Twin Cities gets high score for emergency communications

(AP) - Only six of 75 U.S. cities and regional areas rate top grades for their emergency agencies' ability to communicate during a disaster.

And Minneapolis-St. Paul is among the six cities given the highest possible ratings in a draft of a federal report obtained by The Associated Press.

The other five cities given the highest ratings are San Diego; Washington, D-C; Columbus, Ohio; Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Laramie County, Wyoming.

The lowest scores went to Chicago; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Cleveland; Mandan, North Dakota, and American Samoa.

The study was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security.

In the study, 75 communities were judged in three categories: operating procedures in place, use of communications systems and how effectively local governments have coordinated in preparation for a disaster.

The areas with the six best scores were judged "advanced" in all three categories.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)