New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Office of Interoperable Communications.
And the bureaucracy grows and grows
Sheriff's Office receives $5.4 million grant for radio system upgrade
Submitted by Howard Owens on February 21, 2013 - 11:30am
Press Release:
Genesee County will receive $5,435,095 in grant funding from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Office of Interoperable Communications to upgrade the county’s 800 MHz Public Safety Radio System. Legislature Chair Mary Pat Hancock was notified of the grant award in a letter dated Feb. 4, 2013, from the New York State Division of Homeland Security.
The funding will be used to upgrade the County’s Public Safety Radio System from an analog system to an interoperable digital system. Sheriff Gary T. Maha stated, “The upgrade is necessary to accommodate public safety radio coverage needs, radio tower sites, radio infrastructure, first responder notifications and subscriber radios. There have been some deficiencies in our current radio system which must be corrected.”
The grant funding is part of the $102 million recently awarded to counties through the Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant Program. Genesee County’s application for this grant funding was submitted by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.
The Genesee County Legislature Ways and Means Committee, during its meeting on Feb. 20, 2013, recommended establishing a capital project for the radio system upgrade.
- Howard Owens's blog
- Login or register to post comments
February 21, 2013 - 12:51pm
#3
February 21, 2013 - 1:17pm
#4
So does this mean that the scanner I rec'd. for Christmas won't work anymore?!! Whaaat?
February 21, 2013 - 1:56pm
#5
I listen to the scanners [when I feel like it] on my computer - - http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?ctid=1843 - you can listen to Genesee County fire & EMS, Genesee County Sheriff & LeRoy Police, Hurricane center, and NYS Thruway Authority - Buffalo Division
February 21, 2013 - 2:25pm
#6
i don't know about you, but i feel so much safer now that WE are spending 5.4 million dollars on a radio tower....DHS has sooooo much money, it doesn't know what to do with it....maybe we can petition DHS to fix our roads and bridges, so the police will be better able to catch a bad guy (terrorist)while using their 5.4 million dollar tower..
February 21, 2013 - 2:32pm
#7
dave,may i share my favorite to date?...
" united states department of labor trade adjustment assistance community college training grant program"
to the layman,that would be the "usdoltaacctgp"
yes,the bureaucracy keeps growing...
February 21, 2013 - 2:59pm
#8
It's my understanding that newer digital scanners -- such as four of them I own -- will work with the new system, but we won't know for sure until the new system is specified (the Sheriff's Office is engaging a consultant to determine how the new system should be configured, rather than relying on a vendor).
I spoke with the Sheriff today and once we know what the new system is, we'll be able to do an article about how it will affect those of us with scanners.
February 21, 2013 - 3:40pm
#9
Thanks, Howard. I listen to the scanner ALL day. Would be lost without it. Please keep us updated.
February 21, 2013 - 4:19pm
#10
Do they really need to up grade..or they just finding a way to spend this money..I thought they just invested money in this so called state of the art system a few years ago...Its no wonder we are 16 trillion in debt.. and they are all complaining about this sequestration...But yet homeland security has all this money to dish out....Its a joke..I think the local school districts could find a better use for 5.4 million dollars.
February 21, 2013 - 5:31pm
#11
Mark, not taking a position on whether the money should be spent or not, but clarifying my understanding: The reason this is a DHS grant is to ensure that all jurisdictions are on a common technology to help communications in a widespread emergency.
The folks at the Sheriff's Office seem pretty excited. They seem to see a need for it and they're the experts. I have no way of judging myself if it's really necessary.
February 21, 2013 - 6:15pm
#12
i agree with mark,this is just a way to waste money......the system they have now is fine....all this interoperable digital system isn't going to help any of us one iota.
the deputy says"deficiencies in our current radio system need to be corrected",well how about we hold the vendor who installed the current system accountable?no warranty?no guarantee?
maybe the deputy could explain his broad statement,such as what is wrong with current system...
they now have 2 way radios,telephones,computers..if you can't communicate with them,you can't communicate..
February 21, 2013 - 7:34pm
#13
Genesee County Sheriff's Building
Holdsworth Klimowski Construction completed a $3.6 million construction project for the Genesee County Sheriff's Department. The centerpiece is a completely new 20,000 sq. ft. facility incorporating administration, engineering, and the 911 Communications Center. The project also included construction of a separate vehicle garage for sheriff patrol cars. Site work included creating parking areas, erecting a large communications antenna, and more.
howard,no wonder they are excited,they are getting 5 million dollars to waste on communications,when the new building they just moved into cost us 3.6 million.....see that part about the "911 communications center"? what happened to it?
correct me if i'm wrong,the sheriff moved into this facility within the last 5 years.
February 21, 2013 - 10:47pm
#14
Speaking as a fire fighter the system has it's problems.
As far as the 911 center, that is for receiving calls for help via landline and cell phone. With the technology to pin point the location, and automate the dispaching of appropriate units to each call for help.
When it comes to radio communications, there are a lot of dead spots in this county and surrounding counties. And when I say dead spot, I mean your radio is a about as usefull as a boat anchor in the desert. You cant call for help, or direct incomming units, or speak to dispatch.
Interoperable, is a big deal for responders. If you listen to your scanners when you have mutual aid with other counties, listen to what goes on. Dispatch has to set up a patch with one of our channels to the other counties system in order for units to communicate. So now the incident commander has to talk on mutiple channels on an incident. Critical information is delayed to units from other counties, and in this business, that can be deadly. Imagine the mess when you have units from Genesee, Orleans, and Monroe counties working a single incident. It has happened in my area. The incident commander had to have other officers, who could have been handeling other aspects of the operation, glued to his hip, each with a radio set to the patch channels, just to communicate with mutual aid units. That is nuts.
In the old days we had 2 radio channels, 46.12 and 46.22. Now 46.12 is the low band that your hear the pager and siren tones. 46.22 was used on scene. That old system was low power, had 5 times the number of dead spots, with no range. The 46.22 was also the statewide channel, so everyone could talk on scene. If you were in range. By the way, Wyoming county is still on low band.
Now think about our Sheriffs, coordinating a pursuit, a search, etc. across county lines. Our Deputy has to contact dispatch, our dispatcher contacts the other county dispatcher, the other counties dispacter then contacts their Deputy. Are you kidding me!
David, does this answer your question as to what is wrong with the current systems? I am not a communications wizard, just a fire fighter, Past Asst Chief (in charge of safety), who simply has the experience with the faults of the system. It's not the fault of vendors of the systems out there. Each county is responcible for selecting the system they use. Interoperable is simply trying to get everyone on the same page and able to talk quickley and directly with others when the crap hits fan.
Concider this, with interoperable comunications, thousands of lives may be saved. Or maybe just one life will be saved. I wonder which one that will be? You perhaps? How much is your life worth?
February 21, 2013 - 10:50pm
#15
Interoperability is not only for the sherrif's department it is also for fire and ems services.
There have been issues in mutual aide situations across county lines, as well as the need to relay messages for law enforcement of different jurisdictions. This is about the best possible communications ranging from major fire, earthquake, major aircraft crashes, tornados, major criminal manhunts etcs.
I am totally in agreement with anyone that says cut waste and cutting government spending in general, however, in this case I believe that this is one area in particular where tax money should be spent.
David this is far beyond the 911 communications center, this is about all departments in all counties, state and fed have a system that communicates with each other instantly in a major emergency keeping all on the same page.
INTEROPERABILTY is the key word in this release.
February 22, 2013 - 8:44am
#16
ladies and gentlemen, tell me how did we make it this far?
how many major emergencies has the sheriff and the fire dept.
faced to date? i stand by my statement...a waste of taxpayer money....
February 22, 2013 - 10:23am
#17
scott,in response as to what my life is worth, i am not a hero,so i am sure my life is not as worthy as yours.......i'll take my chances with the current system.thank you.
February 22, 2013 - 11:42am
#18
a slap in the face to all you unemployed and struggling
The new digital system will obsolete all the police scanners now in service. Just like ten years ago when the current multiple cross channel system was installed (trunk system).