Pasadena Budgets ICIS funding
By Monrovia Weekly
Published: Thursday, April 24th, 2008
The city of Pasadena is budgeting funds in the coming years to become a full partner in the ICIS system, designed to promote improved communications among first responders in emergency situations.
The program, whose initials stand for Interagency Communications Interoperability System, has been in operation since 2003, run by a Joint Powers Authority which includes the cities of Burbank and Glendale.
The program works with members who have replaced their old, hard to maintain radio systems with new UHF systems that allow safety and public agencies to communicate with each other.
ICIS has received some $2.5 million in grant funding, with additional money in the pipeline, and has added system subscribers, including the Verdugo Communication System, which provides fire dispatch for 11 cities including Pasadena. Cities that are in the process of joining ICIS include Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Sierra Madre and Monterey Park.
The Pasadena Fire Department replaced its radio equipment with ICIS compatible radios in 2006. In the coming year, the water and power and public works departments will replace their radio systems, and all other citywide radios used in daily operations will be replaced.
According to the budget report, “The enhanced communication capabilities that ICIS provides will allow the city to have a single tactical frequency for communications in daily operations and emergencies, in addition to enabling regional communication with other cities and support agencies.”
The city of Glendale, which continues to provide leadership for the program, outlined the benefits of ICIS in a report to its council in 2004.
According to the report, ICIS provides the capability of radio communications almost anywhere in Los Angeles County, “valuable in a police pursuit and when our companies are involved in providing mutual aide to other jurisdictions.” The system also makes it possible for a jurisdiction to back up its own system with that of other members, and to communicate with any agency on the system using the same radios.”
Pasadena is budgeting $937,138 from is computing and communication fund, and $4.59 \million in equipment leasing, for a total cost next year of $5.5 million.
Congressman Adam Schiff, who carried legislation for an additional $500,000 for ICIS this session, said, “In the event of a terrorist attack or a natural disaster, it is imperative that law enforcement and first responders have the ability to communicate with each other to coordinate an efficient and effective responses.”
The state is also overseeing full local compliance with the national incident management system, which allows local incident commanders to take charge of field response and call on the state, regional and federal resources available. Enhanced communication systems are a key to the success of NIMS, according to state leaders.
By Charles Cooper
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