Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Critics Say NYPD / FDNY Conflicts 'Still a Problem'

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 20 May 2004 15:43:39 -0400

Updated: 05-20-2004 10:50:38 AM
Critics Say NYPD / FDNY Conflicts 'Still a Problem'

SARAH WALLACE
Courtesy of ABC7

Two themes emerged from the hearings -- an overall breakdown in
communications and an on going turf battle between the police and fire
departments.

The question now - is the city dealing with these problems and are we
better equipped to handle another large scale disaster.
Sarah Wallace joins us now with some insight.

A high-rise fire just this afternoon in TriBeCa, and the FDNY's new
powerful portable radios which can reach dozens of stories above played
a key role.

Jay Jonas, FDNY Battalion Chief: "What we're able to with them is we're
able to transmit to the upper floors of high-rise buildings, or
underground into subways and sub-cellars, with much greater capability
than we had in the past."
Every battalion now has a radio booster unit, and certain battalion
chiefs also carry mobile repeaters which amplify radio signals. The
changes are a direct result of post 9/11 scrutiny and critical reports.

Sarah Wallace: "It's not a panacea ... " Jay Jonas: "Nothing's a
panacea.  Nothing's going to work 100 percent of the time. But this is a
great improvement."

But the controversy over radios remains a flash point. As former Mayor
Giuliani testified at today's hearings a woman interrupted -- raising
the issue of the FDNY's Motorola handie-talkie radios. They were
reconfigured after 9/11 but continue to have critics.

The other hot-button issue is the long-simmering turf battle between the
police and fire departments. A blunt analysis came from the author of
'Report from Ground Zero,' Dennis Smith, as he was questioned by the
Commission.
9/11 Commission: "Competition between the police and the fire. Solved,
or still a problem?" Dennis Smith, Author: "Still a problem."

It's an issue Mayor Bloomberg attempted to set straight last Friday by
announcing a new "unified command" plan for agencies -- primarily police
and fire -- handling emergencies.

But Jerry Hauer predicts more turf wars head. The former Director of New
York City's Office of Emergency Management also testified today. His
take on the new plan?

Jerry Hauer, Former OEM Director: "I don't see that it resolves
anything. I think if anything, it makes things a little more confusing.
There's now multiple incident commanders."

And the director of Homeland Security made his position clear about some
"one" being in charge.

Tom Ridge, Secretary of Homeland Security: "We need someone within that
operation center to be in charge. So there is one voice speaking on
behalf of that community and coordinating the local effort."

By the way, several high-ranking fire officials tell me, they have not
yet received a copy of the mayor's new incident command yet. In other
words, it was released publicly before those affected were clued in.
They argued the city wanted to put out a plan to deflect criticism that
it is not prepared.

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?sectionId=46&id=30588

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