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Home My WebLink AboutPR 17620: SUPPORT OF HOUSE BILL 442 FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS • Memorandum To: Floyd T. Johnson, City Manager From: Mark Blanton, Chief of Police Date: March 22, 2013 Re: PR 17620 RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Port Arthur City Council approve a resolution in support of House Bill 442 funding for public safety communications in the amount of $30,700,000 annually. BACKGROUND: More than 5,800 fire, police, emergency management and emergency medical service agencies respond daily to emergency and life threatening incidents throughout Texas. Because of this, the ability for public safety agencies in the counties, region and the state to communicate expediently can mean the difference between life and death for citizens and First Responders. The 2011 Texas Enacted House Bill 442 has dedicated $30,700,000 annually for public safety communications, which will make for a safer Texas for our citizens and the First Responders responsible for protecting them, as referenced in Exhibits "A" and `B ". BUDGETARY/FISCAL EFFECT: None. STAFFING/EMPLOYEE EFFECT: None. SUMMARY: It is recommended that the Port Arthur City Council approve a resolution in support of House Bill 442 funding for public safety communications in the amount of $30,700,000 annually. MB:sz P.R. 17620 JO /sz 03/22/13 RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF HOUSE BILL 442 FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,700,000 ANNUALLY WHEREAS, more than 5,800 fire, police, emergency management and emergency medical service agencies respond daily to emergency and life threatening incidents throughout Texas; and WHEREAS, the ability for public safety agencies from various jurisdictions in the counties, region and the state to communicate expediently can mean the difference between life and death for citizens and /or First Responders; and WHEREAS, House Bill 442 acknowledged the critical need for public safety communications in Texas by establishing a fund dedicated to sustaining and furthering the interoperable communications strides made in Texas as referenced in Exhibits "A" and `B ". NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR: THAT dedicating $30,700,000 annually to the 2011 Texas Enacted House Bill 442 for public safety communications will make for a safer Texas for our citizens and the First Responders responsible for protecting them. THAT a copy of the caption of this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the City Council. READ, ADOPTED, AND APPROVED this the day of A.D. 2013, at a Meeting of the City of Port Arthur, Texas by the following vote: AYES: MAYOR: COUNCILMEMBERS NOES: Mayor Deloris Prince ATTEST: Sherri Bellard, City Secretary APPROVED AS TO FORM: i/Pt1 Val Tizeno, Cit Attorney APPROVED FOR ADMINISTRATION: Floyd T. Johnson, City Manager i Exhibit "A" f _ � • 1 1 CITY of PORT ARTHUR POLICE P O L I C E EF POL N DELORIS "BOBBIE" PRINCE, MAYOR WILLIE BAE LEWIS, JR., MAYOR PRO -TEM COUNCIL MEMBERS: March 22, 2013 R. E. BOB WILLIAMSON RAYMOND SCOTT JR. DERRICK FREEMAN MORRIS ALBRIGHT ID ELIZABETH "LIZ" SEGLER HAROLD L. DOUCET KERRY "TWIN" THOMAS FLOYD JOHNSON, CITY MANAGER Elected Officials On behalf of the Port Arthur Police and Fire Departments please accept this letter of support of existing 2011 House Bill 442, which acknowledges the critical need for public safety communications in Texas by establishing a fund dedicated to sustaining and furthering the interoperable communications strides made in Texas. More than 5,800 fire, police, emergency management and emergency medical service agencies respond daily to emergency and life threatening incidents throughout Texas. The ability for public safety agencies from various jurisdictions in the counties, region and the state to communicate expediently can mean the difference between life and death for citizens and /or First Responders. Specifically within Southeast Texas, most public safety departments are serviced by the South East Texas Regional Radio System (SETRRS) located in Jefferson, Hardin, and Orange Counties. Public safety officials continue to pursue the highly recommended Department of Homeland Security and State of Texas compliance standard (Project 25) of the aforesaid System by 2015. However, obtaining funding for required enhancements, which includes construction of (2) additional towers, has become increasingly difficult due to dwindling grant funding opportunities. Therefore, it is the hope of all members of the Port Arthur Police and Fire Departments and the SETRRS that elected State Officials will dedicate $30,700,000 annually to the 2011 Texas Enacted House Bill 442 for Public Safety Communications. We strongly urge you and all elected officials to make this a priority to ensure its approval. This will truly make Texas safer for all our citizens and the first Responders responsible for protecting them! Sincerel , 40 . ,07flaRi-s r � 1V�Idrk Blan on, Chief of Police Larry Richard, Fire Chief City of Port Arthur City of Port Arthur 645 4th STREET P.O. BOX 1089 PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS 7 7641 -1 08 9 AREA CODE 409 - 983 -8600 • FAX # 983 -8662 Exhibit "B" SABINE - NECHES CHIEFS ASSOCIATION John D. Owens, President 4 , .- P.O. Box 2257 Nederland, Texas 77627 ^ Dale Jackson, Vice - President Phone: (409) 960 -5761, Fax: (409) 960 -5766 A �' ASS00. ,,os Email: sncaAih2000.net Web: www.snchiefs.com Tim Ocnaschek, Secretary/Treasurer " 24 -Hour Activation Phone 409 - 838 -6371 Carman Apple, Sergeant -at -Arms . SOUTH EAST' TEXAS REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION SOUTH EAST TEXAS REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM "EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 -25 -13 OVERVIEW: The South East Texas Regional Radio System (SETRRS) is a 7X/Smart X 800 MHz Radio System located in Jefferson, Hardin, and Orange Counties. The System recently merged all three counties and services most public safety departments in the region. The City of Beaumont monitors and maintains the main site of the SETRRS and is currently completing a new elevated and hardened main site building for the System. A Stakeholders Committee, representing entities in all three Counties of the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission region, has oversight of the System's progress and issues related to the SETRRS. The System is made up of four (21 repeater) simulcast tower sites located in Jefferson County, two (5 repeater) IR tower sites located in Hardin County, and one (7 repeater) IR tower site located in the City of Orange. Stakeholders are in the process of upgrading repeaters at the simulcast tower sites to reach a full SmartZone 7X (P25) system. PREPARING: In preparation of cut over to the full P25 System, Stakeholders need to add at least two additional IR tower sites (one 5 repeater & one 7 repeater) to fill in coverage gaps created in Orange County and Jefferson County by the transition to the full P25 System. Stakeholders being fiscally prudent want to upgrade existing quantar repeaters that are pulled from the simulcast tower sites when replaced with P25 repeaters and upgrade the quantar -s to P25 compliant for the new and existing "IR tower sites ". This can only be achieved if upgrade cards remain available for the quantar repeaters when the new tower sites are constructed and if the simulcast repeaters can be replaced soon. This also means that the 2 new towers have to be constructed or leased when property is located for coverage quickly. CONCEPT: Because of the State recommendation, regional Public Safety proceeds to pursue P25 compliance by 2015. The Region has now attained Level 5 in four of the five categories - Governance, Training & Exercise, Standard Operating Procedures, and Usage. All that is left is Technology. The SETRRS plans to include Public Safety (Fire, Police, EMS) and Private Sector Safety (Industry) on the System. The SETRRS includes plans to tie into other regional systems in the State when funds are available and to monitor progress and when fiscally prudent to join LTE systems within the State. FUNDING: How does the SETRRS plan to fund these future projects? While in the past, the Homeland Security Grant Program, Port Security Grants, and other Communication grants have been the primary funding source for the regional interoperability expansion. Federal and State budgets are now tightening up and grant program resources continue to get smaller and smaller. It is the hope of Stakeholders for the SETRRS that dedicating $30,700,000 annually to the 2011 Texas Enacted House Bill 442 for public safety communications is a priority and approved. This will make Texas safer for all our citizens and the First Responders responsible for protecting them. There is a lot of work left to do! Page 1 Providing Mutual Aid for Over 60 Years