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New York Implements New Approach to Statewide Interoperability (4/2/09)
By Sandra Wendelken
The state of New York is revamping its approach to interoperable public-safety communications, adopting a bottom-up system-of-systems approach that will comprise interoperable regional networks throughout the state instead of one complex statewide network. The new strategy comes several months after terminating a $2 billion contract with Tyco Electronics Wireless Systems for a statewide public-safety communications network.
In fact, the state is retooling everything associated with its former plan, restructuring the former Statewide Wireless Network (SWN) Project Office into the Statewide Interoperability Program Office with the Statewide Interoperability Advisory Council leading development of a new approach. That approach includes encouraging counties to form consortia to build regional networks with oversight, funding and technical assistance from the state, officials said at a March 26 meeting. State agencies will then be consolidated into the regional networks.
“In conjunction with a system-of-systems approach, we intend to support the upgrade and maintenance of current networks until a replacement is realized,” said Harry Corbitt, co-chair of the interoperability advisory council and superintendent of the New York State Police. “After the contract was terminated, we met with first responders to determine what went well and what went wrong. We reached out to counties that had no interest in participating in the SWN system. We’re learning how we can work with them and assist them to support the regional communications initiative.”
Melodie Mayberry-Stewart, director of the state’s Office for Technology (OFT), is also co-chair of the new interoperability advisory council.
The state will pursue statewide technology standards and integrate the Interoperability Program Office with the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant program. Current regional communications network initiatives in Oswego, Onondaga and other counties in the state were called out as models for future initiatives. In fact, 19 of the state’s 62 counties are operating or plan to build trunked radio systems, for 31 percent statewide coverage, said John Balloni, Onondaga County Department of Emergency Communications commissioner.
John Grebert, executive director of the Near York State Association off Chiefs of Police, said the reorganization offers several opportunities going forward. Officials cited the ability to leverage new and existing county tower sites, new technologies not included in the previous plan and a future statewide data system. He also noted the pending federal narrowbanding deadline of January 2013.
In terms of funding, the state plans to apply as much federal grant money to the new approach as possible. Mayberry-Stewart said the state received $50 million from Tyco Electronics following the contract termination, and it spent about $54 million in SWN operating costs. “We’re re-baselining what the ongoing procurement costs will be,” she said. “It will be predicated on the technology selected. Our goal is to reduce our cost and take advantage of new technologies.”
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