Lots of people talking about a nationwide public safety radio network. What do these people think they mean when they advocate such a system? What will be the coverage requirement? Are they talking seamless coverage that will allow users to roam with continuous coverage? Will rural areas have similar coverage and bandwidth as urban areas? If so, the price tag is going to be monumental and building it will take decades, all while technology keeps changing and improving. If not, the system will be a waste of money because public safety and homeland security isn't confined to urban areas. Before saying this is a good idea we really need to know the details of how it will be implemented.

Interesting Mr. Ridge that when you were Governor of Pennsylvania you had the opportunity to put 2500 Deputies on the strees to protect Pennsylvania and you chose to back the State Police and deny the Sheriffs their opportunity to protect the people, and he's blasting someone else about interoperability, how about no operability for the Sheriffs?

If you dedicate a specific bandwidth, haven't you also given every terrorist an easy target to knock out all emergency communications?

Seems that Mr. Ridge is talking out both sides of his mouth -- ask him about the state of Pa radio system and how "interop" it really is.

Mr. Ridge is right on target. Selling off all the bandwith to private industry is crazy. What will happen is private industry will lease it back to government costing taxpayers money for something they already own through government. Washington has it wrong again. Big surprise. Ridge should be President.

I totally agree. I had a chance to meet with Mr. Ridge when he was the head of DHS and interoperability was a key topic. As a local emergency mgr. I am very concerned about interoperability. The current head of DHS Mr. Chertoff seems to be only concerned about the federal level of homeland secruity, he gives little to no time to local programs. Don Scott Bernalillo County Emergency Manager Albuquerque New Mxico