USTelecom Debuts Public Safety Toolkit
Release Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Dynamic Resource Aids Coordination, Public Information Flow
Across Government-Industry Emergency Preparedness/Response Efforts

Washington, D.C.—With more than 90% of U.S. communications infrastructure in private hands, public-private collaboration plays a pivotal role in our nation’s emergency preparedness and response.  Today, USTelecom unveiled a new educational resource to help government agencies, private partners and all stakeholders navigate the many federal, state, regional and private efforts underway to keep our nation safe and secure. 

USTelecom’s Public Safety and National Security Telecom Toolkit, identifies and aggregates key publicly available information about public and private contributions to national and regional emergency preparedness and response.  An educational resource to the industry, government officials, first responders and the media, this dynamic toolkit serves as a clearinghouse of critical information.  Key features include:

• Timely situation updates from key agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT);
• Comprehensive inventories of government agencies and their various emergency preparedness and response roles at the federal, state and regional levels;
• Explanations of various public/private initiatives, such as the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Council (NSTAC) and the Communications Sector Coordinating Council (CSCC);
• Information on specific preparedness activities, from planning for the possibility of a health pandemic to other potential natural and man-made threats; and
• Industry and individual company efforts to promote emergency preparedness and response in their communities.

“As anyone familiar with the vast emergency response networks of our nation can attest, this was no small undertaking,” explained USTelecom President and CEO Walter B. McCormick, Jr.  “But at every turn, whether meeting with government officials or our own member companies, it was reinforced just how unique and valuable this educational resource could be.  By facilitating access to timely, essential public information, this toolkit can help strengthen understanding of the many different mechanisms in place both to safeguard our nation and to facilitate timely recovery of critical infrastructure.”

The toolkit was demonstrated today to the media by its co-creators, Robert Mayer, USTelecom’s Vice President for Industry and State Affairs, and Anthony Jones, co-chair of the association’s national security and public safety committee.  Mayer joined USTelecom from the New York Public Service Commission, and Jones joined the association from the Department of Homeland Security.

The toolkit started out as a basic exercise in informing member companies of the many government agencies that played a role in emergency preparedness and response.  But with each agency consultation, it became evident that such a resource would have wide-ranging application in education and training efforts across the public and private sectors.

The toolkit can be accessed at http://www.ustelecom.org/Issues/Public-Safety-and-National-Security-Toolkit.html.  In addition, a CD-Rom version of the toolkit will be distributed by USTelecom to public safety agencies, USTelecom member companies as well as Executive and Legislative Branch staff who deal with public safety and emergency preparedness issues.

“We are proud to share this tool with our many public safety partners,” McCormick added.  “From first responders to government to the business community to individual Americans, broadband is essential infrastructure, and the nation’s broadband companies are committed to constructive public-private collaboration to keep our nation and its people connected, safe and secure.”