Yuma Regional Communication System
Author:
Summary:
The City of Yuma, Yuma County Sheriff Department, other County Departments, and other Cities within Yuma County have developed a partnership and signed Intergovernmental Agreements to establish a joint Yuma Regional Communications System.
Published On:
Last Updated:
This is a State recognized project.
On June 25, 2007, the Director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Executive Director of Public Safety Communications Commission (PSCC) formally stated that Yuma was one of the early pioneers in Arizona to develop a shared public safety radio environment, and that Yuma Regional Communication System (YRCS) leaders also recognized the importance of a shared environment for both cost control and improved interagency communications. The DPS and PSCC applauded our success in developing a critical intergovernmental relationship that have allowed and encouraged the Yuma Regional Communications System to flourish.
For more than four years, City of Yuma Assistant ITS Director Greg Wilkinson has been leading the charge in the development of a joint radio communication system. After four long years of hard work, it finally became a reality on May 31, 2007 when the Yuma Regional Communication System was officially activated. Here’s how the story goes.
The City of Yuma, Yuma County Sheriff Department, other County Departments, and other Cities within Yuma County have developed a partnership and signed Intergovernmental Agreements (IGA) to establish a joint Yuma Regional Communications System (YRCS) and governing Council. The system implemented is a Motorola P25 700/800 MHz trunked radio system, with currently 1,200 radio users.
The YRCS Council was formally established by the Yuma City Council and Yuma County Board of Supervisors. The Cocopah Indian Tribe, US Army Yuma Proving Ground, and Marine Corps Air Station are also included in this partnership and will have radios on the system. All local (City and County level) Fire/EMS and Law Enforcement agencies within the Yuma County area have radios and we anticipate all will be on one radio system. The YRCS Council will be expanded as each governing body adopts an IGA for their organization.
An IGA has also been signed with another regional communications system, San Diego California Regional Communications System (SDRCS) along with Imperial Valley Communications Association (IVECA) that covers Southern California and the entire California/Mexico border. SDRCS and IVECA have approximately 29,000 radios on their system. The California systems are an earlier version (non-P25 system) but their radios have software that can allow backwards and forwards compatibility. SDRCS and IVECA are in the planning stages to upgrade to P25. This partnership provides for seamless interoperability and radio coverage for mutual aide for all three entities across all of southern California and Yuma County, Arizona. The eventual goal is to have their radio switch and our radio switch connected to allow full compatibility beyond just mutual aide.
The YRCS Council is also in the planning stages on interfacing to US Customs/Border Patrol and the Port Authority as their new P25 system is put in place. Interface to the local prison operated by the Department of Corrections is also planned.
The State of Arizona Public Safety Communications Commission has recently decided they will be going to a statewide P25 700/800 MHz system. We anticipate the Yuma system along with the P25 system in Phoenix (Phoenix Regional Wireless Integrated Network, (PRWIN)) will be key pieces for the eventual statewide system being put in place.
The YRCS is also looking to connect in the future to the Pima County Wireless Integrated Network (PCWIN) currently in the procurement process. This system is expected to be similar to the Yuma system being a P25 trunked radio system for the Public Safety personnel in Pima County.
The YRCS is expanding off of the City of Yuma’s already substantial communications investment so that all first responders in the area will have full interoperable communications. Yuma County has contributed 1.3 million from local funds to the project for part of the backbone system and a tower site and the City of Yuma has contributed 1.8 million. San Luis has provided local funds for constructing a tower site and is working with the YRCS Council. Somerton has provided some repeater equipment which will be integrated into the system. All the partners in the YRCS have received numerous grants which now total around 5 million dollars. The initial phase of the YRCS went into May 31, 2007. Currently some personnel from Yuma County Public Works, Administrative Services, Courts, and County Health Department are using the system. The City of Yuma Police and Fire Dept are on the system. MCAS Fire, YPG Fire, and Rural Metro also have radios on the system. The County Sheriff started transitioning July 1st. Cocopah, Somerton, Wellton, and AWC/NAU are anticipated to transition over in the next few months. The system meets all the Federal standards and guidelines as a Project 25 700/800 MHz trunked radio system.
Implementation of this system is a significant step towards giving our first responders the interoperable communications they have long needed. With the partnerships within Yuma County it will save taxpayer money by everyone pitching in to build only one system vs. several. By combining together it has enabled us to receive significant grant funding that we would not have been able to receive individually.
