SEN. VOINOVICH SECURES NEARLY $50 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES
Ohio to receive more than $1 million
September 11, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH), a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Foreign Relations Committees, announced that he helped secure $48,575,000 for Interoperable Emergency Communications Grants (IECGs) to improve local, tribal, regional and statewide emergency communications across the nation with $1.2 million coming to Ohio.
This funding will be used for planning, training, exercise and personnel activities. It includes communication capabilities for collective responses to natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters. Ohio’s funding level is the ninth-highest amount awarded. Funds are provided for Fiscal Year 2008 as a result of the Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007 and the Fiscal Year 2008 Homeland Security Appropriations bill.
“Since 9/11 it has been painfully evident that our first responders need improved and instantaneous communications capabilities,” Sen. Voinovich said. “This grant funding will help Ohio and other states improve their emergency response capabilities. It is our duty to give first responders all the tools they need to defend our communities and our families.”
Ohio led the way by tackling this problem head on in the 1990s by creating the Multi-Agency Radio Communications System, known as “MARCS.” It is a system of interoperable communications that covers all 88 counties and reaches 99 percent of the state.
Funding will enable states, territories, local units of government and tribal communities to implement Statewide Communication Interoperability Plans and align to the National Emergency Communications Plan to further enhance interoperability.
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