Spectrum allocation key to disaster response.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.
• Position: Washington PULSE - Brief Article

At a recent meeting in Camp Shelby, Miss., military and homeland defense officials pondered the lessons of Hurricane Katrina. Particularly, they debated how o improve the communications and "interoperability" between the military, National Guard and local first responders. They concluded that the technology works just fine, but that the problem is the "process," says Lt. Gen. Steven G. Boutelle, the Army's chief information officer.

Part of the process of coordinating the response to a natural disaster is to allocate the frequency spectrum so agencies can effectively operate...