The Associated Press
NEW YORK- A regional emergency response system connecting New York City to surrounding areas will be created with a $6 million federal grant, addressing a flaw identified by the Sept. 11 Commission, city officials said Sunday.
The grant from the Department of Justice will be used to create a regional command-and-control radio frequency for police, fire and emergency officials in New York City, as well as surrounding counties in New York and New Jersey.
In New York, it will join the city police and fire department, the Office of Emergency Management, the Port Authority of New York, New Jersey officials and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority police.
The Sept. 11 Commission has described major flaws in the city’s emergency response to the 2001 terrorist attacks, including the failure of police and fire officials to communicate effectively.
“One of the lessons we learned four years ago was the need for a regional approach to addressing large-scale disasters,” Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta said.