Homeland Security receives $1b for public safety communications.

• Author: Magnuson, Stew
• Position: SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs - Brief article

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...