Item 4: Ratification of IGR Committee Actions

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ATTACHMENT E Memo to IGR Committee Grant Funding – 2007 COPS Technology Program June 15, 2007 Page 2 lack of radio interoperability, and radio-hostile geography. The Eugene Fire Department proposal is to request 2007 COPS grant funding, to accomplish the following: ? addition of the Metro area Fire and EMS agencies to the UHF shared system; ? additional build-out of the UHF system with the addition of a link and P25 UHF site at Belknap to access the Carmen-Smith area; ? an additional link and P25 UHF site on Prairie Mountain to improve system coverage to the west of the Metro area; ? addition of a receiver site in the Metro area to improve in-building coverage; ? additional VHF P25 Conventional narrow-band repeaters at Bear and Prairie Mountains to improve rural fire/EMS communications capabilities; ? and fixed links between rural VHF and Metro area UHF to ensure complete interoperability between urban and rural agencies. Additional agencies which will collaborate on phases of the project include: Oregon Department of Transportation; Oregon State Police (OSP); US Department of Justice (DOJ); US Bureau of Land Management; and US Forest Service. TIMELINE: We received the invitation to participate in the 2007 COPS grant program on May 15, 2007. The deadline for submitting a grant application is June 29, 2007. If awarded grant funds, the project will be completed over a three year period. RELATION TO CITY PRIORITIES: In the urban core of Eugene-Springfield, the second largest metropolitan area in Oregon, as throughout the rest of the county, law enforcement cannot directly communicate with Fire and EMS responders. Even though strong mutual aid agreements are in place, in crisis situations where mutual aid is most critical, the communication barrier slows response, endangers life and property, and severely limits timely collaboration The City of Eugene is currently completing work on a $3 million dollar COPS grant for an interoperable communication system awarded in September 2005. The work under that grant is scheduled for completion by February 2008. Current interoperable communication system partners include Eugene Police, Springfield Police, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, and EWEB. The goal was to develop the system and add Fire/EMS at a later date. This grant will provide the City of Eugene with the opportunity to add this functionality for Fire/EMS without having to carry the full financial burden. RELATION TO OTHER PRIORITIES: Interoperable communications for public safety is the top priority for Oregon Emergency Management, in addition to being a high priority for the Department of Homeland Security. Not only will this project help communication between City of Eugene Police, Fire and EMS but it will also help our surrounding public safety agencies. The Lane County Fire Defense Board has been engaged in communications planning for the last three years and has just received an interoperable communications plan for Fire and EMS communications prepared by RCC, the consulting firm used by Oregon Emergency Management. This COPS proposal is in alignment with the recommendations in the RCC plan. Prior efforts also include the 2004 Eugene-Springfield Metro Communications Interoperability Plan encompassing urban police, fire, emergency medical, and public works functions within and between the two cities. Springfield has been able to enhance communication by adding a site on the Coburg Hills north of the city to the microwave network. The region is developing a single, unified Regional Communications Plan for Interoperability, ensuring that future Lane County public safety systems comply with Federal Communications Commission rules