[Scan-DC] Virginia's COMLINC

[Alan Henney]

Somebody, please refresh my memory... how does COMLINC work?


https://www.rrmediagroup.com/News/NewsDetails/newsID/18856

Virginia Announces $6.5M Initiative to Improve Radio Interoperability
Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced a $6.5-million initiative to
improve emergency radio communications between local, state and federal
first responders. New dedicated funding in Virginia’s 2018–2020 biennial
budget will support the full implementation of the Commonwealth Link to
Interoperable Communications (COMLINC), a technology that allows radio
systems to talk to one another during an emergency.

Since 2007, COMLINC has served as the commonwealth’s interoperability
solution to bridge public-safety communication systems used by local, state
and federal stakeholders. However, the program has relied on localities for
funding and thus, has not been widely implemented throughout Virginia. This
first-ever dedicated funding source will fully establish COMLINC as a
comprehensive statewide program and enable public-safety agencies at all
levels to communicate seamlessly. The funding includes training and
additional maintenance personnel to support localities and other
stakeholders.

“Our public-safety professionals must have access to a secure, unified
emergency radio system like COMLINC to do their jobs effectively and keep
all Virginians safe,” said Northam. “The expansion and full implementation
of this program represents a strategic public-safety investment that will
help improve the interoperability of our emergency communications.”

COMLINC was initially developed to improve interagency radio communications
when responding to large-scale statewide emergency incidents. Once fully
implemented, public-safety communications centers, or 911 call centers,
will use COMLINC to connect these radios together using an internet-based
technology system.

“COMLINC is an agile, adaptable and affordable solution that streamlines
public-safety communications and will greatly assist our first responders
statewide in coordinating emergency responses,” said Virginia Secretary of
Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran.

The COMLINC initiative is a state-funded and sustainable partnership that
supports local, regional and statewide public-safety interoperability. The
COMLINC capital improvement project will commence in January 2020.

“This renewed technology, commitment to proficiency, and promise of
sustainment will provide Virginia public-safety communicators and
responders a great advantage in delivering their services,” said Terry
Hall, chair of the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee.

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