April 12, 2006
Kevin Hall
804-225-4260
804-393-9406 (cell)
Chris Essid
Interoperability Coordinator
(804) 225-3800
www.interoperability.publicsafety.virginia.gov
Governor Kaine Announces Grants to Upgrade Virginia Local First Responder Radio Systems
RICHMOND – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that Virginia is allocating $2 million in federal funding to support 28 local interoperable communications projects and initiatives. This funding is part of the State Homeland Security Grant Program, and will be received by the localities in the next two weeks.
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. The State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) evaluated 38 local grant proposals that represented 53 localities requesting a total of over $3.3 million for commonwealth preparedness programs.
“Virginia continues to work with localities and first responders in coordinating state and local efforts to improve interoperability,” said Governor Kaine. “Virginia is the only state in the nation that has a State Interoperability Executive Committee, comprised primarily of local first responder representatives, that conducts a competitive grant process to identify local projects to receive funding.”
“The SIEC did a fantastic job of evaluating the proposals and making recommendations to the Governor that support Virginia’s Strategic Plan for Statewide Communications Interoperability,” added Chris Essid, Commonwealth Interoperability Coordinator. “The number of localities that are now working together and increasing coordination on regional communication projects is a very important and exciting development..”
The 25 grant proposals that were awarded immediate funding are:
| Locaility | Amount Granted |
|---|---|
| Accomack County/Northampton County | $52,000 |
| Arlington | $75,000 |
| Augusta County | $75,000 |
| Bristol | $45,741 |
| Carroll County | $74,800 |
| Charlotte County | $75,000 |
| Covington | $66,500 |
| Danville | $75,000 |
| Frederick County | $75,000 |
| Franklin | $75,000 |
| Giles County | $75,000 |
| Hanover County | $75,000 |
| Madison County | $40,000 |
| Manassas Park | $75,000 |
| Nelson County | $60,000 |
| Orange County | $75,000 |
| Page County | $70,695 |
| Patrick County | $75,000 |
| Petersburg | $75,000 |
| Pulaski County | $18,000 |
| Pulaski Town | $75,000 |
| Roanoke | $73,584 |
| Westmoreland County/Colonial Beach | $75,000 |
| Williamsburg | $75,000 |
| York County/James City County | 148, 680 |
Three additional local interoperability projects were funded at $75,000 each. These projects, which will be located in Amelia, Nottoway, and Montgomery Counties, await more information before being fully implemented.
Virginia’s interoperability efforts have been recognized by the Department of Homeland Security’s SAFECOM Program, the federal entity charged with improving radio communications among first responders nationwide, as a best practices model.
# # #