Delegate Bob Hull's Richmond Report

Earlier this month, I attended the ribbon cutting of the new Inova Heart and Vascular Institute adjacent to Fairfax Hospital. Almost 30 years in the making, it is a state-of-the-art facility that focuses the best cardiac care personnel and facilities in one place. From access to rehabilitation to wellness and prevention, the physicians, nurses, and other technicians have the best technology at hand. Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine was present to bring greetings from the state and acknowledge the tremendous asset we now have in Northern Virginia.

It also helped to cement the relationship between INOVA and Richmond’s Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University. Together, they have created the equivalent of a new medical college in Northern Virginia with a cooperative residency program. Interoperability

One of the issues that came up after the 9-11 attacks was the ability of first responders to communicate with each other. That was definitely an issue in Virginia since the Pentagon was attacked. Our many military installations are also obvious targets for terrorists.

Communications between local public safety agencies in the D.C. area was improved after the airplane crashed against the 14th Street Bridge about 20 years ago.

But, the Virginia State Police were not included in any of this and subsequent incidents have shown that problems still exist even with local communications.

During this year’s General Assembly session, we approved funding for a new statewide emergency communications system involving the State Police.

Governor Warner has also worked with public safety agencies all over the Commonwealth to develop a statewide strategic plan for emergency communications.

Earlier this month, the governor approved our strategic plan after holding six regional focus groups that included 39 local public safety and state agencies.

This strategic plan has now been recognized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a model of communications planning for other states to follow.

The plan depends on the interoperability of communications systems between state public safety officials and local first responders. On Tuesday, 250 first responders came to Richmond for a “Interoperable Communications Conference” to work on the implementation of the plan. “The ability to communicate clearly and immediately is absolutely necessary for the safety of our first responders,” stated Governor Warner at the conference.

Civil Rights Pioneer

Last Friday night, I attended the 60th annual Freedom Fund Banquet of the Fairfax County Branch of the NAACP. I am a Life Member of the NAACP and I have attended so many of these gala events over the years. In many ways, this was more special than all previous ones.

We honored the heroes of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court desegregation decision in Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954. Not only did that decision open the doors of all public schools to people of color for the first time in America, but it liberated us all from the stigma of institutional racism.

One of the honors that night was given posthumously to attorney Charles Houston, part of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund team led by Thurgood Marshall.

But, the great honor of the evening went to attorney Oliver Hill of Richmond, the only living attorney associated with the Brown vs. Board legal team.

At 97 years old, Mr. Hill is confined to a wheelchair, but his mind is still strong and he made exceptional comments after receiving his award.

Although his voice is not as strong as it once was, he made it clear that he felt that the Brown vs. Board decision was part of the larger goal of universal human rights. While we honored him with the award, I do not think that I was alone in feeling that I was honored to be in his presence.