Oregon’s public safety communication network is in need of a serious upgrade, officials say, but the plan for doing so comes with a hefty ballpark cost of $665 million.
The decision for the upgrade came partially based on the fact that public safety agencies like the state police and fire departments are unable to communicate with each other because they use different radio frequencies and equipment. Outdated communication equipment also prevents police in different counties, and sometimes police in the same county, from communicating with each other.
State officials proposed the Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network (OWIN), which would upgrade radio and communication equipment and build a network of towers throughout the state, enabling better communication and cooperation between different safety agencies from county to county.
Oregon Emergency Management Director Ken Murphy said the current safety networks have suffered from outdated equipment and a lack of security
The need for upgrades is also based on mandates from the Federal Communications Commission, which set a Jan. 1, 2013 deadline for Oregon’s safety services to switch to narrower broadcasting frequencies, Murphy said. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is also encouraging all states to establish interoperability systems.
OWIN is overseen by the Oregon State Interoperability Executive Council (SIEC). Kristi Wilde, chairwoman of the strategic planning committee for SIEC, said the upgrade will help safety agencies better communicate with each other in the future, which they can’t do at the moment.
Wilde cited one example from several years ago, when a man led police on a high-speed chase from Salem to Roseburg along Interstate 5, and the police in each county could only communicate with each other by relaying messages through the dispatchers.
A major upgrade wouldn’t mean 100 percent coverage across the state, Murphy said, although the state will try to achieve as much coverage as it can.
The current $665 million cost is the current figure proposed by Federal Engineering, a consulting firm that designed the OWIN system.
“There is no doubt that radio infrastructure is a major expense,” Wilde said.
She said the price will change as the state seeks out proposals from companies to build the system and as it tries to partner with different agencies and consolidate the system to save money. Lane County has already phased in a plan that meets the new FCC standards, she said.
Part of the project’s funding will come from the state, as Gov. Ted Kulongoski has proposed about $561 million for the project from the 2007-09 budget.
Murphy said the state is working with the U.S. Department of Justice on funding for the project. He said the state is looking at every opportunity for federal funding for the project, although it will also partner with federal agencies to save money on the project.
“In terms of the value of human life and the value of public safety, I surely wouldn’t want to put a price on that,” Murphy said. “It’s a big chunk of money, but I think it’s worth spending the money and ensuring the safety of the public.”
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