Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is calling for legislation creating a national wireless broadband network that would let law enforcement and rescue agencies communicate with each other during a major crisis.
Gillibrand will be in Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo on Friday to promote the bill, which was drafted in response to a 9/11 Commission recommendation after the 2001 terrorist attacks and rescue efforts.
Shortcomings in first responder communications systems also became apparent after Hurricane Katrina.
The 9/11 Commission Report identified insufficient interoperability between communications systems used by local police, fire and rescue agencies and other agencies, including federal law enforcement.
Gillibrand is co-sponsoring a bill that would reserve part of the radio spectrum for first responders.
