Pallone Announces $39.7 Million Broadband Grant to Improve First Responder Capabilities in New Jersey
August 18, 2010
Pallone has been a leading advocate in securing this grant for New Jersey. In a May 7, 2010 letter to the Federal Communication Commission and a July 2, 2010 letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Pallone endorsed the state’s grant application and asked for full consideration of the waiver request made by the state that would facilitate a statewide public safety broadband network.
“This funding will provide critical public safety improvements in New Jersey’s emergency response network,” said Pallone. “Clear lines of communication are crucial to our first responders, and a stronger communications network will save lives.”
The 9/11 Commission identified first responders’ inability to communicate with each other across multiple jurisdictions as a major problem on 9/11. In response, Congress moved forward with establishing dedicated radio spectrum for use by first responders, removing communications barriers.
“I commend the Department of Commerce for prioritizing this project in New Jersey. It’s time to quickly move forward with these improvements and put the money to use saving lives and improving our response capabilities,” added Pallone.
The grant will deploy a public safety wireless broadband network, allowing 167 local law enforcement agencies and 224 fire departments access to the network. The network will also provide the capability for streaming patient data from paramedics to hospital personnel, fingerprint and mug shot information, mobile access for firefighters to building blueprints and more.