MEMA and State Police distribute Public Safety Communications equipment to local communities. EOPS - Press Release 11.15.2002

Framingham MA - The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Headquarters in Framingham was the site of a ceremony to distribute Public Safety Communications Equipment to over 50 Massachusetts communities on Wednesday, November 13, 2002. Scores of Emergency Management Directors from across the Commonwealth were on hand to accept this equipment, which is valued at $855,000.00, bringing the total grant money on this particular program to $1,400,000.00 .
This equipment was secured by MEMA as part of a Department of Justice (DOJ) Grant. "The ability to better to better communicate with other communities and agencies has been a longstanding need expressed by local Public Safety officials," stated MEMA Director Stephen J. McGrail. "MEMA has been working very hard with the Massachusetts State Police to better serve the communications needs of the local communities during times of emergency. We feel that that addition of this equipment goes a long way towards that end." With the exception of the Islands, each County in the Commonwealth received four (4) caches. Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard received two (2) caches each. Each cache consists of six (6) portable radios, speaker/microphones, 6 spare batteries and one rack-charger, valued at $15,000.00 These caches have been strategically placed throught the Commonwealth so that all communities will have immediate access, should the need arise.
"Through this grant, the Commonwealth is building a basic capacity for Statewide interoperable communications, allowing all Public Safety first-responders to securely communicate during an emergency," stated Secretary of Public Safety James P. Jajuga. "This is a key element of our broader statewide Commonwealth Security and Anti- Terrorism efforts.
The communications caches will be placed across the state for operation on ITAC repeaters (National Public Safety frequencies - Conventional) and Statewide Local Public Safety interoperability Talk- Groups (Trunked). These Command Coordination Caches will be distributed as caches of shared equipment and stored for use by Emergency Managers, Fire Districts, and Police Regions statewide. At the scene of an event, the Sector Chiefs, functioning under the Incident Command System (ICS)will utilize these caches. The DOJ Grant has also provided additional radio transmitters (Repeaters) that have been installed in more than 30 radio tower sites across the Commonwealth at a cost of $493,000.00 These Transmitters work in conjunction with the 800 Mhz Radio network, operated and maintained by the State Police. Colonel Thomas J. Foley said, "Improving communications is a vital goal of this Department, and the State Police are happy to be participating in this important public project. These radios will enhance communications between departments, and literally open up a channel for local agencies to communicate with state agencies such as MEMA and the State Police". Communities Receiving Portable Radio Caches ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ITAC Frequencies and CTCSS Tones can be accessed at http://lynx.dac.neu.edu/s/stjohnso/ematrunk/msp/mspconv.html

topic by visiting the MEMA homepage at www.state.ma.us/mema.