Governor's Interoperability Press Conference

[KAA951]

I attended Governor Sebelius press conference this afternoon at Topeka Fire Station 5. She, Secretary of Transportation Deb Miller and KHP Colonel Seck "unveiled" the "Kansas Statewide Interoperability Communications System."

They had one of the new Communications on Wheels (COW) setups from KDOT (there are two, 1 in Salina and 1 in Wichita) and the communications van from the Civil Support Team (Weapons of Mass Destruction) based at Forbes Field on display. The KDOT technician said that they were planning on rolling out the COW system at the Country Stampede Concert in Manhattan- if you are in the area it should be neat to figure out their setup. (He said they were planning on patching several of the law enforcement freqs in the area together plus activating 3 of the mobile 800 mhz repeaters).

Here is the information slick they put out on the "First Step of Statewide Deployment - Southeast Kansas".

"The State of Kansas is taking the first step toward statewide deployment for the Statewide Interoperable Communications System. This first step will affect 17 counties in southeast Kansas, including:

Allen
Anderson
Bourbon
Chautauqua
Cherokee
Coffey
Crawford
Elk
Franklin
Greenwood
Labette
Linn
Miami
Montgomery
Neosho
Wilson
Woodson

The first step will include equipment upgrades to the 10 tower sites located in these counties which will result in interoperability among users of these towers. Estimated cost of the tower upgrades and necessary radio replacements is estimated to be $16 million. This portion of the project will be paid for by one-time funds identified for this project as follows:

KDOT- Federal safety funds $8 million
Federal Homeland Security ODP Funds $5 million
KDOT- Annual Radio Budget (FY06) $3 million

This portion of the project is scheduled to be operational by July 2006. Funding for fully completing the Statewide Interoperable Communcations System has not been identified. The State of Kansas is seeking more federal funds to help with this effort. As funding becomes available, additional regions of the state will be upgraded until the statewide system is completely interoperable."

- In other materials that they handed out they stated that the 77 tower conventional system KDOT has so far has cost $36 million. They state that the total cost of the statewide trunked system is estimated at another $55 million.

- They also announced that they will begin to lease KDOT 800 mhz radios to local agencies starting July 1st, 2005 - kind of like what Michigan has done.

Sorry this got so long. Lots of information in a short period of time.

 

[rick521]

Any details. Any mention of Digital or encryption?

 

[coolblueneon]

I see the 17 counties will be paid for by "one time funds" my question is , where's the money coming from for the rest of the state?

My next question:
How much will KDOT charge for the 800 MHz radios?

I guess time will only tell.

 

[rick521]

From the Hutchinson News

TOPEKA - When deadly flooding swept across the Kansas Turnpike last year, various agencies' emergency responders struggled to talk to each other through incompatible radio systems.

The same occurred as law officers, patrol troopers and ambulance crews descended on the tornado-ravaged towns of Hoisington and Parsons in the past decade.

On Wednesday, state officials announced a $16 million upgrade to the state's system of high-powered radio communications. The boost is the first step in helping the state deal with disasters ranging from storms to terrorism or routine law enforcement.

By July 2006, the upgrades should make emergency agencies in 17 southeast counties compatible with a Motorola communication system used by the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Officials opted for the counties first because for their proximity to the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant in Coffey County.

While the new system might not reach into his central Kansas district yet, Lindsborg Sen. Jay Emler was thrilled anyway.

"What a shot in the arm to show we can work together, regardless of political party, regardless of jurisdiction, regardless of fire department or police department," said Emler, vice chairman of the Legislature's Joint Security Committee.

A former emergency medical technician, Emler was among several public safety advocates at a Topeka firehouse Wednesday touting the new project.

Funding, which lawmakers granted in 2004, will come from KDOT-issued revenue bonds. The department will purchase equipment and lease it at cost to local agencies.

The new system will open KDOT's 800-megahertz communications towers to first responders and governmental users.

Officials also will open the KDOT towers to private business for the first time. Revenues from leasing tower space to firms such as cell phone companies will help support the emergency project.

Officials also offered tours Wednesday of a mobile tower that quickly can be taken to emergency sites anywhere in Kansas so first responders can exchange critical information over a clear frequency.

Bob Prewitt, Finney County emergency medical services director, termed the project "premier."

"If I send trucks and personnel to another part of the state, how do I communicate with the local agencies? We're finally getting ahead of that," Prewitt said. "This is a tremendous initiative. It's amazing."

Emler said he hoped the state could find money to fund a statewide system.

The state will need an estimated $55 million to upgrade 67 radio towers statewide.

"We're talking a pretty significant investment," Emler said. "I've contacted all six members of our congressional delegation to expand this with Homeland Security dollars. This is an excellent way to spend those dollars."

Kansas Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. William Seck said that could be difficult. Kansas' share of Homeland Security funds is on the decline.

With the upgrades in southeast Kansas, the system won't sit on a shelf and wait for a major event, state Transportation Secretary Deb Miller said.

If a patrol officer, for example, chases a vehicle across county lines, he should have easy access to local law enforcement through the new system, she said.

"This will offer benefits every single day to the way they're doing their jobs."

The pilot counties are Franklin, Neosho, Labette, Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Elk, Greenwood, Linn, Miami, Montgomery, Wilson and Woodson.

Nice news article but still leaves a lot of questions to answer.

 

[KAA951]

10 Towers?

Interesting that they seemed to have left the Lyon County / Reading tower out and have added the Miami County / Paola Tower in this new system. Emporia / Lyon County is part of Troop H and is directly adjacent to Wolf Creek but won't be served by the new system? Smells like politics... any influencial legislators / senators in Franklin or Miami County?

 

[mancow]

Has anyone noticed that the State of Kansas holds a slow growth licence for the 700Mhz band. I just saw that on the FCC site last night and thought it was interesting. I wonder if some of the frequencies. will be 700 or if they are just keeping that in reserve for future use.
Also, has there been any mention of whether or not it's going to be digital?

I wonder how this is all going to come together and what the frequency layout will be? I haven't heard any new data channels active yet. So far the details have been impossible to find.


mancow

 

[rick521]

I just think it is funny that the state picked Manhattan and Emporia to use as examples for better communications.

Riley County and Pottawatomie County have had a ACU-1000 for 5 years and Emporia/Lyons County have had a ACU-1000 for 3 years.

Why did the state just not use the existing system for these events.

 

[rick521]

I posted additional information in another post, here is the link.

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=161594#161594