Opinion: AB 470 will make our communities safer from wildfires
An aircraft drops retardant over Clairemont Mesa West as crews battle a brush fire Photo courtesy of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department If we ve learned anything this year it s that the hazard of wildfire has expanded beyond what has traditionally been thought of as fire season Wildfires can break out almost anywhere at any time Because of this new reality there is work to be done to improve the safety and connectivity of communities in the face of natural disasters especially as these events continue to grow in scale and size Strengthening the resiliency of our communities demands to be a priority for our policymakers This is why the San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation is proud to aid Assemblymember Tina McKinnor s Assembly Bill which is at this time moving through the California State Legislature Over the last several months guidelines leaders and key stakeholders representing a variety of interests have held collaborative conversations to ensure AB represents the demands of diverse communities across the state including the citizens safety area The consequence is sound framework that represents a thoughtful forward-looking approach to modernizing California s communications organization The San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation s mission is to strengthen the capabilities of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department by providing enhanced equipment training machinery and vital group outreach and venture support In short we aren t the heroes but we buy them their capes We make sure our San Diego first responders are the the majority effective as they possibly can be in doing their jobs saving lives AB will provide the guidance and tools to do just that As a state prone to natural disasters and unpredictable weather events we must have modernized communications systems that ensure Californians have access to reliable information in real time We also need to ensure our constituents safety group has the tools needed to locate people faster communicate clearly during emergencies and issue alerts and warnings among other critical information demands We need to be smart and plan for a future that demands faster better communications as wild weather evolves our communities grow and our connectivity demands and demands increase Our current system will not be able to handle the increasing year-round demands being put on the citizens safety infrastructure AB provides significant tools that will strengthen our communications networks because it incentivizes stake in more resilient reliable technologies that will improve exigency response First responders know best that the evolving use of advanced communications technologies before during and after emergencies is extremely vital for situational awareness and decision-making in firefighting responding to floods landslides earthquakes school safety search and rescue response recovery operations and much more The reality is during an crisis mobile technologies are proven to be safer and more reliable than outdated alternatives Investments in modern connectivity that make these technologies achievable will ensure that inhabitants safety personnel can meet the area where they are through modern safe and reliable options That s why we need AB A great number of departments are already in the process of migrating their networks and implementing a community safety communications system that provides enhanced - - including video and text-to - - but this capability requires investments in updated and evolving technologies As AB continues to move through the Legislature we encourage policymakers and stakeholders to help this landmark law that best serves the community safety interests while also protecting consumers preserving access to essential voice services and positioning our inhabitants safety leaders and Californians for success Wendy Moore is executive director of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation
