December 2, 2002

PROSECUTOR ANNOUNCES STUDY OF MERCER COUNTY

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

Trenton, NJ—Mercer County Prosecutor Daniel G. Giaquinto announced that he has authorized the use of forfeiture funds to pay for an evaluation of the current Mercer County emergency communications system including an assessment of the system’s future requirements.  The evaluation and assessment will be conducted by SSI Services of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a communications consulting company that has performed work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) and Burlington County.  The County Administration and Board of Chosen Freeholders recently approved the contract. 

            The Prosecutor’s Office and the Mercer County Chiefs of Police Association formed a working group to determine if the existing communications system was adequate in the event of a countywide emergency or crisis.  “We were concerned that the communications system was becoming antiquated and needed to be overhauled in order to meet the county’s communications needs for the decades to come,” said Giaquinto.  “The end result of the working group’s efforts was that we needed improvement but we also needed more technical expertise to lead us in the right direction,” Giaquinto noted. 

            A countywide Communications Committee evolved out of the the working group. The prosecutor indicated that SSI would meet with the Communications Committee (chaired by Capt. George Meyer of the Hopewell Township Police Department) to discuss the inter-communications needs of all 13 municipalities, county agencies and state agencies for police, fire and emergency services.  SSI will conduct an inventory of all communications equipment, review Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) licenses, analyze radio frequency use and availability, perform radio coverage analysis and determine future radio channel/frequency needs. 

            “Recent events have underscored the need for the police, fire and emergency services providers to effectively communicate with each other in the event of an emergency.  In time of crisis, communication is the key to survival and success,” Giaquinto stated.