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Better communication on the way
Radio transmission for first responders to be improved
By MARY PEREZ
SUN HERALD
PASCAGOULA - Better communication for first responders is on its way to the northeast corner of Jackson County.
George Sholl, director of the Jackson County Communications District, says equipment has been shipped and will soon be in place to strengthen the radio system at a Big Point site.
These improvements were four years in the making and not related to Hurricane Katrina, he added, yet will help police, fire and other emergency personnel in the event of another storm.
Sholl says there are places in the unincorporated areas above Interstate 10 that have little or no radio reception and emergency crews can't communicate with each other.
Ideally he would like 100 percent coverage, but says terrain and the opportunity to use unlimited channels can limit that. With the new equipment, he said, "if we can get to 95 percent we'll be happy."
The two-way system was vital to communications for city, county and visiting disaster workers after Katrina, Sholl recently told county supervisors. In August, a year after the storm, the supervisors agreed to help expand the system for better coverage at a cost of $3.9 million.
The county also has an option to erect a tower at the Larue Community Center in the northwest corner, but Sholl said he's waiting to see what the state will do so they don't duplicate efforts.
He explains that a statewide radio system is being built, starting in the lower counties.
"The hurricane put a fear into everyone," he says, and the new system will allow emergency personnel to "talk from the Coast to the capital."
While there isn't a lot of conversation among first responders across county lines, "different agencies in the state need to talk to each other," he said.
Motorola was recently named the successful bidder for the state project and Sholl said the counties and state will share some equipment to improve communications across the area.
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/16407927.htm
Radio transmission for first responders to be improved
By MARY PEREZ
SUN HERALD
PASCAGOULA - Better communication for first responders is on its way to the northeast corner of Jackson County.
George Sholl, director of the Jackson County Communications District, says equipment has been shipped and will soon be in place to strengthen the radio system at a Big Point site.
These improvements were four years in the making and not related to Hurricane Katrina, he added, yet will help police, fire and other emergency personnel in the event of another storm.
Sholl says there are places in the unincorporated areas above Interstate 10 that have little or no radio reception and emergency crews can't communicate with each other.
Ideally he would like 100 percent coverage, but says terrain and the opportunity to use unlimited channels can limit that. With the new equipment, he said, "if we can get to 95 percent we'll be happy."
The two-way system was vital to communications for city, county and visiting disaster workers after Katrina, Sholl recently told county supervisors. In August, a year after the storm, the supervisors agreed to help expand the system for better coverage at a cost of $3.9 million.
The county also has an option to erect a tower at the Larue Community Center in the northwest corner, but Sholl said he's waiting to see what the state will do so they don't duplicate efforts.
He explains that a statewide radio system is being built, starting in the lower counties.
"The hurricane put a fear into everyone," he says, and the new system will allow emergency personnel to "talk from the Coast to the capital."
While there isn't a lot of conversation among first responders across county lines, "different agencies in the state need to talk to each other," he said.
Motorola was recently named the successful bidder for the state project and Sholl said the counties and state will share some equipment to improve communications across the area.
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/16407927.htm
