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That's because the text of the Stafford Act, talks about relief for "private nonprofit" organizations but does not specifically mention how for-profit companies should be treated. The National Response Plan also is ambiguous.
Earlier this year, the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, currently headed by BellSouth CEO Duane Ackerman, sent a letter to President Bush urging him to support such changes. The group's participants also included representatives from AT&T, Microsoft, Verizon and Sprint Nextel. Members of the FCC's independent panel examining Katrina-related communications concerns have voiced similar views and plan to publish recommendations in about two weeks.
The companies' complaints are legitimate, said Jim Chen, a University of Minnesota law professor who's penning a book about disaster law. But if telecommunications companies are able to secure the "emergency responder" designation, he said, then other privately owned utilities deserve such privileges as well. After all, wireless and voice over Internet protocol phones "are worthless unless electricity is flowing."
The broader question of how private companies should interact with more traditional relief workers has long been up for debate, Chen said. He recalled a time last decade when bad springtime floods hit the Iowa plains, and nearby Budweiser showed up with drinking water from its massive brewery stores.
"In principle, there are other entities such as bottling companies that have access to enormous amounts of water, and so, at a certain level, I'm not sure that you need to (restrict emergency providers to) telecommunications and utilities," he said.
There's some evidence that the Bush administration, already subject to wide-ranging congressional scrutiny over missteps during Katrina, is heeding the telecommunications industry's advice.
All recommendations from advisory panels must first travel through a chain of review before the agency releases a formal response, a Homeland Security representative said. But phone company representatives said they've received assurances from Homeland Security officials that they won't have trouble accessing disaster sites in the future.
Those companies met recently with government officials in BellSouth's home state of Georgia to discuss those concerns and to test a credentialing system built on uniform vehicle hangtags and authorization letters. Louisiana has reportedly agreed to adopt a similar approach, and other Gulf states are expected to follow suit. The Florida Highway Patrol, no stranger to hurricane preparation, already allows communications workers past barriers into disaster zones, says Sprint Nextel.
"I think there's a sense at DHS that the language is in place, the understanding is in place, to make sure providers get access more quickly in the aftermath of storms that may occur during the coming season," said Verizon's Hickey.
It's less likely that Congress, with an abbreviated election-year calendar, would meet the telecoms' bigger goal this year, which is amending the Stafford Act. But they don't intend to give up yet.
"At the end of the day," said BellSouth's Barron, "we're very concerned that if push comes to shove, we're going to be right back into the debate about the Stafford Act, which is the law."
See more CNET content tagged:
BellSouth Corp., telecommunications, Hurricane Katrina, telecommunications company, New Orleans
In all honesty however I must say from my experience that to my knowledge there are zero telecom workers who have any type of disater area or hazerdous situation area training what so ever. Its just not offered by any carrier to my knowledge and I would be hard pressed to launch my men into a potential death trap to restore network elements without it.
Telecom workers especially wireless technicians are a cut above most work forces. They place them selves in harms way almost every day for the sake of the networks they maintain and they enjoy it.
They are the unsung heros of our society believe me and should absolutly be regarded in the same light as the police and fire departments in the event of an emergency. But they should be trained...certified..and sanctioned by a governing agency to be better prepared to do the job they are asked to do and protect themselves and others at the same time.
They are not and so I can see the concearn of the FEDS. Perhaps if we had a trained rapid deployment emergency response task force in place in every market. We could bring this to the table with the FEDS and better be able to negotiate our point.
In all honesty however I must say from my experience that to my knowledge there are zero telecom workers who have any type of disater area or hazerdous situation area training what so ever. Its just not offered by any carrier to my knowledge and I would be hard pressed to launch my men into a potential death trap to restore network elements without it.
Telecom workers especially wireless technicians are a cut above most work forces. They place them selves in harms way almost every day for the sake of the networks they maintain and they enjoy it.
They are the unsung heros of our society believe me and should absolutly be regarded in the same light as the police and fire departments in the event of an emergency. But they should be trained...certified..and sanctioned by a governing agency to be better prepared to do the job they are asked to do and protect themselves and others at the same time.
They are not and so I can see the concearn of the FEDS. Perhaps if we had a trained rapid deployment emergency response task force in place in every market. We could bring this to the table with the FEDS and better be able to negotiate our point.
In all honesty however I must say from my experience that to my knowledge there are zero telecom workers who have any type of disater area or hazerdous situation area training what so ever. Its just not offered by any carrier to my knowledge and I would be hard pressed to launch my men into a potential death trap to restore network elements without it.
Telecom workers especially wireless technicians are a cut above most work forces. They place them selves in harms way almost every day for the sake of the networks they maintain and they enjoy it.
They are the unsung heros of our society believe me and should absolutly be regarded in the same light as the police and fire departments in the event of an emergency. But they should be trained...certified..and sanctioned by a governing agency to be better prepared to do the job they are asked to do and protect themselves and others at the same time.
They are not and so I can see the concearn of the FEDS. Perhaps if we had a trained rapid deployment emergency response task force in place in every market. We could bring this to the table with the FEDS and better be able to negotiate our point.
In all honesty however I must say from my experience that to my knowledge there are zero telecom workers who have any type of disater area or hazerdous situation area training what so ever. Its just not offered by any carrier to my knowledge and I would be hard pressed to launch my men into a potential death trap to restore network elements without it.
Telecom workers especially wireless technicians are a cut above most work forces. They place them selves in harms way almost every day for the sake of the networks they maintain and they enjoy it.
They are the unsung heros of our society believe me and should absolutly be regarded in the same light as the police and fire departments in the event of an emergency. But they should be trained...certified..and sanctioned by a governing agency to be better prepared to do the job they are asked to do and protect themselves and others at the same time.
They are not and so I can see the concearn of the FEDS. Perhaps if we had a trained rapid deployment emergency response task force in place in every market. We could bring this to the table with the FEDS and better be able to negotiate our point.
But then again, Bush is famous for the saying "Bring it On!" back in '03!
- Atypical, of the many mistakes and errors made!
- by heystoopid June 1, 2006 12:33 PM PDT
- Atypical of the many mistakes made by current Bush administration, riddled with jobs for the incompetent old boys more of yes men do nothing type,with much talk and grandiose propaganda, little action and no forward planning!
- Like this Reply to this comment
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- atypical???
- by Jackson Cracker June 1, 2006 5:25 PM PDT
- atypical = not typical
- Like this
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(10 Comments)But then again, Bush is famous for the saying "Bring it On!" back in '03!