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September 30, 2005 East Lansing - The urgent need to promote interoperable communications among and between public safety first responders was the topic of testimony given by Lt. Colonel Thomas J. Miller, Michigan State Police (MSP) deputy director, before the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet today. At the invitation of Subcommittee Chair Cong. Fred Upton, Miller shared the four interrelated challenges Michigan public safety agencies face when pursuing communications interoperability. At the hearing, Miller outlined Governor Granholm’s goal of achieving interoperable communications among the state’s 75,000 first responders by 2008. His testimony was part of a hearing entitled “Public Safety Communications from 9/11 to Katrina: Critical Public Policy Lessons.” “Communications interoperability for first responders is critical to the public safety mission,” stated Miller. “Even with the success the Michigan Public Safety Communications System has experienced, Michigan still faces critical funding and spectrum challenges, which are not unique to our state, to truly achieve communications interoperability.” Michigan has the largest geographically-based public safety communication system in North America. The Michigan Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS) is a Motorola 800 MHz trunked radio system and is Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) 25 compliant, providing statewide coverage for public safety users. Michigan has been recognized by the Public Safety Wireless Network (PSWN) and other knowledgeable industry and user groups as visionary in its approach to interoperability. “The MPSCS has proven invaluable to public safety in Michigan during situations such as flooding in the Upper Peninsula, civil unrest in Benton Harbor, the blackout of 2003 and most recently, when Michigan law enforcement officers were deployed to Louisiana.” Source: Shanon Akans, MSP Public Affairs, (517) 336-6364
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