Nebraska communications and response conference | 02.01.2006 | 09:24:31 | Views: 4694 | ID: February 1 '06: Interoperability and communications are the keywords at a Nebraska conference of emergency and first responders, the North Platte Telegraph News reported from Nebraska on Wednesday. During the keynote speech, Neb. Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy said communications among first responder communities was a "high priority" and that state grant money will help target "deficiencies as regional projects are implemented across the state." The three-day conference in North Platte is a co-sponsored event by the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nebraska Division of Communications. About 87 of Nebraska's 93 counties have officials attending and during the conference, "breakout sessions on both management and training" are being held. Al Berndt, assistant director of NEMA said during the conference, "As you look to your communities, you have to figure out how you are going to work together to effectively target the resources we do receive." Under new Department of Homeland Security grant funding for states and local governments, federal homeland security funds will begin to be given on a risk-basis. That would mean areas like Nebraska potentially could see less money each year. Sheehy said a challenge to working with the federal government involves agreeing on a common goal. Additionally, "One of the keys to Nebraska's approach is the recognition that interoperability is primarily a management problem and less a technical problem." "Planning standards," Sheehy said, "ensure that an ongoing understanding of public safety remains a priority as technologies increase."
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