Homeland Security receives $1B for Public Safety Communications
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By Stew Magnuson and Breanne Wagner
The Department of Homeland Security received $1 billion in additional grant funds for fiscal year 2007 to develop a public safety program, said Stacey Street, branch chief of DHS’ capabilities division under the national preparedness directorate.
The public safety interoperable communications grant program will help state, local and federal first responders better communicate during a natural or man-made disaster, a grant program fact sheet said.
The program is a one-time opportunity for states and territories to fund public safety communications systems purchases, deployment or training that will allow first responders to operate voice, data and/or video programs in the 700 MHz band, the fact sheet said. The systems will use reallocated public safety spectrum in the 764-776 MHz and the 794-806 MHz bands that were released for public safety use as part of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.
Congress told the department to award contracts this fiscal year, putting the program on the fast track, Street said. Plans call for the program rules to be released to the public in mid-July, with applications due in mid-August, Street said. Grant projects are expected to be complete in fiscal year 2010.
The funding spike increased the DHS grant program from just under $3 billion for fiscal year 2006 to a little less than $4 billion in fiscal year 2007. This is the largest program the grant office will be administering this year, Street said.
The communications program is a partnership between DHS and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a Department of Commerce agency. NTIA is responsible for the development of telecommunications and information policy for the executive branch.