WASHINGTON – Today in an Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Assessing Public Health and the Delivery of Care in the Wake of Katrina”, Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee), Ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, expressed concerns about the need to tie medical professionals into first responder communications systems.

“First responder interoperability is not just about making sure fire fighters can radio to fire fighters in emergencies, it’s about making sure all agencies needed in responding to an emergency can communicate with one another to get the job done – this includes our health and medical teams as well,” Stupak said.  

As a long-time proponent for the necessary funding and equipment to enable a communications network for first responders, Stupak was alarmed to hear reports of police not being able to transport the injured and sick to medical teams in the days following Hurricane Katrina. Stupak’s bill H.R.1323, Public Safety Interoperability Implementation Act, would establish the Public Safety Communications Trust Fund to help create a national communications network for emergency first responders including, local, state and federal government agencies as well as medical professionals.

“I’ve been working on first responder communications issues for years,” Stupak said. “After September 11^th the country realized the sad reality that various first responders can’t always talk to each other. Now with Katrina, we see that our hospital communications systems are also inadequate. We know this failure of communication cost people’s lives, we just don’t know how many yet. We now have an opportunity to become better prepared.”

Stupak questioned witnesses on the preparedness of health and medical officials as well as the communications breakdown before and after Hurricane Katrina. He also stressed the need to reimburse states for 100% of Medicaid costs incurred from victims who have relocated across the country, including Michigan. In addition, he urged the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigation subcommittee to investigate gas prices as well as the impending price increases in natural gas, propane and home heating oil.

Hearing panels consisted of experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, American Red Cross, East Jefferson General Hospital, American Medical Association, National Association of Community Health Centers Inc., Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the American Nurses Association.

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