|
APCO APPLAUDS THE RELEASE OF IECGP FUNDS, RENEWS CALL FOR FULL FUNDING TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY BROADBAND
May 17, 2010, Alexandria, Va. - While highlighting Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's release of $48 million in federal grants to state and local government for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International today urged Congress to fully fund the Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program (IECGP) at $400 million for FY2011.
"APCO International applauds Secretary Napolitano's announcement of these grants, but more is needed," APCO International President Richard Mirgon said. "Congress must fully fund this and other existing public safety technology and communications programs in order to allow our nation's public safety communications systems to continue to improve, become more efficient, effective and interoperable, including efforts aimed at building a nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network."
Although authorized at $400 million per year since its inception, the IECGP program has only received $50 million per year for the last three years equaling $150 million total, or $1.05 billion below full authorization levels.
"We were disappointed to learn that the FY2011 budget request as submitted to Congress proposes to continue to underfund this program and eliminate other existing funding mechanisms," Mirgon said. "Our state and local governments and their public safety agencies need these programs to maintain and improve their public safety technology and communications capabilities. Funding is critical if public safety is going to meet the narrowbanding deadline that is quickly approaching. In addition, there is still insufficient funding to achieve the recommendations from the 9/11 Report."
Citing the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) recent conditional approval of 21 waivers to allow build-out and testing of the first phases of an eventual nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network within the 700 MHz band, Mirgon said, "We urge Congress to fully fund this vital program, and continue to, so that state and local agencies can acquire, test and demonstrate the return on investment of new and emerging technologies, tools and applications, leading toward a nationwide interoperable public safety broadband capability, as called for in the 9/11 Report." About APCO International
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to the enhancement of public safety communications. APCO International serves the professional needs of its 15,000 members worldwide by creating a platform for setting professional standards, addressing professional issues and providing education, products and services for people who manage, operate, maintain and supply the communications systems used by police, fire and emergency medical dispatch agencies throughout the world. For more information, visit www.apcointl.org.
|
