Dear editor:
The similarities between Gatlinburg and Hot Springs are striking. Both are tourist towns, both have major highways through their middle, both have public forests that are at the edge of the city. Like Gatlinburg now, Hot Springs will be subjected to drought conditions. One can visit the Hot Springs Fire Department to see photographs of large fires (and floods!) that devastated the city of Hot Springs. We will soon see the same from Gatlinburg.
With the tragic wildfires in east Tennessee still raging, I am reminded rather forcefully of the need for interoperable communications in the response to a multi-jurisdictional, multi-discipline, multiagency event. The ability of the unified command post to coordinate and direct activities of field forces can be the difference between life and death for the public.
Both the city and the county are actively looking to replace aging radio systems and it is my hope those officials find the way to work together to build a system that will benefit all citizens. That means the system should accommodate incoming responders, as well as being available when our neighboring communities need resources from us. Building radio systems that are unable to "talk" to each other will compound already complex problems for government officials and incident commanders. In my mind, this is a matter of public safety, and is just plain common sense.
Perhaps after a little time has passed and Gatlinburg has an opportunity for salve on their burns, a little research by the smart folks of our community in their community might yield answers to what worked and more importantly, what didn't!
J.M. Rowe
Chair
Region 4 (Arkansas) 700 MHz Planning Committee
Hot Springs
Editorial on 12/04/2016