DHHS to install radio tower for emergency communications
By:
Updated: April 17, 2007
According to Division of Health Director Paul Halverson, the new tower and antenna will provide communications if telephones and cell phones are not working and satellite phones are unavailable.
The department will be part of a federally run network called the SHARES Program. The National Communication System is responsible for managing and developing the emergency communication infrastructure, and SHARES is the government/private link that monitors government communication frequencies
The Division of Health will join other states that are similarly equipped as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention`s National Public Health Radio Network (NPHRN).
The Division will work with CDC to regularly test and use high frequency radio for emergency messaging . Members of the NPHRN include CDC and other federal agencies (FEMA, NASA, Homeland Security, EPA, etc.) as well as state and local health departments.
The antenna and tower costs approximately $147,000, and costs for installation and equipment have been provided by CDC.
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