencies. FirstNet has been there to assist with its dedicated
fleet of deployable assets to augment coverage and capacity, including
during the tornadoes in the southeastern United States, wildfires
across California and the West, and during hurricane season along the
East Coast and in the Gulf. Prior to major storms, AT&T's FirstNet
Response Operations Group (ROG), a team of former first responders who
manage FirstNet's response in these types of disasters, staged
deployable units and back-up generators outside the path of the storm.
Immediately following storm systems, the ROG team coordinated with
State emergency operations centers, local agencies, and Federal
Emergency Management Agency Urban Search and Rescue teams to deploy
Satellite Cell on Light Trucks (SatCOLTs), and generators to impacted
areas to support public safety communications efforts on the ground.
firstnet investment and innovation
The FirstNet Authority will continue to deliver for public safety
and drive innovation. Since the signing of the 25-year contract with
AT&T in March 2017, we have made substantial progress in build-out,
innovation, and investments back into the Network for public safety.
Here are recent innovations and investments to support our Nation's
first responders:
Z-Axis.--One of the key capabilities that public safety
requested during the planning phase of FirstNet was the ability
to determine the vertical location of personnel within a
building, also known as Z-axis. Knowing what floor of a
building a firefighter is on is critical information to have
during an emergency. This technological challenge that public
safety identified for FirstNet, and that we worked with AT&T on
to deliver a solution, is now a reality. The FirstNet Authority
is proud to say that this service is now available and being
rolled out on the Network in markets across the country.
FirstNet PTT.--The FirstNet Authority has been working with
global standards bodies for years to ensure public safety
achieves a PTT solution that supports mission-critical services
capabilities. FirstNet was the first to market with a Nation-
wide, mission-critical, standards-based PTT solution. Earlier
this year, the network began launching solutions for LTE
interoperability with Land-Mobile Radio (LMR) systems. FirstNet
now gives public safety agencies using traditional two-way
radios access to communicate seamlessly with smartphone users
on FirstNet PTT. These gateways act as a technological bridge
between LMR technology and 4G LTE smart phones.
5G Investments for Public Safety.--The FirstNet Authority
recently took the first step to begin evolving the FirstNet
Core to prepare for 5G technology--ensuring that FirstNet
continues to evolve with industry technology enhancements. AT&T
has been upgrading FirstNet's Core infrastructure to enable the
higher speeds and greater capabilities of 5G technology for
FirstNet subscribers so that first responders have access to
the latest in technology innovations. This initial investment
to support 5G technology is already in the hands of first
responders today, with deployments across the country occurring
as I speak. All of this is in concert with our statutory
responsibility to consider new and evolving technologies--
preparing us for a future where the internet of things and full
5G will help improve public safety operations.
FirstNet Deployable Program.--The FirstNet Authority
recently also took steps to expand the fleet of dedicated
FirstNet deployables to enhance network coverage and capacity
for public safety during emergencies and events.\9\ As of June
2021, the FirstNet fleet has 100+ deployables located at sites
around the country and U.S. territories that can be sent to
emergencies in a matter of hours. The FirstNet-dedicated fleet
includes:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ See FirstNet Authority, FirstNet Authority Board Approves
Network Investments for 5G, On-Demand Coverage (rel. June 2020),
https://firstnet.gov/newsroom/press-releases/firstnet-authority-board-
approves-network-investments-5g-
demand_coverage#::text=The%20Board%20ap-
proved%20%24218%20million%20for%20the%20FirstNet,safety%20turned%20to%20
the%20- FirstNet%20deployables%20for%20additional.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
More than 90 ground-based SatCOLTs and Compact
RapidDeployables (CRDs)--SatCOLTs are vehicles with mobile
cell sites that connect via satellite and do not rely on
commercial power supply, while CRDs are smaller trailer
hitch-mounted portable cell sites that can be brought into
an area to provide emergency or enhanced coverage.
Three Command and Communications Vehicles for emergency
deployments, planned events, and training exercises with a
space for two communications personnel with multiple
monitors, televisions, and charging stations, as well as a
large exterior screen and speakers for briefings. These
vehicles provide connectivity via LTE (Band 14) and/or Wi-
Fi and are able to leverage a variety of backhaul options
to connect to the NPSBN. These are also equipped with a
generator that can run for multiple days before refueling
and includes a lavatory, microwave, mini refrigerator, and
sleeping bunk.
Three airborne Flying Cell on Wings--tethered drones with
larger propellers, increased payload capacity, and
specialized LTE radios and power systems. Flying Cell on
Wings can withstand light rain and wind speeds up to 25
miles per hour and reach heights of up to 400 feet, making
them ideal for wildfires, mountain rescues, and other
missions where terrain previously made it difficult to
maintain connectivity.
One aerostat--a 55-foot blimp that gives wide-scale
portable connectivity over an extended period of time. The
aerostat can stay in air for up to 2 weeks and reach
heights up to 1,000 feet, making it ideal for large
disaster areas like a hurricane's aftermath when sustained
connectivity over a broad geographic area is required for
response and recovery.
High-Powered User Equipment (HPUE).--FCC rules allow for
higher-powered devices to access FirstNet on our dedicated Band
14 spectrum. To leverage this, AT&T recently launched a
solution called MegaRange technology.\10\ Providing first
responders with HPUE can extend the range of coverage where
Band 14 spectrum has been deployed significantly. This can be
particularly beneficial for public safety users in rural or
maritime areas to extend the capabilities of the network.
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\10\ See: https://about.att.com/newsroom/2021/fn_megarange.html.
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The FirstNet Authority's Roadmap drives all of these efforts, by
ensuring that the voice of public safety is heard and sets a path
forward for advancing the capabilities of their network to meet the
evolving needs of first responders. The Authority looks forward to
continuing to brief the committee on our most recent network
advancements and our future plans.
conclusion
In Chairwoman Demings' opening statement in the subcommittee's
October 7, 2021, hearing with emergency managers and first responders
on this very topic, she--along with other Members--cited the many
challenges that still face the emergency communications space. In
particular, she noted her first-hand experience as a law enforcement
practitioner in the field, serving as Orlando Police Department's
Captain of the division stationed at the Orlando International Airport
during 9/11. The FirstNet Authority will continue to work with you,
Madam Chair, and other leaders in Congress to identify challenges in
emergency communications that persist and address them head-on.
The FirstNet Authority will continue to work with public safety
stakeholders, AT&T, and our Federal, State, local, and Tribal
government partners to build the best network for public safety, and we
are proud of the progress we have made to date. Feedback from our
public safety stakeholders, on successes and areas for improvement, is
critical to our program. Indeed, FirstNet's robust consultation and
feedback from public safety has helped us get to where we are today.
We are proud to serve America's first responders in all 50 States,
5 territories, and the District of Columbia. It is amazing to see
public safety in rural, suburban, and urban communities across the
country--including Tribal lands--integrating FirstNet into their daily
and emergency operations. FirstNet's dedicated connection is making a
difference and helping them keep safe and protect the citizens they
serve. I ask that this subcommittee continue to support the FirstNet
Authority--particularly with our spectrum license renewal and
reauthorization approaching--as we enter the next phase of this
program, to innovate and invest in public safety's network. The support
of Congress is critical to FirstNet's and, in turn, public safety's
success. This is not the FirstNet Authority's network; it is public
safety's network. The public safety community fought long and hard for
the creation of the NPSBN, and it is up to us to continue to strive to
achieve their vision.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much, Mr. Parkinson, for your
testimony. I thank all of our witnesses. I will remind the
subcommittee that we will each have 5 minutes to question the
panel. I will now recognize myself for questions.
This question is actually for all of our witnesses, but
Director Brown, I just want to repeat something that you said
that I really think sets the stage for this hearing. You said
when it comes to sharing of information, every second counts.
Certainly, as a former first responder, I clearly understand
the importance of that statement and the importance of
information to men and women, those boots on the ground. Last
month, as we have already talked about, we had first responders
and emergency managers here to talk about some of the
challenges that we face every day. I think no one better
understands those challenges than those first responders,
emergency managers at the local level. So, Director Brown, I
will start with you, how are you supporting and incorporating
feedback from emergency managers and first responders on a
local level? The question is for all witnesses, but Director
Brown, we will start with you.
Mr. Brown. Thank you for the question. As you are aware,
the ability to ensure that we are able to seamlessly move and
develop our communications to support responders, it does not
happen on the spot during the heat of battle. You know, it
really starts early and it is in those forums where we are
bringing communicators together to develop effective planning
that we are able to receive that kind of feedback and sharing
of best practices.
Just this past week, I was in Austin, Texas working with
local communicators from the Southwest Border States, Arizona,
California, Texas, New Mexico, not only State officials, but
also local emergency management officials discussing the
effective use of communications planning and the importance of
best practices are shared amongst the communicators to ensure
that we have the most efficient way of designing communication
structures to support incident management.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much for that. Mr. Parkinson.
Mr. Parkinson. Thanks for the question, ma'am. One of the
things that we have done at the First Responder Network
Authority is develop a number of tools for outreach into the
community. So, we have a dedicated team, our public safety
engagement group, and what they do is they are positioned
throughout the country from really Maine to Hawaii. They were
broken up regionally so that these folks are drawn from the
public safety community and can engage directly with them. They
are drawn from various disciplines, law enforcement, fire, EMS,
9-1-1, emergency managers. We have that dedicated resource
because we need that unvarnished voice of public safety to
provide direct input into the Authority so that we know what
and why we need to make strategic investments into things such
as expanding our deployable fleet and 5G and engagements.
Another tool we have is in our FirstNet.gov website. There
is a tool there where folks are able to provide, again, direct
feedback to the authority. We have a 24/7 open line. We have
these opportunities throughout COVID, we were able to do
webinars around the country. You have heard me mention the over
1,200 engagements with public safety. That is what we were able
to do without being in person. We have a new stakeholder
engagement division which is designed to hold larger groups.
Again, once we are in a post-COVID environment, we are really
enthusiastic about the kind of feedback that those kind of
forums will be able to hold.
We have been able to evolve this. You know, our program was
basically founded on consultation with the States back in 2014-
2015. We have learned from those consultations. We have learned
how to really tweak them, change them, and evolve them. So, we
feel very comfortable about the level of engagement we have
with public safety knowing that without it, our program would
not be able to survive.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you very much. Mr. Johnson.
Mr. Johnson. Thank you, Chairwoman Demings. As with Mr.
Parkinson there, we also stood up a stakeholder engagement
branch within the IPAWS program office to conduct continuous
outreach with our State and local governments, first
responders, and others. In fact, we have a tremendous
engagement with the National Emergency Management Association,
as well as with the International Association of Emergency
Managers. We just recently returned from the IAM conference
with there was tremendous engagement with first responders
there, as well as the International Association of Chiefs of
Police. So, we try and cover the broad spectrum of first
responders to include fire, police, and others who serve our
communities. In addition to that, we maintain monthly webinars
where we can engage with first responders and emergency
managers to gather their feedback on what is working and what
is not. Certainly, with that information, we can make the
necessary adjustments to serve the broader needs of the
community.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you all so very much. The Chair now
recognizes the Ranking Member of the subcommittee, the
gentlewoman from the State of Florida, Mrs. Cammack, for 5
minutes.
Mrs. Cammack. Well, thank you Congresswoman Demings,
Chairwoman Demings. My first question is going to be for Mr.
Johnson. In 2019, IPAWS added a new Blue Alert event code to
allow alert originators to issue an alert whenever a law
enforcement officer is injured, killed, missing in connection
to any official duties, and/or there are any imminent or
credible threat of death or serious injury to law enforcement
officers. So, this is a two-parter. Do all of the States, have
they--do they have Blue Alert plans in place and they are able
to issue these Blue Alerts? To your knowledge, has the
utilization of a Blue Alert led to a successful apprehension of
a suspect?
Mr. Johnson. Ranking Member Cammack, great question. We
worked with the Department of Justice, the Community Policing
Office, to establish the Blue Alerts that are being sent in
response to a police officer either being injured or who is
missing in the line of duty. We are aware that there is a
pretty aggressive outreach campaign within the Department of
Justice to assist States with developing their Blue Alert
plans. I have seen that Blue Alerts have been issued, for
example, in the State of Texas, where a suspect actually
injured a law enforcement officer and a State-wide Blue Alert
was issued. That suspect was apprehended within a matter of
hours, not days. Once that Blue Alert was issued to the public
and then public, you know, public engagement in the process
assisted law enforcement with identifying the suspect and
reporting on his whereabouts.
We have seen that take place in a number of States across
the country where Blue Alerts are being used very effectively.
I believe down in Florida there may have been one or two. I can
get back to you on that where the Blue Alert--where Blue Alerts
have been issued in response to law enforcement activity and
the perpetrator still being on the loose.
Mrs. Cammack. It might have cut out a little bit in the
beginning. I wasn't sure if I heard you. Do every State--do all
the States have a Blue Alert in place or are we still doing the
outreach trying to get every State on-board?
Mr. Johnson. So, the Department of Justice's COPS office or
Community Policing Office is responsible for working with State
police and others to establish their Blue Alert plans. At last
report, I think over 40 States had Blue Alert plans that were
being exercised. But I would have to go back and check with the
COPS office to see exactly where that stands today.
Mrs. Cammack. Thank you, Mr. Johnson. If you could follow
up with my team in writing of what the current status is and
how we can help expedite that to make sure that every State has
this Blue Alert in place, that would be really helpful.
The next question for you, Mr. Johnson, is one of the
recommendations from the National Advisory Council on
Modernizing the Nation's Public Alert and Warning Systems was
to encourage the use of public media broadcast capabilities to
expand alerts and warnings and interoperable communication
capabilities to fill the gaps in rural and underserved areas.
Specifically, what has FEMA done and what steps has FEMA taken
to address this recommendation?
Mr. Johnson. Ranking Member Cammack, thank you so much for
the question. I seem to have drawn a blank. But with regards to
public broadcasting and the ability to reach people regardless
of where they are, what they might be doing, or who they are,
has been one of the primary goals of the IPAWS program office
in FEMA to ensure that No. 1, we can create this type of
ubiquitous alerting environment where we can leverage all of
the Nation's technology to reach people to inform them of
threats to their safety. We have been engaged with public
broadcasters, as you are aware. Public broadcasters and
broadcast capabilities tend to be extremely resilient and
survivable during disasters. In fact, during Hurricane Irma and
Leah in Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, we saw that our
broadcasters remained on air while most of the other
communications methods were, you know, extremely devastated and
remained in an outage-type state for several weeks.
We continue to work with public broadcasters to ensure that
we cannot--that we leverage their services in member stations,
as well as the rest of the broadcast community. In fact, we are
connected into over 20,000 broadcasters across the country who
leverage our services to communicate any, you know, public
safety information or warnings to the general public. The same
applies to the wireless industry and 65 wireless carriers we
are connected into for wireless emergency alerts. And NOAA's
Weather Radio, we are leveraging those capabilities. There are
1,000 transmitters across the country to also provide
additional reach. So, we are using just about every platform
that is possible in the country to serve as dissemination
channels to reach people where they are.
Mrs. Cammack. OK. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Johnson. Mr.
Brown, I actually have a couple questions for you. I know my
time----
Mrs. Demings. The gentlewoman's time has expired. Maybe we
will have time for a second round. The Chair now recognizes the
gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Jackson Lee, for 5 minutes. If you
can turn your camera on? Ms. Jackson Lee. We will move on to
the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Payne, for 5 minutes.
Mr. Payne. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you for this
timely hearing. My question is for Mr. Johnson and Director
Brown. My bill, H.R. 615, the DHS Interoperable Communications
Act, which is now law, requires that the Department submit to
this committee a strategy for achieving and maintaining
interoperable communications among DHS components. To both you
gentlemen, how are you taking what came out of these reports
and then incorporating it into your work?
Mr. Johnson. Thank you, Congressman Payne. On the FEMA
side, we made some, I think, fairly aggressive steps to provide
for interoperability of the Nation's alert and warning
capabilities. In fact, back in 2010, we adopted the common
alert protocol that was developed by the organization for
structured information systems. Within that particular
standard, we identified the IPAWS USA profile that would define
what an alert and warning would consist of. So, on the front
end, where State and local governments are using alerting
authorities to push information throughout IPAWS out to
multiple dissemination channels, that standard allows for
interoperability or the ability of disparate types of alerting
tools to partner and leverage IPAWS services.
The same applies on the back end with disseminating
information to the public. The public now, or the broadcast
industry, the wireless industry, as well as our other
technology providers, can subscribe to that one standard and
ensure that one message is disseminated over multiple
platforms. It also provides an opportunity for innovation by
our technology providers with their knowing that there is a
common standard that can be adopted or utilized to develop
their technologies from further reach of alert and warning to
the community.
Mr. Payne. Thank you.
Mr. Brown. Thank you for the question. As Director Johnson
mentioned, FEMA and CISA are in partnership along with other
components in the Department to ensure that we are working
together collaboratively to ensure that communications
interoperability is improved. One of those initiatives includes
the effective development of a training curriculum for
communications unit leaders and communications technicians to
ensure that effective planning occurs between components within
the Department to achieve interoperable communications. That is
one of the initiatives that we are undertaking. Additional
initiatives include the participation in a forum that we call
One DHS and a forum that we call the Joint Wireless Program
office to discuss the challenges of interoperable planning and
use of tactical communications amongst the components within
the Department. That in effect, is also a representative of
setting the example across the Federal space with the other
departments and agencies that the wisdom of the bill that you
sponsored and was enacted, you know, allows for the Department
to create an example of how one Federal agency can create
interoperability amongst its varied parts. The Emergency
Communications Preparedness Center, which the 21st Century
Emergency Communication Act of 2006 established, is a forum
that we share the progress made by that One DHS as an example
to the other departments to emulate.
Mr. Payne. Thank you. Mr. Johnson, also, in January 2018,
Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency sent out an erroneous
incoming ballistic missile alert as we have discussed here.
What lessons has the agency learned from this incident and how
are you supporting and incorporating feedback from States?
Mr. Johnson. Thank you for the question, Congressman Payne.
The unfortunate incident that took place on January 13 at
approximately 8:07 in the morning was really unfortunate and
created a great deal of panic for the people of Hawaii. We have
learned a number of lessons from that unfortunate event and
have taken several steps to ensure that that does not happen
again. As an example, we have revamped our training that is
offered through the Emergency Management Institute for both
operators of our alert and warning systems, as well as
emergency management leadership. We have established monthly
proficiency demonstrations requiring all alerting authorities
to demonstrate proficiency in the use of their internal systems
with IPAWS. And to do that in a safe environment leveraging our
technical support services facility that provides 24/7 support
to our alerting authority should they have any issue with
drafting an alert, questions on whether the system should be
used for in response to a particular event, or with any other
challenges that they may have.
We have worked with private-sector application developers
to improve the tools that they are using by alerting
authorities. In fact, we have sent several letters to them
recommending improvements to their products. However, one of
the challenges that we have with these companies is that FEMA
does not actually have a contractual relationship with these
companies. So, our recommendations are just recommendations to
these companies. But I can tell you that when we issue these
letters with recommendations from FEMA, most of the software
vendors who are providing these tools to State and local
governments tend to pay attention and they are aggressively
adopting those recommendations.
But in addition to that, we conduct weekly or monthly
webinars. We provide tips on use of the system should there be
any question on, you know, emerging themes that we are seeing
from across the community. We will take one additional step by
issuing tips on the use of the system or whatever the issue may
be to the broader community to ensure that they are aware of
those things.
Mr. Payne. Thank you.
Mr. Johnson. Then our working groups provide for continuous
engagement and feedback from the community as well.
Mr. Payne. Thank you very much, Madam Chair, I will yield
the balance of my time. Thank you.
Mrs. Demings. The gentleman's time has expired. The Chair
now recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Higgins, for 5
minutes.
Mr. Higgins. Thank you, Chairwoman and Ranking Member and
thank you for holding today's hearing. I very much appreciate
our witnesses for being here today. Effective emergency
communications are critical to States that are subject to
impact by a natural disaster like hurricanes response and
recovery. It just cannot happen without effective
communications that have been stabilized and policies and
procedures that are in place to position our first responders
to use that technology that we are talking about today. In
2020, after back-to-back hurricanes, southwest Louisiana faced
many challenges with communications. So, the technology we are
discussing today that is used to restore internet and cell
connections can certainly be an asset to communities that are
vulnerable, as well as an important tool for first responders
that are tasked with actually responding and helping a
community to recover. So, Mr. Parkinson, interestingly, it is
my understanding there was a FirstNet public safety blimp
operating in my district in Cameron, Louisiana following the
hurricanes in 2020. Can you please describe to the committee
what the purpose of the blimp was and how it aids and in
recovery and first responders' ability to do the job and help
impacted communities. Talk to us about the blimp.
Mr. Parkinson. Yes, sir. So, I have got an image here just
of the blimp there you have it. That is the FirstNet One blimp.
Mr. Higgins. Right, that is it.
Mr. Parkinson. That is the one, yep. That was flown outside
in Cameron Parrish, Louisiana following the disaster of
Hurricane Laura, sir. What it is designed to do is to be
tethered and go up to about 1,000 feet and, in essence, it acts
as a floating cell phone tower. It is able to radiate coverage
over many tens and tens of miles. So, in a situation where
Cameron Parrish, which as you know, was completely devastated
by Hurricane Laura, from infrastructure to, you know,
communications capabilities, to utilities, we were in a
position with FirstNet to take the FirstNet One blimp and
launch it for the first time and provide communications
capabilities. You know, this FirstNet One blimp is but one of
over 100 assets that we have in our deployable fleet. These
include CRDs, these are compact rapid deployables. You can
throw these on the back of a pickup truck. We also have more
deployables that are slightly larger formed factors in the
shape of trucks. So, what we try to do at first is build into
the program a state of resiliency that allows for different
form factors that provide different solution sets so that as we
see different scenarios play out from the ground for public
safety, we have a communications and recovery capability that
can meet the needs of public safety in the FirstNet----
Mr. Higgins. How is that--how is it integrated with local
law enforcement? How do first responders interact with the
technology, a new technology you are describing?
Mr. Parkinson. Yes, sir. So, any first responder network
authority subscriber can call out these assets at zero
additional cost. So, if you are paying $45 a month to recall
out for one of these blimps or for one the deployables, it does
not add another penny to one's--to an agency bill or anything
like that. That is unique to FirstNet.
So, sir, as you are using your FirstNet device, you have
access to these type of solutions sets. So, in the event of
hurricane recovery, disaster wildfire recovery out west, just
as another example, this provides additional coverage in areas
where the network maybe temporarily down, for example.
Mr. Higgins. That is fascinating. Madam Chair, it is
incredibly important this information that we are bringing to
the table today. I thank you again and the Ranking Member. I am
sure my time has expired and I yield.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much, Mr. Higgins. You had
another minute but thank you for yielding. The Chair now
recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Green, for 5 minutes.
Mr. Green. Thank you, Madam Chair. To my friend, Mr.
Higgins, I will gladly accept that time that you did not use,
sir. Good to see you dear brother Higgins. Always enjoy your
comments. Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I am very
fortunate. I have been blessed to represent a district wherein
the ballot is printed in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and
Chinese. We live in a polyglot society across the length and
breadth of this country. Linguistics are exceedingly important
when we have these natural disasters. I am concerned about how
people who don't speak English, they are not proficient with
English, how do they receive proper communications with
reference to resources and other concerns that they may have?
So, I will direct to my question to Mr. Johnson, Director
Johnson, and Director Brown. Can you share with me some
intelligence on how persons who are not English proficient but
we know they are here and we know that they will need help as
well. How do the receive the communications necessary to be
better informed when a disaster strikes?
Mr. Johnson. Thank you, Congressman Green. A very good
question in terms of communication and, you know, the
acknowledgment of the broad demographics within our communities
and people who don't have an understanding of the English
language. Certainly, we here at FEMA are charged with ensuring
that all Americans who reside here have access to alerts and
warnings to include those with access and functional needs as
well as those without an understanding of the English language.
We have done several things to ensure the broad dissemination
of alerts and warnings. One, as I mentioned, we adopted the
common alerting protocol and within that determined the IPAWS
USA profile within the standard. That allows for multiple
information blocks with the opportunity to enter multiple
languages into a single message.
The challenge that we have on the front end is that many of
our alerting officials at the State and local level don't
possess the language capability to craft those messages in the
languages that are spoken in those communities. Currently,
today we support English and Spanish as you mentioned. But
there a multitude, as you mentioned, of other languages that
are spoken in these communities.
The other half of the equation is to downstream
dissemination technologies that are used that don't necessarily
support languages outside of English and Spanish currently.
Now, we are working with the State of Minnesota who has an
initiative entitled, ECHO Minnesota where they are actually
through broadcast radio transmitting languages in English,
Spanish, Hmong, Somali, and Hmong and there is a broader
initiative to put those type services through APIs and the web
to allow others within the emergency management community to
draw upon those services and those type technologies.
But first we have to have the skill sets on the front end
to craft the messages and then the downstream dissemination
technologies have to be able to support those things as well.
So, like we have here at FEMA allow for multiple languages
within our house.
Mr. Green. Well, thank you very much. Let me just share an
additional thought with you and I will be as terse as possible.
I was in Mexico. I was on a bus and the driver stood up and
said something in Spanish. I speak very little Spanish. After
the driver said this, everybody rushed off the bus. They ran
over to a line and they stood in line. So, later on as I am
trying to get and I am the last person, I said what is going
on? The driver explained to me that this bus was out of service
because it needed repairs and that the next bus would not hold
as many passengers as the bus I was on. So, last in line, I
don't make the bus that is going to get me where I need to go.
It is really a challenge when you don't understand the language
and something important is going on. So, my follow-up question
to you is, what kind of time line do we have? Have we
established a time line to perfect not only the technology, but
the personnel necessary to do this? In my district, we speak
over 80 different languages. Can you help me, please?
Mr. Johnson. So, thank you, sir. Within FEMA, it is a
continuous engagement to broaden our capabilities to ensure
that everyone in this country has equal access to alert warning
information, certainly where there is some threat to their
safety. We have made those accommodations in IPAWS to allow for
multiple languages. In fact, we have not been able to test in
an environment where we have exceeded the capability of IPAWS
through the common alerting protocol to support up to, you
know, 100 to 200 languages. The challenge that we have is on
the front end with just States and locals having those language
capabilities within their organizations. Then second with the
technology if we were to develop a technology that would
provide for language, on-the-fly language translation, there is
a huge distrust of technology to make those on-the-fly
translations on the part of the emergency management and public
safety community.
But I can tell you that we are going to continue to
aggressively pursue that. We will work with NEMA and IAM and
others to protype these technologies and to develop trust and
confidence in these technologies when they are called upon. We
will continue to keep that at the forefront of our agenda in
terms of equal access to information that is being made
available----
Mr. Green. Thank you.
Mr. Johnson [continuing]. Regarding threats to public
safety.
Mr. Green. Thank you, much. Madam Chair, for edification
purposes, can you share with me how much time I have left?
Mrs. Demings. The gentleman's time has expired. If we have
time, we will do a second round of questions.
Mr. Green. Thank you, Madam Chair. I greatly appreciate
your indulgence. Thank you.
Mrs. Demings. The Chair now recognizes the gentlewoman from
Iowa, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, for 5 minutes. Mrs. Miller-Meeks, I
believe you are still muted.
Mrs. Miller-Meeks. I need to unmute. It just didn't
recognize my finger touch. So, thank you so much and thank you
for, Madam Chair, for having this important hearing. You know,
Iowa is no stranger to natural disasters especially those that
knock out communications. In August 2020, a powerful derecho
swept across the midwestern United States and it caused severe
damage and serious damage in Iowa. In response to requests from
public safety, the FirstNet response operations group deployed
portable generators and portable cell sites to boost FirstNet
connectivity where coverage was disrupted due to infrastructure
damage and loss of commercial power. Since the derecho, AT&T
has made significant investments in permanent power at lower
sites in Iowa. In addition to deploying new permanent
infrastructure, the dedicated fleet of FirstNet portable
network assets are available 24/7 at the request of FirstNet
subscribed agencies and at no cost to public safety. The
FirstNet deployable assets make sure first responders have
connectivity when and where they need it both during and after
planned large events and during times of emergency. The fleet
of 100-plus dedicated deployable assets includes ground-based
assets such as satellite cells on light trucks. The FirstNet
satellite cells on light trucks provide similar capabilities
and connectivity as a cell tower. The portable assets link to
the FirstNet via the satellite and don't rely on commercial
power availability.
The FirstNet deployable fleet also contains ground-breaking
use of aerial cell sites. Flying COWS, Cells on Wings, and
FirstNet One and industry first blimp, I think you had showed
us, Mr. Parkinson. There are several examples. We have used
this during the 2021 RAGBRAI. For those that don't know, that
is the Registers' Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. It goes
across the entire State with 8 overnight stops. It has also
been deployed by the University of Iowa and the university
public safety for large events such as the University of Iowa
Hawkeye games when typical service may be disrupted or
congested.
So, although I have no financial interest in any of the
entities that I mentioned, Mr. Parkinson, last month this
subcommittee heard from Christopher Rodriguez, the director of
D.C.'s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency on
rapidly deployable cellular infrastructure requested through
FirstNet to support the demands of large events and incidents.
What different types of deployable assets are currently being
used by FirstNet and why are they such an important resource in
emergency management?
Mr. Parkinson. Thank you for the question, ma'am. If I
could get a shoutout to the RAGBRAI race. My sister has done it
3 times and, you know, it is a great ride. She has tried to
bring me in and so far I have resisted. She is the athlete in
the family.
You know, one of the most important things we have had
especially as we saw around what Director Rodriguez mentioned a
few weeks ago before this very testimony, was the fact that at
areas such as the National Capitol Mall, we do need more
permanent capacity around the Capitol and down really the
Pennsylvania Avenue canyon. You know, there are so many events
that take place if you think of the 4th of July annual
celebrations. We often see very, very large protests down in
those areas. Obviously, the Capitol riots on January 6 is
another example. So, there is a need absolutely for more
permanent capacity in and around those areas. So, that is one
area that we at the FirstNet Authority has been coordinating
with many of our Federal agencies who have offices down that
portion of the Washington, DC area. I would certainly welcome
the opportunity to get more support from Congress in those
efforts. So, another important part of it.
Your question though related to deployables, you mentioned
most of them. We also have a small fleet of Cell on Wings.
These are drones that can fly and create some sort of a mesh
network around a certain geographic area. We are always
exploring in the space of innovation, trying to identify new
capabilities for public safety.
Mrs. Miller-Meeks. Yes, I think what is fascinating about
it is that with the assets you have be they permanent or they
deployable, they function in rural areas or in urban areas. So,
it really expands our connectivity, which is especially
valuable in emergency situations. I think that answers part of
the questions that Representative Higgins had which is our
coordination and our first responder group coordinates both
with local, so, local law enforcement, local emergency
management. So, local, county, State, and then National level.
So, there is a coordination in Iowa among all those groups and
they are all brought to the table both at the local level and
the State level and then with our Federal partners. So,
hopefully that will answer some of Representative Higgins
question. It has worked very well and has been invaluable in
the State of Iowa, especially as I said, during the derecho,
which took down a lot of our infrastructure. So, thank you very
much for that and, Madam Chair, I will yield back my time.
Mrs. Demings. The gentlewoman yields back. The Chair now
recognizes the gentlewoman from New Jersey, Mrs. Watson
Coleman, for 5 minutes.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you very much, Madam Chairwoman
and thank you to our witnesses for this very important
information. I have a general question for all 3, but I have a
very specific question for Mr. Parkinson and then I need to get
out of the way.
I understand that FirstNet was the only wireless network
that worked reliably for first responders during the January 6
riots thanks to the FirstNet dedicated Band 14 spectrum, as
well as a portable telecom infrastructure deployable units
brought in for the inauguration. In evaluating how we further
strengthen our preparedness for emergency events on the
National Mall and Capitol Complex, as we are all aware of the
various threats that come our way, do you feel there is a need
for more permanent infrastructure on the National Mall and what
are the challenges to deploying both permanent and temporary
infrastructure on the Mall and around the U.S. Capitol?
Mr. Parkinson. One hundred percent, ma'am, this is
something that we absolutely need. It is something that is
without it, there is a constant threat that public safety would
not able to have the communications capabilities that they
need. So, I certainly would expand on my previous answer in
terms of we need that type of dedicated coverage. We need that
kind of dedicated capacity and physical need. So, it is working
with the respective agencies that have office space, as well as
Federal agencies and the teams who look after the National Mall
to get that. So, 100 percent.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Are there any infrastructure needs in
addition? If so, are there any impediments to having it
available?
Mr. Parkinson. Yes, ma'am. So, more fiber is always a good
thing, especially as we are gravitating toward 5G ecosystem.
So, as we need greater capacity, as we need better
technologies, additional fiber certainly would be a welcome
asset to be deployed in and around the Mall and the Capitol.
How we can work that, how it can be coordinated, we are
certainly ready to have those conversations. We started having
those coordination conversations with other Federal agencies in
around the D.C. area. So, we are happy to provide additional
updates to you as those go so that if there are any areas that
you may be able to assist with, I would certainly welcome that.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Greatly appreciate that. For all of
the witnesses, really quickly, I am trying to understand all
the agencies that are involved in this issue. I am trying to
understand all the requirements of people with regard to
cybersecurity. I am really sensitive to these issues of
redundancies. So, what I would like to know from each of you is
the answer to two questions. No. 1 is who are your primary
stakeholders? No. 2, if you are only internal, how does your
information get externalized? Just for context, we in New
Jersey, we were having a tornado warning, which is kind-of
unusual, and I am talking to my granddaughter on Facebook and
she lives 3\1/2\ miles away. She says, hold up mom-mom, we have
got a tornado watch going on. She was getting constant updates
in her TV. My TV was right in front of me. My phone was right
next to me and I got none, 3\1/2\ miles away and I can't quite
understand what happened. So, if you all could just kind-of
tell me your stakeholders and how this all works so that there
are people aren't tripping over one another.
Mr. Parkinson. I will just go very quickly on my----
Mrs. Watson Coleman. I am not being left out.
Mr. Parkinson. Yes, ma'am. So, on the FirstNet side, by
statute, we can only really focus on public safety. That is, we
can't offer commercial services. That is up to our partner. We
focus on really dedicated men and women in public safety space.
We have a very robust engagement program to not only push
information out but to receive information.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. OK. So, that is really talking to the
first responders on various levels. All right. Mr. Brown and
Mr. Johnson.
Mr. Brown. Sure, just to thank you for the question. To
consider the number of Federal organizations that are in the
space for cybersecurity, you know, I do like to think about it
as a term of concentric and supporting authorities. So,
certainly as we work with the FBI, we work with Department of
Energy, we work with Department of Health and Human Services
and others, that we coordinate the collaboration. Certainly as
the National Defense Authorization Act of last year required
the establishment of a joint cyber defense collective, you
know, the intent is to work seamlessly together using the
authorities that each organization has to ensure that
cybersecurity and the availability of supporting our
stakeholders, which are all the public safety, which are all of
the emergency and management community and as I indicated in my
opening statement, the National Security and Emergency
Preparedness community.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Mr. Brown. Mr. Johnson.
Mr. Johnson. Thank you, Congresswoman. Since the issue of
cyber has already been adequately addressed, let me just speak
specifically to that tornado warning that was received in your
area. The National Weather Service utilizes IPAWS services to
push severe weather warnings through IPAWS to your mobile
devices and over the emergency alert systems to include their
own infrastructure through NOAA Weather Radio. We have made
improvements in the system to allow for very targeted areas to
be defined that those warnings are relevant for. It could be
the case that while your granddaughter received the message or
the warning on her TV and on her mobile device, that you may
have been outside of the alerted area that was defined by the
National Weather Service. The Weather Service looks at all of
the criteria that is associated with that event and then has to
make a determination on what areas are most threatened by the
event and then they will provide immediate notification to
those areas. As conditions change, of course, the National
Weather Service will provide updates and if your area was, you
know, imminently threatened by that event, then, of course,
they would have updated that information and in all likelihood
you would have received the same information.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. That would have interrupted anything I
was watching on TV, right? That notice.
Mr. Johnson. It should have, yes. You should have gotten
the severe weather warning.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Madam Chair, can you tell
me how much time I have left?
Mrs. Demings. The gentlewoman's time has expired. We may
have time for additional questions. At this time, the Chair
recognizes the gentleman from New York, Mr. Garbarino, for 5
minutes.
Mr. Garbarino. Thank you, Chairwoman, and thank you to the
Ranking Member for having this hearing. As the Ranking Member
of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee, I know that cyber risks are
some of the greatest threats to our Nation's communications
infrastructure. This threat is magnified even more when it
comes to the impact it can have on first responders and
American lives. Mr. Parkinson, how are FirstNet and AT&T
working to ensure cybersecurity protections are baked into the
public safety broadband network?
Mr. Parkinson. Congressman, one of the things we knew when
we were developing the request for proposals back in 2015, was
that cybersecurity was something that we would have to bake
into the program from the ground level up. When you think about
cybersecurity in the 21st Century, FirstNet's really the
country's only network that thought about cybersecurity from
its infancy. A lot of the other commercial networks that are
out there had to integrate cybersecurity into their systems. We
built it from step one. So, if you look into our RFP, Section
J10, solely focuses on cybersecurity. It provides the
requirements that we requested that our proposals looked at
when considering cybersecurity. We have a 24/7 knock-and-sock.
This is our program that looks just at cybersecurity. This is
manned 24/7, 365 by our contractor AT&T. It is something that
we take extremely seriously from Day 1.
We also integrate very, very closely from a contractual
oversight inspector where there are many, many requirements
that our team looks at from cyber risk perspectives. So, we
understand the capabilities and the threat to the ecosystem and
provide those type of solutions to prevent those from
occurring. So, when you look then at the end-user, we are going
to have to really be very cognizant of this in a 5G ecosystem
as the network gets pushed to the edge and such as device
security becomes another important part of that. I know that
our partner is looking at that and trying to come up with
additional solution sets.
So, again, from our inception to where we are thinking
about in the future, cybersecurity is the forefront of
everything we do at FirstNet.
Mr. Garbarino. OK. How does FirstNet interface with CISA to
meet, you know, you are working with AT&T and your are contract
partners, how do you work with CISA?
Mr. Parkinson. Yes, I would say this even if Mr. Brown
wasn't here today, but we are fortunate enough to have Billy
Bob, Mr. Brown, as the DHS representative on the FirstNet
board. So, he and I have actually known each other since I was
a staffer on Capitol Hill. We have got a terrific working
relationship with his team. This is something that even his
predecessors had and we look forward to such a very, very close
working relationship with the CISA team going forward. So, as I
say, from the board level through, we have a very, very strong
working relationship not only with CISA, but with many, many
other Federal partners.
Mr. Garbarino. Great. Mr. Brown, I was actually going to
ask you next. Do you think--how do you see the relationship
between CISA and FirstNet? Do you think they are, you know,
things are going well? Or do you think there is room for
expanded coordination, you know, to make sure that everything
works smoothly and our first responders are protected?
Mr. Brown. Thank you for the question. But as my right
honorable friend, Mr. Parkinson, said that, you know, we have a
very close and collaborative relationship between the FirstNet
Authority, the FirstNet's contracted partner, AT&T, that built
FirstNet, and CISA to ensure that we have a collaborative view
on cybersecurity across all of the network service providers.
Mr. Garbarino. Great. I appreciate the answers, gentleman,
and, Madam Chair, I yield back.
Mrs. Demings. Mr. Garbarino yields back. The Chair now
recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Jackson Lee, for 5
minutes.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you, Madam Chair, for allowing us to
have this very important hearing and to the Ranking Member as
well. I am reminded of the 9/11 terrorist attacks because I was
in this building on that day and, in essence, we fled for our
lives. We are quite sensitive to the fact that the tragedy of
9/11 evidenced the failures and frailties of that time frame.
Having commemorated the 20th commemoration of 9/11 in New York,
it was a stark reminder of the numbers of first responders that
we lost that day. An enormous toll on firefighters, who were
part of the inability to communicate. I think we will never,
never cease to remember certainly that day, but that stain that
caused such an enormous loss of life. I think we can say that
we have made strides, but I do believe that there is more we
can do. These hearings are particularly helpful to us.
Madam Chair, I indicated to you that and hoped that we
would discuss H.R. 3060, which is the FEMA Modernization Act
that I believe can be very much a part of the work that we are
doing in this important committee, creating an Office of
Disaster Response, an Office of Disaster Recovery ombudsman,
establishment of a National Disaster Medical Triage, and at
some point asking the FEMA director to give a report on the
level of technology even in the situation where FEMA is engaged
in various disaster responses.
I do think that FEMA itself when they are on the ground,
leadership is on the ground, needs to have the ability to
communicate with first responders because everyone is in a
recovery mode. So, I want to raise a question to Mr. Johnson,
then a question to our representative from FEMA. Mr. Johnson,
in your testimony, you stated that in 2020, twice the number of
agencies used IPAWS to send alerts as in 2019, resulting in an
182 percent increase in the number of alerts to the public by
local alerting and authorities. Do you think that was effective
and as I ask you that question, let me just put into the system
number of kind-of alert programs we have. IPAWS, Integrated
Public Alert and Warning System, First Responder, FirstNet, and
then Emergency Communications Division, and CISA. And the
question--and SAFECOM. Are all of these acronyms, are they all
working? But in any event, do you have any basis of that?
I want to follow up with a question to Mr. Brown and Mr.
Parkinson on the idea of coordinating with these different
agencies. Mr. Johnson.
Mr. Johnson. Thank you, Congresswoman Jackson. Yes, as
stated in my testimony, we did see twice the number of State
and local alerting authorities who utilized IPAWS services to
amplify information that was coming from the COVID task force
as well as the CDC and their local governments with regards to
protective actions that could be taken by the general public in
response to COVID-19. We saw State and local governments who
were issuing other type of protective action information
related to the pandemic. As well as identifying where
vaccination locations could be found or with other information
associated with curfews and things like that.
Interestingly enough, we saw some extremely interesting use
of the system by a number of States who were using the system
to issue a wireless emergency alert to mobile devices with a
clickable link in there that would take them--take the person
to a website that would allow the State to screen for
activities that, you know, a person entering into the State----
Ms. Jackson Lee. If my time runs may I just--sorry, if my
time runs out, would you welcome a protocol of technically and
technologies capabilities with dealing with all of the subsets
of these communication systems in times of disaster? Would that
be helpful?
Mr. Johnson. Absolutely, yes, ma'am.
Ms. Jackson Lee. So, enhanced communication and technology
would be helpful to you. Let me quickly--thank you so very
much. Let me quickly go to Ed Parkinson. You said more was
needed to be installed to improve communications for wireless
technology. What is the basis of that need for improvement? Is
it realistic to run more fiber or are there other technology
fixes? Mr. Parkinson.
Mr. Parkinson. I would say that is a start, ma'am. What you
see when we have events like the 4th of July celebrations,
there are these super COWS on wheels, the massive vehicles that
are prepositioned prior to these events taking place. As more
and more people leverage more and more technologies, as we
migrate toward 5G, the pressure on networks both FirstNet and
commercial is going to ever grow. So, we will need additional
capacity in and around the Mall and the Capitol. So, yes,
ma'am, something we certainly need.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you. Mr. Brown.
Mr. Brown. Thank you.
Mrs. Demings. The gentlewoman's time has expired.
Hopefully, we will----
Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mrs. Demings [continuing]. Have time for an additional
round. I believe that completes all of the Members in the first
round. If there are other Members who wish to participate in a
second round, I ask that you please turn your cameras on at
this time. Ms. Jackson Lee, I am assuming that you are going to
participate in the second round. OK, all right. All right.
Ms. Jackson Lee. I muted, yes. Thank you.
Mrs. Demings. OK. Thank you. Then we will begin the second
round of questioning. I will recognize myself. This question is
directed to Director Brown. You know, one of the biggest
emergency communications concerns is the outdated 9-1-1
infrastructure. Of course, we know to enhance the 9-1-1 system,
our Nation is moving forward with the roll-out of Next
Generation 9-1-1 with capabilities that rely heavily on the
internet to accept and process a range of information including
texts, images, video, and voice calls. We talked about some of
the cybersecurity concerns with FirstNet, but Director Brown,
what are the cybersecurity concerns with uploading the Next
Generation 9-1-1 system onto one mainframe and what is the
ECD's plan to prepare for any, God forbid, cyber attacks?
Mr. Brown. Thank you for the question. As we consider
broadly across the Nation, the public safety answering points,
there are roughly 6,000 State and local public safety answering
points across the Nation, but that is not the complete picture.
There are another, that we know of, 1,500 public safety
answering points, although they are called by a different name
that exist on Federal reservations. Whether those are part of
the Parks Service, part of the Department of Defense's military
installations, part of the labs, installations that the
Department of Energy has, the Federal footprint also has these
call centers or whatever they may be called that operate
current 9-1-1 services that will need to migrate to Next Gen 9-
1-1 as well in order continue to provide services to citizens
that may in harm's way or in danger on that installation
property.
One of the challenges that we have been discussing and
working with our 9-1-1 partners across the Nation is the idea
that we understand that the provision of text, videos, or
images to the call centers provides the possibility of the
introduction of malware. The last time we met with the
committee, we explained as we have worked with partners across
the Nation, the criticality of the emergency communications
ecosystem that includes a notification from citizens of
challenges, includes Government-to-Government responder
coordination, includes alerts and warnings notification from
Government to citizen, and also includes that citizen-to-
citizen communication and transfer of information, which
includes non-profit organizations or disaster recovery
organizations and critical infrastructure as well as sharing
insights to provide for disaster response. If malware is
introduced from the beginning in an image, in a video, in a
text, to a 9-1-1 center, it has the possibility and potential
of providing that malware to those interconnected Government
systems.
Here at CISA, we have been discussing this issue sharing
and beginning a process of sharing the concerns of
cybersecurity public safety answering points across the Nation.
We certainly in the past year, have had several discussions
with more than 15 States about the challenges presented by
cybersecurity including ransomware as we prepare for the Next
Gen 9-1-1 introduction.
Mrs. Demings. Mr. Brown, thank you so very much for that
very thorough answer. How can we as Members of Congress assist
in your efforts to make sure that we are able to protect the
public but also make sure that we protect our systems as well?
Mr. Brown. Thank you for that follow-up. The continued
leadership that the committee is providing, the continued
support for the initiatives that the CISA is making to try and
address the challenges in 9-1-1 are a part of the equation as
all of the components across the Government. We know that FCC
has some play. NTIA has some play. Department of
Transportation's National 9-1-1 Program Office has some play.
All of us working together as supported by the committee are
how we will ensure that first responders and citizens across
the Nation are able to take advantage of the Next Gen 9-1-1
capabilities.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much, Mr. Brown. I want to check
to see if the Ranking Member Mrs. Cammack, is with us? OK. I
see Mrs. Watson Coleman from New Jersey, are you? OK. I will
call on the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Jackson Lee, for her
follow-up questions.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Again, I
am really interested in, among other things, is a reform of
FEMA during its work on disasters giving a more pointed focus
on handling disaster circumstances that befalls many of us. In
fact, now, disasters are not relegated to hurricanes,
Chairwoman. They are tornadoes. They are fires. They are
flooding in places where one had not seen it before such as the
terrible flooding that occurred in the East Coast just a few
months ago.
So, let me go back to that question. Let me frame one
question dealing with a question of my colleague on January 6.
I didn't see any accelerating utilization of technology. It
looked as if there was difficulty in our first responders
Capitol police, being able to reach out and to communicate.
What do you feel is the Achilles heel when you have
circumstances of danger like that when you cannot communicate?
Would you want to take that question, Mr. Brown?
Mr. Brown. Thank you. The challenge as you articulated, is
that the more time that it takes to understand the incident,
determine what resources are needed, and then effectively
marshal those resources, you know, that is what, you know, as I
mentioned in the opening statement, that, you know, every
second counts. You know, that really is, as we recognize, you
know, it could be the difference between life and death and
certainly as a destruction of property is involved being able
to have communications for emergency response officials to
provide that assistance to the public once they are notified of
that is critical. Having redundant systems, having, you know, a
constellation of partners that are working together to ensure
that First Responder National Security and Emergency
Preparedness personnel are able to seamlessly receive that
information interoperably is the critical component of the
equation.
Ms. Jackson Lee. In the course of your work with CISA, it
looks like you did a survey, I understand, in just a while ago
in your statement, you acknowledge that you did a survey and
approximately half of the public safety communications, I mean,
organizations reported their LMR systems are more than 10 years
old. Seventy-six percent of public safety organizations have no
or insufficient funding for capital investments. How does that
impact, for example, a crisis of terrorism and/or a crisis of a
disaster, which we see happens across the Nation, this
antiquated equipment? Mr. Brown.
Mr. Brown. Thank you for the question and noting the
SAFECOM Nation-wide survey. As you well know, one of the
challenges that we face in continuing to understand the
evolving difficulties facing first responders across the Nation
is our ability to actually ask questions, you know, the
Paperwork Reduction Act presents challenges sometimes. You
know, as we are preparing to do our next SAFECOM Nation-wide
survey, you know, we have had to start now because it will take
us 2 years to try to get through the process to ask a simple,
ask some simple questions to understand, you know, the
evolution of challenges and requirements. But as we look at,
you know, how the responders are able to actually provide, you
know, support on the ground, you know, it is really that
forward planning, that development of relationships, and
establishment of collaborative cooperation amongst responders
from many different jurisdictions, many different agencies,
many different disciplines that----
Ms. Jackson Lee. That need updated technology, which is it
looks like the gist of your report. Is that correct?
Mr. Brown. Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Jackson Lee. They need updated technology. So, that is
something that we should focus on in the Federal Government in
collaborating with our local partners.
Mr. Brown. And as we have seen across the Nation at the
local level recognizing their fiscal challenges.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Mr. Parkinson, you mentioned, as a follow-
up to my earlier question, 5G communications is being sold as a
solution to faster better communications. Is this the case? Why
is 5G communications causing communications challenges for
first responders? I guess, I would add, Mr. Parkinson, does
everybody have it?
Mr. Parkinson. No, ma'am. So, in the commercial network
right now that are out there, 5G we are still in its infancy.
If you think about every generational upgrade, it takes about
10 years. So, we are only about 2 years tops to the phase now
within 5G. I wouldn't say it is a challenge right now. What I
would say is because we are at the infancy of 5G, the
community, the public safety community, as well as the
commercial world is still trying to figure out what exactly 5G
capability is going to hear and bring. We are very aware of
what we see in marketing and so on, but in terms of the public
safety community, how is public safety going to integrate 5G? I
think of things at the enterprise level. So, as a law
enforcement officer returns to her station, she is able then to
hopefully in a 5G ecosystem, in a smart police station in the
future, automatically download all of the images, data, and so
on, that she has been able to capture out in the field before
she gets back to her workstation. When you think of the lower
latency and the ability to say have livestream 5K video--4K
video--I beg your pardon--from a camera on that individual and
that officer streamed back to the incident commander. There are
all type of capabilities that we can envisage in a 5G
ecosystem. But until we get to where 5G is holistically
adopted, not only in the public safety space, but at the
commercial space, the real benefits of 5G will not be realized.
I still think we are some time away from that. It is coming. It
is coming fast, but we are not quite there yet.
Ms. Jackson Lee. The Federal Government have a role to
play?
Mrs. Demings. The gentlewoman's time has expired.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much. The Chair now recognizes
the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Green, for 5 minutes.
Mr. Green. Thank you very much, Madam Chair, especially for
this second round because it is extremely important. I am going
to lay a proper predicate for my question. Outside of my
Congressional office window, I can see an overpass. Under that
overpass, there are people. This is their home. This is where
they wake up in the morning. This is where they go to work.
They solicit from the public passing by. Here is my concern.
When there is a natural emergency or natural disaster, in law
we call these things, Acts of God, when these things occur, how
do we make sure that these people get the necessary information
to protect themselves to make sure that they can get the
resources that they need? What is FEMA doing to help us with
this? Again, Director Johnson, I will go to you. I don't mean
to appear to be picking on you, but you seem to be a good
source of information. Can you share some intelligence with us,
please?
Mr. Johnson. Thank you, Congressman Green. One of the
things that, you know, if you look at FEMA's ready.gov website,
there is a lot of information on the site regarding, you know,
the types of actions that every person in this country can take
to be better prepared for some of the threats or disasters that
they may encounter in their communities.
Mr. Green. If I politely intercede for a second.
Mr. Johnson. Yes, sir.
Mr. Green. My suspicion is, and, listen, I am not trying to
be cute if I say this. But my suspicion is that they are
probably not going to access that website given their status
and their station in life.
Mr. Johnson. Right, thank you, sir. So, one of the, I
think, the beauties with our alert and warning capabilities is
the opportunity to receive disaster or alert and warning
information over a broadcast radio. Broadcast radio has proven
to be extremely resilient over the years. It is extremely
affordable in that it is free. And has served as a vital
communications lifeline during disasters. That is one of the
basic or fundamental investments that we are making in
partnership with broadcasters across the country is to ensure
that that broadcast capability remains viable for the future
and that it remain free for the consumer of that information.
A lot of folks think that, you know, as you mentioned,
these folks are not going to have potentially access to the
internet or other services and information that we post on
websites, not even some of the social media tools that we
utilize at the State and local level to communicate
information. Which is why we invest in broadcasters that common
denominator across the Nation that provides extremely broad
coverage and that is free to every consumer within the country.
That is one way----
Mr. Green. May I politely----
Mr. Johnson [continuing]. Through those common platforms.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Green. If I may I would like to politely intercede
again. What about this as a possibility? A layperson who knows
little of what he speaks, but what about simply having a truck
sound equipment? We know where they are, literally. That
Houston, I could map it out for you where people are. There are
some places where communities have developed. Could we not
simply use that sort of sound equipment to let them know that
perhaps they can go to this National Broadcasting System that
you are talking about or maybe they should check other sources,
but something as simple as that probably could alert them so
that they can then apply additional intelligence. What are your
thoughts?
Mr. Johnson. Right. So, I think--thank you very much, sir,
for the question. I think if you look across the country in
many communities, for example, where there are nuclear power
plants, there are emergency planning zones that have been
established where the use of sirens become very important, you
know, should there be some type of mishap at a nuclear
facility. I have seen or observed that across the country in
many communities are utilizing sirens to get that initial
broadcasting information out to local populations. But I think
it is going to require a concerted effort on the part of State
and local governments, our cities and municipalities, along
with the Federal Government to solve some of those challenges.
Mr. Green. I thank you. I would like to be a part of the
solution. So, if there is any way that we can work together, I
really do care about the folk outside my window living under
the bridge. If I can work with you, I would appreciate it.
Thank you again, Madam Chair. A excellent hearing. Greatly
appreciate your calling this to our attention. Thank you.
Mrs. Demings. Thank you so much. The gentleman yields back.
With that, I want to thank the witnesses for their valuable
testimony and the Members for their questions. The Chair
reminds Members that the committee record shall be kept open
for 10 days. Without objection, the subcommittee stands
adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:36 a.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
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Questions From Chairwoman Val Demings for Antwane Johnson
Question 1. FEMA has invested in Primary Entry Point (PEP)
stations, which consist of mostly AM stations, that connect to the
National Public Warning System. Cars are typically built with radios
that have helped millions receive alerts when internet services are
down. Have you seen a trend of newer cars or designs eliminating car
tuners? If yes, how is IPAWS working to ensure that there are no
emergency communications gaps created by the elimination of car tuners?
Answer. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Integrated
Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) is 100 percent dependent on
private-sector technologies and participation for delivery of alerts
and warnings to people. We are aware of automobile manufacturers
trending toward eliminating AM tuners in new model electric car
offerings and providing AM tuners as an option in other automobiles. If
this trend indicates that AM radio will no longer serve as a viable and
sustainable long-term method for providing emergency alerts and
information to the population in the future, FEMA will seek industry,
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology
Directorate (S&T), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
input on sustainable private-sector communications infrastructure to
meet our requirement for a National alerting system capable of
delivering emergency alerts and information across the spectrum of
National hazard scenarios.
Question 2. In 2017, a spokeswoman for Sonoma County, California,
stated ``officials chose not to send out a WEA because it would target
too large a geographic area, evacuating residents who weren't in danger
and causing gridlock on the roads.''\1\ What is being done to ensure
geographic accuracy for emergency alerts, and how does IPAWS collect
feedback after an alert is sent?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Andone, Dakin, ``Californians Say They Didn't Receive Emergency
Wildfire Alerts,'' CNN. October 2017. https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/13/
us/california-fires-emergency-alerts/index.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answer. FEMA IPAWS does not have technical capability to collect
information about where an alert was delivered after it is sent. The
IPAWS office continues to work with private-sector alerting
participants and the FCC to improve the geographic relevance of
emergency alerts. In April 2018, the FCC adopted rules to improve the
accuracy with which Participating Commercial Mobile Service (CMS)
Providers transmit Alert Messages to the specified target area. The
rules require CMS Providers to deliver a message to 100 percent of the
Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) enabled devices within a specified
geographic area, with no more than 1/10th of a mile (or 528 feet)
overreach. The IPAWS office participated in the Alliance for
Telecommunications Industry Solutions standards group to develop
changes to the wireless interface specifications to support the 2018
FCC rule changes. In December 2019, FEMA fielded IPAWS Open Platform
for Emergency Networks (IPAWS OPEN) WEA 3.0 functionality supporting
enhanced geotargeting capabilities. IPAWS OPEN WEA 3.0 includes
delivery of location data for an alert to WEA 3.0 capable phones with
location services enabled to determine whether the device should
display and alert based on their location relative to the targeted
alert area specified by an alerting authority. The wireless industry
began deploying WEA 3.0 for enhanced geotargeting in early 2020. The
Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) Wireless
Association (industry organization that represents many of the CMSPs)
estimates that 34 percent of consumer phones support enhanced
geotargeting in 2021 and that the majority of phones in circulation by
the end of 2022 will support the enhanced WEA 3.0 geotargeting
capability.
Question 3. An increasing amount of people are streaming content on
their televisions instead of using cable or watching local broadcasting
networks. How are you working with streaming platforms to ensure that
their users can receive emergency alerts?
Answer. FEMA IPAWS stands ready to deliver messages to streaming
media platforms and any other distribution platform that conforms to
the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). CAP is an international standard
developed by the Organization for the Advancement of Structured
Information Systems and was adopted by FEMA in 2009. IPAWS is designed
to provide alert information in a standard CAP form that is easily
transported and consumed by internet-based applications. Additionally,
FEMA participates in the on-going FCC proceeding and Notice of Inquiry
(PS Docket Nos. 15-91 and 15-94) to explore the feasibility of
including streaming services in the Emergency Alert System regulations.
The IPAWS office has engaged with various streaming providers and is
diligently seeking a streaming provider willing to voluntarily monitor
and consume alerts from the IPAWS feeds and present alerts to their
customers.
Question 4. In 2018, in Paradise, California, some neighborhoods
were never told to evacuate as a fire swept in and devastated a
community, and according to several reports, local leadership did not
use the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system. What are you doing to
ensure that communities are aware of IPAWS?
What type of trainings are local emergency managers receiving to
know when it is an appropriate time to send out an IPAWS alert?
Answer. Agencies using the IPAWS are required to complete IPAWS
Independent Study course IS-247, IPAWS for Alert Originators.
Additionally, the IPAWS office continuously engages emergency
management and public safety practitioners to increase awareness and
understanding of how IPAWS works and provides guidance and tips for how
to effectively alert and warn the public. Engagement includes a monthly
webinar series, frequent IPAWS Tip and Advisory emails to more than
6,000 recipients, website updates, strategic event attendance at
National, State, and private-sector emergency management conferences,
social media engagement, and maintains a digital library of alerting
guidance.
The IPAWS Technical Support Services Facility (TSSF, formerly known
as the IPAWS Lab) is a closed environment that allows State, local,
Tribal, and territorial alerting authorities to safely test, train, and
exercise IPAWS alert dissemination capabilities. Alerting authorities
can practice and see how alerts sent via IPAWS interact and present as
Emergency Alert System activations on radio and television, Wireless
Emergency Alerts on cellular phones, Non-Weather Emergency Messages on
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radios,
and other services and devices that interact with the IPAWS All-Hazards
Information Feed.
The IPAWS TSSF enables public safety officials to gain confidence
using IPAWS in this practice and training environment without
disseminating messages to the public. Additional purposes of the IPAWS
TSSF include alert and warning, functional assessments, alert
dissemination validation, training, procedural, and process evaluation,
and functional requirement validation.
The IPAWS Modernization Act of 2015 (Pub. L. 114-143) tasked FEMA
with establishing an IPAWS subcommittee to the National Advisory
Committee (NAC) to address ``Modernizing the Nation's Public Alert and
Warning System. In response to the February 15, 2019 NAC report,
recommendation 2 (FEMA should develop simple alert and warning
jurisdictional and multijurisdictional plan templates and tools to
provide guidance and best practices for emergency alerting.), the FEMA
IPAWS Office collaborated with DHS S&T to release the IPAWS Program
Planning Toolkit (IPAWS Program Planning Toolkit/FEMA.gov) and began an
outreach campaign to encourage its use. The toolkit provides a free,
interactive, web-based interface that helps alerting authorities create
a comprehensive all-hazards alerting plan inclusive of staff planning,
standard operating procedures, tests, and exercises. The toolkit also
contains an alert messaging template creator to help authorities
prepare custom alert message drafts for anticipated threats in their
area.
Question 5. In February 2020, GAO issued a report (GAO-20-294)
stating that some State and local public safety agencies cannot access
IPAWS and others have low confidence using it. One of the
recommendations made by GAO was for IPAWS to establish procedures ``to
prioritize pending IPAWS applications and to follow up with applicants
to address these applications.'' According to GAO's website, this
recommendation is still open.
When do you think this recommendation will be resolved?
Answer. Changes to internal FEMA processes for approving
applications allowed the FEMA IPAWS office to clear the backlog of
pending applications in September 2019. We continue to improve
application processing and are in the final stages of implementing an
automated application processing system that will further streamline
the process and provide application status tracking. The automated
application processing tool is currently undergoing system
accreditation and is expected to be available in the third quarter of
fiscal year 2022.
Questions From Ranking Member Val Demings for Antwane Johnson
Question 1. On August 21 of this year, FEMA conducted a Nation-wide
test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts
(WEA). What were some of FEMA's take-aways from this test?
Answer. The 2021 test of the National Public Warning System and
Wireless Emergency Alerts demonstrated the technical means to rapidly
disseminate a message via multiple modes of communication in a quick
and efficient manner when seconds matter. The August 2021 test was the
sixth Nation-wide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) (radio and
television) and the second test of WEA distribution Nation-wide. The
August 2021 WEA test was the first test in which the new opt-in WEA
test category was used to send a National message that would only be
received by phones where wireless customers opted in to receive
``test'' messages.
FEMA used the National Public Warning System Primary Entry Point
(PEP) radio stations to initiate the 2021 EAS test by broadcasting a
National Periodic Test message. Radio and television providers
``listen'' to a PEP station or to another station that is listening to
a PEP station in accordance with FCC-approved State EAS plans. All
radio and television providers that are part of the Emergency Alert
System are required to demonstrate monitoring and rebroadcast of a
National test message in accordance with FCC rules.
Final analysis and results of the 2021 test are pending. Based on
preliminary reporting, we anticipate a 5 percent improvement over 2019
EAS test results.
Result summary of previous IPAWS Nation-wide alert tests:
2011--EAS via PEP
84.6 percent of reporting EAS stations received and
broadcast the test message
2016--EAS via IPAWS-OPEN
94.9 percent of reporting EAS stations received test
message
86.8 percent of reporting EAS stations broadcast test
message
2017--EAS via IPAWS-OPEN
95.8 percent of reporting EAS stations received test
message
92.1 percent of reporting EAS stations broadcast test
message
2018--EAS and WEA via IPAWS-OPEN
95.9 percent of reporting EAS stations received test
message
90.9 percent of reporting EAS stations broadcast test
message
75 percent* of people in the United States, received the
WEA ``Presidential'' test message
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Based on independent publicly posted survey results.
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2019--EAS via PEP
84.3 percent of reporting EAS stations received test
message
81.5 percent of reporting EAS stations broadcast test
message
2020--did not test due to National COVID response
activities.
Question 2. FEMA recently established a 24/7 IPAWS Help Desk, to
provide real-time assistance to alerting authorities who are
experiencing issues with IPAWS. What type of usage has the 24/7 Help
Desk had so far? Has FEMA received any feedback from alerting
authorities about the Help Desk?
Answer. The IPAWS Modernization Act of 2015 (Pub. L. 114-143)
tasked FEMA with establishing an IPAWS subcommittee to the NAC to
address ``Modernizing the Nation's Public Alert and Warning System.''
In response to the February 15, 2019 NAC report, recommendation 2 (FEMA
should develop simple alert and warning jurisdictional and
multijurisdictional plan templates and tools to provide guidance and
best practices for emergency alerting) and recommendation 5 (Establish
24/7 FEMA IPAWS Help Desk to support AOs in the use of the system),
FEMA launched the 24/7/365 TSSF in March 2021. The IPAWS TSSF has
supported on average 30-50 Alerting Authority engagements per month.
These engagements vary in complexity but typically include technical
assistance to successfully issue live alerts, monthly proficiency
demonstrations, drill and exercise guidance, IPAWS overview and
instruction webinars, and response to general questions regarding alert
and warning practices and procedures. Feedback from Alerting
Authorities regarding the support provided by the 24/7/365 technical
support services facility has been outstanding. Besides numerous
accolades and acknowledgements, the IPAWS technical support services
team is regularly requested to provide IPAWS subject-matter expertise
to FEMA regional training initiatives, FEMA National Integration Center
Technical Assistance webinars, FEMA National Exercise Division, and
other industry-related events highly attended by public safety alerting
authorities. These efforts increase awareness of the IPAWS Technical
Support Services Facility and the capabilities readily available. Of
particular note has been the IPAWS TSSF technical support to the State
of Texas and issuing a State-wide Blue alert on behalf of the Texas
Department of Emergency Management in response to a Law Enforcement
Officer being injured in the line of duty and the assailant being at
large. Additionally, the IPAWS TSSF assisted numerous counties in
resolving technical issues that led to the successful amplification of
COVID-19 Task Force and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
guidance via WEA messages to communities and communicating local
jurisdictional protective actions.
Question From Honorable Val Demings for Billy Bob Brown, Jr.
Question. CISA has not updated the 2015 Communications Sector-
Specific Plan, even though DHS guidance recommends such plans to be
updated every 4 years. Does the 2015 plan provide adequate guidance to
protect the communications sector from new and emerging threats?
Is CISA planning to release an updated plan? If yes, please provide
the time line. If no, please explain.
Answer. The Communications Sector's approach to risk management
outlined in the 2015 Communications Sector-Specific Plan addresses how
public/private partners collaborate to identify and mitigate new and
emerging risks. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
(CISA) works extensively with public/private partners to identify new
and emerging risks and publish guidance to address those risks, as
outlined in the plan. These public/private partnerships include, but
are not limited to, the National Security Telecommunications Advisory
Committee, the Enduring Security Framework, and the Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) Supply Chain Risk Management Task
Force.
CISA will update the Communications Sector-Specific Plan upon
completion of the refreshed National Plan, which is expected next year.
The refreshed National Plan will incorporate key provisions of the
Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act that codified and
clarified Communications Sector Risk Management Agency (SRMA) roles and
responsibilities. It will also be informed by the Communication Sector
Coordinating Council's report, ``Moving Security Forward (March
2021),'' that provides a comprehensive overview of its strategic
approach on maintaining reliable and resilient communications in the
wake of cyber threats and impacts from the pandemic.
CISA's update of the Communications Sector-Specific Plan will
reflect these updates and incorporate concepts and ideas from several
products and initiatives completed since the previous Communications
Sector-Specific Plan was developed, including a July 2021
Communications SRMA Fact Sheet and a Communications Sector Profile.
In addition, a cornerstone of CISA's efforts to strengthen and
enhance emergency communications capabilities Nation-wide is the
National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP), developed in partnership
with Federal, State, local, territorial, Tribal, and private-sector
stakeholders. Subchapter XIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as
amended, requires CISA to develop and periodically update the NECP.
Updated in 2019, the NECP identifies current gaps to achieve
interoperable emergency communications and promotes innovation and
integration of new technologies while considering associated risk. In
particular, the 2019 NECP update incorporates a new goal related to
cybersecurity, noting that as cyber threats and vulnerabilities grow in
complexity and sophistication, it is critical that public safety
organizations take proactive measures to manage their cybersecurity
risks. For additional details on cybersecurity support, please visit
the NECP Spotlight on Ensuring Interoperable Encrypted Communications.
Questions From Honorable Kat Cammack for Billy Bob Brown, Jr.
Question 1. As we all are aware, with increased technologies to
improve first responder communication systems comes increased cyber
vulnerabilities. We heard from our witnesses in our October hearing
regarding steps they're taking or have taken to increase their
cybersecurity posture. One witness testified that even for a rural
county, they have a very robust response to cyber threats; however,
their office has had no engagement with CISA. How is CISA engaging with
the smaller, more rural first responder community?
Answer. Managing risks associated with advances in technology
requires not only having an understanding of new threat vectors such as
cybersecurity challenges to internet protocol-based technology, but
also knowledge of the interface risks posed with older technologies
still used in parts of the Nation. Newer technologies make the Nation's
emergency communication more efficient but also expose them to the
risks and vulnerabilities inherent in information technology and
operational technology. CISA proactively engages with stakeholders
across the Nation including smaller, more rural communities to address
current and future threats even as technologies evolve. Small, rural
communities receive no-cost technical assistance through CISA, when
requested, to support interoperability planning, governance, and
training and exercises on a variety of topics including cyber-focused
services to rural first responder organizations. Below are a few
additional examples of cyber-focused services that CISA provides to
rural communities:
Congress authorized CISA to establish the Rural Emergency
Medical Communications Demonstration Project, a $2 million
competitive grant program, with awards in 2016, 2018, and 2020.
The grants were awarded to the University of Mississippi
Medical Center, which proposed to use existing communications
infrastructure, improve operational effectiveness, and provide
communications training to enable improved rural medical
services through its First Hands Program and First Voice
Program, as well as other enhancements. In addition to vast
notable accomplishments from expansive training to improving
first responder access to information while in the field, the
effort was recognized for saving at least 8 lives as a result
of the training and resources provided. For more information,
please visit the NECP Spotlight on Enhancing Rural Emergency
Communications Capabilities.
Through the Interoperable Communications Technical
Assistance Program, CISA provides all States and territories
with direct support in the form of State-wide planning
workshops and technical assistance (TA) training, tools, and
resources. Since 2008, more than 2,550 TAs have been delivered
to all States and territories. In addition to specific,
tailored assistance, CISA provides support to develop and
implement State-wide Communication Interoperability Plans that
enable States and territories to align and prioritize their
communications needs and advocate for funding to their local
and State governments.
CISA offers customized cyber-focused TA for Public Safety
Emergency Communications Centers, 9-1-1 Systems and Land
Mobile Radio functions to mitigate ransomware/Telephony
Denial of Service attacks on public safety networks, and
systems that affect 9-1-1 and emergency communications.
The CISA Ransomware Infographic is available to all
stakeholders and has been delivered to rural counties in
States such as Missouri and Kansas to help educate staff on
cyber threats to public safety communications and serve as
foundational assessments for cyber planning and resiliency.
Communities who would like to learn more about CISA's
services, should contact their State-wide Interoperable
Coordinator or regional CISA Emergency Communications
Coordinator.
To meet evolving Information and Communications Technology
needs, CISA's Communications Unit (COMU) program, which
outlines the functions, positions, training, and certifications
required to support interoperable incident communications,
includes an Information Technology Service Unit Leader position
and course to assist incident command in managing the
confluence of voice, video, and data communications and
information, cybersecurity, and application management for
incident planning and response. To date, more than 17,000
personnel have been trained to fill COMU positions.
Through the Tribal Emergency Communications Program, CISA
supports Native American and Alaska Native tribes through
consultative engagement, outreach, advocacy, technical
assistance, and inter- and intra-agency coordination to ensure
strengthened public safety operable and interoperable
communications. CISA works individually with Tribal communities
to assess and document how their customs, public safety
communications capabilities, challenges, infrastructure, and
current governance structures impact decision making,
management, and resource allocation. Additional information is
located here:
CISA Tribal Emergency Communications Resources Fact Sheet
CISA Tribal Emergency Communications Program Infographic-
2021
CISA Tribal Emergency Communications Program Brochure
NECP Spotlight: Working with Tribes to Achieve
Interoperability.
CISA also maintains a robust regional security advisor cadre
that focuses on physical, emergency communications and
cybersecurity critical infrastructure. CISA's Regional security
advisors conduct outreach, deliver security assessments, and
offer technical assistance upon request.
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