[Temslist] FW: Governor's News Release - First Responder Radio Caches

[Tidewater EMS Council Listserv]

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA 
Office of the Governor

Timothy M. Kaine                                         FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE 
     Governor
August 6, 2007

Contact:                 Delacey Skinner
Chris Essid
Phone:                   (804) 225-4806
Interoperability Coordinator
Cell Phone:           (804) 380-3487
(804) 692-0137
Internet:                www.governor.virginia.gov
www.interoperability.publicsafety.virginia.gov

GOVERNOR KAINE ANNOUNCES GRANTS TO ESTABLISH STRATEGIC SUPPLIES OF FIRST
RESPONDER RADIO SYSTEMS

~Radio caches to be positioned in Chesapeake, Fairfax and Harrisonburg
regions~

 

RICHMOND - Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that the
Commonwealth will establish three strategic radio caches in Chesapeake,
Fairfax County, and the Harrisonburg region to improve the state's
ability to establish communications in the wake of a disaster or other
large-scale emergency. 

 

"The Commonwealth continues to take big steps to anticipate and identify
gaps in our communications network," Governor Kaine said. "The strategic
positioning of this communications gear will improve the ability of our
local, state, and federal first responders to seamlessly speak to each
other during a crisis situation." 

 

The initiative, which is funded by $5 million in federal homeland
security grants, has been a top priority of the State Interoperability
Executive Committee (SIEC).  Interoperability is the ability for public
safety personnel to talk with one another via radio communication
systems - to exchange voice and/or data with one another on-demand, in
real time - whenever necessary. 

 

Chesapeake and Fairfax County each will receive $1.9 million in grants,
and Harrisonburg-Rockingham County will receive $1.2 million, to
establish the radio caches. The localities submitted regional proposals
that allow for the deployment of the equipment statewide, if requested.
These regional radio caches will consist of a portable radio tower and
between 300 and 500 radios in various frequency bands. The SIEC
established a team of local and state officials that developed minimum
requirements for the radio caches.   

 

"The work that was done by the radio cache team to ensure
standardization of the various caches is groundbreaking, and we have
already had inquiries from other states on how Virginia accomplished
this," said Jim Junkins, Chair of the SIEC.  

 

More information on the radio caches can be obtained by contacting Chris
Essid, the Commonwealth Interoperability Coordinator, at (804) 692-0137.

 

 

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