HomeMy WebLinkAboutNS - Grant - Conceptual Approval for Submission of Homeland Security Grant Funding ApplicationORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: March 15, 2005
Action Agen a
Item No. ~_
SUBJECT: Conceptual Approval for Submission of Homeland Security Grant Funding
Application -Communications Interoperability
DEPARTMENT: Emergency Management PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
Staff Report
Map of Regional Partners
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jack Ball, ext 3030
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To approve the County's participation in the submission of a regional grant
application for 2005 Homeland Security grant funds.
BACKGROUND: Orange County has an emerging opportunity to secure additional grant
funds to benefit Orange County and its regional partners with the further development of
communications interoperability through the State's expanding VIPER system. Staff propose to
pursue roughly the same type of effort the County followed in Spring 2004 with leadership from
the Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG), when Wake, Orange, and Durham Counties
and their large municipalities sought grant funding of more than $7 million. Orange County was
awarded $1.451 million and the Town of Chapel Hill was awarded more than $800,00.0 for the
design and construction of towers and related equipment for VIPER system antenna
enhancements. This year, the regional partnership is broader, with affected counties noted on
the attached map. Staff are seeking the BOCC's endorsement formally to participate in the
development and submission of the regional grant application by the March 25, 2005 deadline.
Staff will make a brief presentation regarding the needs for communication system
improvements for emergency responders throughout Orange County, its municipalities, and the
University. Staff will outline the major components of cost for communication system
improvements, and compare the estimated costs for an Orange County standalone system with
costs associated with participation in the VIPER system administered by the State Highway
Patrol
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no cost to the County in applying for this grant other than
incidental staff time associated with the application's preparation and review. Should the
County and its regional partners be successful in receiving some or all of the requested
Homeland Security grant funds, there will be no requirement for County matching funds.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board endorse the County's
participation in the submission of the regional grant application.
Prepared 3!03!05
STAFF REPORT ON O
REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS INTEROPERABILITY
GRANT APPLICATION
Jack Ball, Kent McKenzie, Mike Tapp, and Eric Griffin attended a meeting hosted by Wake County
Emergency Management on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 regarding the 2005 Homeland Security Grant
funding for VIPER infrastructure.
The funding for 2005 homeland security grant is being administered differently this year than in the
past. Orange County will no longer receive funding on a per capita basis. We must apply for a
competitive grant on a regional basis. VIPER is the number 1 priority for the grant reviewers.
The state has earmarked 50% of the local allotment towards VIPER infrastructure (approx $9.5 million
statewide). For this $9.5 million, the Triangle J Council of Governments has pulled together a group of
EMS, Fire, Law Enforcement representatives to submit applications for different homeland security
equipment.
The meeting staff attended was solely about infrastructure. The group discussed the priorities of the
grant reviewers at the state level which are believed to be:
• Tower sites
• Communication center interoperability
• Field tactical interoperability
The committee discussed and agreed to request funding for five tower sites at $500,000 each for one in
each of Granville, Durham, Franklin, Chatham, and Lee counties. The Durham site will provide
additional coverage for Orange County.
The communications center interoperability will provide communications capabilities for communication
between communications centers.
The field tactical interoperability will connect other wireless communication systems into an 800 MHZ
system. This electronics package connects VHF, UHF, satellite phone, Nextel, and regular landline
phones to a particular radio talk group.
Orange County requested a field tactical interoperability system for the 9-1-1 center to serve us during
the period of time between the 800 MHZ system going live in the County until we can obtain the new
dispatch consoles. It is strongly emphasized that this is solely a stopgap measure because the field
system is grossly inadequate to our needs as there is a delay in transmission as the system must
switch from one radio system to a different radio system for transmission.
Our console grant application from a different grant funding stream is also valid for this funding stream
as well, so if we do not receive funding from the early grant application, then it could possibly be funded
by this grant program.
There will be an additional meeting March 8th to discuss the specific needs of EMS, Fire and Law
enforcement as it applies to non-communications homeland security needs. This has an available pool
of $9.5 million also. We plan to submit a regional training proposal for incident command training as it is
required by the federal government for future grant funding eligibility.
Homeland
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