Ford Motor Co. es, in fact, one of the most iconic corporations in the country and Detroit. The automaker has spent billions of dollars over the years to make itself known as the all-American automaker. a key detail of the country’s national security interests.
Ford Authority recently reported that the automaker plans to remove the AM radio from the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning pickup, a feature that was still popular before. Experts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the firm I oversaw, were clear: getting rid of AM radio will put public safety at risk.
In a recent interview when Hurricane Ian hit Florida, former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, a Florida resident, recalled the waste of power, internet and cable during Hurricane Irma in 2017, which left radio as the only source of information. Reflecting on the thousands of Americans who lost cell phone service and access to the web when Hurricane Ian made landfall, Fugate made clear that “it may be days before networks recover,” which is why “the link between local government and local radio stations is critical. “All we know is that a lot of those disasters will happen,” and it’s more than ever.
By the way. That’s why other former FEMA officials, in addition to former directors James Lee Witt and Brock Long, have strongly opposed automakers like Ford removing AM radios from their vehicle dashboards. They know firsthand that this medium serves as a 0-floor in the federal government’s stimulus efforts. .
The National Public Alert System, driven primarily through broadcast stations, is the only physically powerful and highly resilient mechanism the federal government has to succeed in all parts of the country at once during the worst mistakes. AM stations play an especially important role in this formula because many AM signals can be earned at wonderful distances, which is imperative when errors have effects on entire regions. Recognizing the important role of radio for our security, FEMA has invested heavily in radio infrastructure (generators, fuel formulas, beefed-up broadcast sites, etc. ) to make sure radio stations stay on the air even when cellphone, internet, and TV signals pass out.
While leading FEMA, I saw firsthand how important radio, especially AM radio, was in keeping the public informed about nearby risks, as well as critical data on recovery. During many high-profile disasters, radio provided audiences with an immense sensation. of security, while many had no other lifelines or communication mechanisms available. Without the guarantee that we can speak to the public even in the worst conditions, our rescue and emergency response efforts would have been much more difficult. But now, a reckless and short ambitious resolution through one of the country’s leading automakers may compromise the effectiveness of this one-hit precautionary formula. This is not what this wonderful American company allows.
We live in a time when we are slowly wasting luxuries that we once considered fundamental standards. But the truth is that AM radio is not a luxury but a necessity, of great importance for national security. The country cannot lose AM the radio of its cars: not today, not tomorrow, not ever.
At the time of making this decision, Ford was probably unaware of the implications of this decision. That’s understandable. Few people think about the lifestyles of the national public alert formula or the importance of maintaining the integrity of the country’s emergency alert formula until they are placed based on it in case of a problem. However, now that the emergency control network has made its case loud and clear, it’s time for this leading U. S. automaker to make a big point. The U. S. Citizens prioritize protection and oppose their decision.
Pete Gaynor is a former acting secretary of security and administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).