This is just plain nuts. The federal government gives Mississippi $70 million to build a wireless network so first-responders and law enforcement can send video and data packets to each other regardless of location and then says oops, never mind. Sorry about that $17 million you spent in state funds but oh well, that's just the way it is. The Wall Street Journal reports:
"Mississippi spent millions of dollars on equipment to help police and fire departments send video and other data to each other. But now the state can't turn its wireless network on.
Federal officials recently pulled the plug because of concerns the Mississippi system and others like it won't be compatible with a national public safety network called FirstNet, which was authorized by Congress in February but is not scheduled to roll out for several years.
Mississippi's case is an early example of the skirmishes likely during the years-long implementation of FirstNet, an idea that has been discussed since the 9/11 terror attacks but only now is getting off the ground. At a cost of at least $7 billion, the network is to supply common airwaves for use by local officials in an emergency and give them the ability to share videos and other large data files.
Many regions already made plans for such networks and previously were backed by the same federal entities that are now putting on the brakes over concerns those networks won't be compatible with FirstNet.
In May, Commerce Department officials froze $341 million in funding from the 2009 economic-stimulus law that had been awarded to seven locations for public-safety networks. And the Federal Communications Commission in July proposed cutting off states' access to some public-safety airwaves until FirstNet is operational.
"We're in limbo right now. All the rules seem to have changed," said Vicki Helfrich, executive director of the Mississippi Wireless Communication Commission, which oversees the state's public-safety networks.
Mississippi spent about 70% of its $70 million federal stimulus grant, plus an additional $17 million in matching state contributions, before funds were frozen. Now, the state has equipment sitting in warehouses and on towers that it can't turn on.
Commerce Department assistant secretary Larry Strickling said he sympathizes with Mississippi's plight, "but we don't want to spend taxpayer money on equipment that can't be used in a few years." The agency is working with states on how the stimulus funds can be used for network planning, he said. Apart from Mississippi, the affected projects are in Adams County, Colo.; Charlotte, N.C.; Los Angeles, San Francisco, northern New Jersey and New Mexico.
First responders around the country have long used a patchwork of often incompatible systems to communicate. The 9/11 attacks exposed the inability of New York City's police and fire departments to exchange information. Since then, Congress has allocated at least $13 billion to help states build regional networks that allow local officials to talk to each other during disasters, according to a January report by congressional researchers.
In February, Congress went further with the new national network. Groups representing local police and fire departments lobbied for the law, saying they wanted newer wireless technologies like two-way video and remote video monitoring. They also hoped a national standard would reduce costs by allowing manufacturers to sell the same devices across the country to police departments and other emergency responders.
Congress allotted $7 billion in proceeds from future airwaves auctions to build FirstNet. A new entity within the Commerce Department will run the network, which is expected to take at least several years to become operational.
Commerce asked the FCC, which controls public airwaves, to stop states from turning on any broadband-data networks for public safety until the new FirstNet organization is up and running. In July, FCC officials circulated plans to do so, while leaving open the possibility that some regions, like Mississippi, could get temporary waivers to operate... Article
This is just plain crazy. The state did what the feds told it to do and spent quite a bit of money. Then the feds say oops, never mind. Several legislators and state officials spoke to this correspondent and the response was the same: they are furious.* This project required a great deal of time and money to build. If the feds want to pull this crap, then they need to pay Mississippi the $17 million it spent.
*This system is not to be confused with the voice-only MSWIN system.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Feds screw Mississippi.
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20 comments:
I bet there is more to this story.Who got the money that came to Miss? Why in this day of high tech would a system not be able to work with another system. This may be about the sorry friends of Haley and the Pres. fighting over money..
And the Feds want us to buy into adding gazillions to medicaid because they'll reimburse us for it? Right!
Don't be so quick to 'blame it on the feds'. Whoever spent the money made questionable decisions that ranged from 'products' to contracting with providers who could provide payback in the form of personal enrichment. Follow the money.
Whoever spent the money made questionable decisions that ranged from 'products' to contracting with providers who could provide payback in the form of personal enrichment. Follow the money.
In other words what you are suggesting is that Mississippi may have a version of the Lieutenant Graham-Stowers-Airwave-Hargrove cluster-screw going on at the state level.
Kingfish,
This is the MSWIN system. The MSWIN system was already being put in place to provide emergency communications statewide. Much of the state, if not all, is already covered by MSWIN. When the 2010 federal stimulus package came along with the broadband initiative, it asked for states that could implement data service that could serve emergencies. This was piggybacking on MSWIN.
About 100 hospitals, their associated ambulances and first responders would be able to send data/video back and forth in emergency situations among other obvious communication benefits.
This is a pissing match with lobbying/money behind it.
Broadband is the new interstate, railway, etc system. Big companies are buying up small telcoms and integrators because of this new "FirstNet" which will likely grow in to a natonwide fiber/tower network controlled by the federal government. This is about who gets to have the contracts because they are wanting to build a system of towers to fiber that serve rural areas so that those rural areas can get broadband. It's being done under the guise of emergency communications, but rural broadband being subsidized by the federal government is the goal.
So, you get to Mississippi, who is one of the first building a statewide data system for it's own emergency system, and it might not be compatible with the Feds idea of providing broadband to rural areas. Mississippi could have both, but the emergency system wouldn't fall under fed control like it would be everywhere else.
There is no equipment compatibility issue as it's just a matter of software/hardware.
That's the Government for ya....ALWAYS here to help!
Hi, I am from the Goverment and am here to help. Please assume the position, bend over and grab your ankles!
There is a reason why the Kenyan leads from behind.
They will do the same if MS accepts the Medicaid funds. It will be 1000x worse.
There is way more to this story than the Feds pulling the plug on a state first responder network. The grant of the waiver that allowed the project should never have happened, the bid process was a joke and suggested that the fix was in from the start, and the network that was being built was a half-assed patchwork of of towers with an unrealistic design and virtually no redundancy. The state will save more going forward than whatever they spent trying to launch this thing. Barbour won't have these fancy walkie-talkies to point at as part of his legacy, but the Obama administration actually got this one right fr a change.
4:34
Your attempt to make it a MS corruption thing appears way off-base.
There was no grant of a waiver. There was nothing requiring a waiver.
Your ignorance is only surpassed by your complete willingness to flat out lie.
No matter what system is used, a "half-assed patchwork of towers" will be the design. This system has redundancy in the form of radios that will shop for the towers that are working and portable towers that can fill gaps if something takes down a tower.
MSWIN was a system already being put in place for 2-way, statewide radio. In 2010 when MSWIN was probably half completed with installing towers, MS obtained a grant ($70M) from the broadband portion of the stimulus funds to add data to the MSWIN network.
This is a digital network and it's hard to fathom that there is compatibility issues when it's just a matter of hardware/software.
This is a control issue. MS would likely be the only statewide emergency network that would not fall under the Fed commerce department if MS continued with it's implementation. MS was one of, if not, the only states already implementing such a system.
The bigger point is that Congress provided the avenue for the grant in the first place, MS obtained the $70M grant and matched it with it's own $17M and now the Commerce department wants to change the rules so that they can control things.
Commerce asked the FCC, which controls public airwaves, to stop states from turning on any broadband-data networks for public safety until the new FirstNet organization is up and running. In July, FCC officials circulated plans to do so, while leaving open the possibility that some regions, like Mississippi, could get temporary waivers to operate
Who got the 17 million and would get the 70 million and what did it buy? This smells at all levels..
What smells?
The grant was from 2010. That would be 2 years ago. The upgrades have been going on for 2 years.
In February, Congress comes up with this FirstNet thing and now Commerce is saying the grant you got 2 years ago is good no longer 'cuz we want to do something else.
As far as who got paid, I'm guessing it would be whomever was installing the stuff, whomever made the equipment to make the stuff work and probably some consultants or something.
... but the Obama administration actually got this one right fr a change.
Bullshit. Prove it.
4:22, you can only be referring to the statewide (or it soon will be) narrowband public safety communications system. Which proves you know nothing about this article or the project it references.
This project was a broadband public safety network to be built on recently-cleared radio spectrum that was originally planned for a seamless nationwide broadband first responders' network. If you knew what this article was talking about and bothered to do any amount of research, you'd find that Mississippi had to get a waiver from the federal government to construct its network separate from the national network.
Your portable towers are fine for short term use after disasters, and that would be an occasional use of the network. For day-to-day use, the half-ass design is inadequate. But when the eventual winning bidder is involved in drafting the RFP, the public typically loses.
MSWIN is fine for the NARROWBAND communications it supports. Some sites could be reused and even supplement a proper BROADBAND RF design.
You have no idea what you're talking about here. Drop your indignity and self-righteousness and go learn about what this project involved before you form another ignorant opinion and try to pass yourself off as an expert on the BROADBAND public safety network.
7:03
In February of 2012, the United States Congress passed a law that created FirstNet.
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Congress has allocated at least $13 billion to help states build regional networks that allow local officials to talk to each other during disasters, according to a January report by congressional researchers. [that is a reference to systems like Mississippi's MSWIN]
In February, Congress went further with the new national network. Groups representing local police and fire departments lobbied for the law, saying they wanted newer wireless technologies like two-way video and remote video monitoring. They also hoped a national standard would reduce costs by allowing manufacturers to sell the same devices across the country to police departments and other emergency responders.
Congress allotted $7 billion in proceeds from future airwaves auctions to build FirstNet. A new entity within the Commerce Department will run the network, which is expected to take at least several years to become operational.
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On August 18, 2010, Governor Barbour announced the federal grant, referenced in the article, that was to create an additional layer to MSWIN in the form of data.
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The State of Mississippi was awarded a $70 million federal grant to improve emergency communications capabilities among the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, law enforcement and other first responders, Gov. Haley Barbour announced today.
The U.S. Department of Commerce awarded the grant as part of the second round of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
“Our first responders need the ability to transmit data quickly such as patient’s vital signs or medical data in an emergency situation,” Gov. Barbour said. “This grant will help us upgrade our system’s technology so MEMA, law enforcement, fire departments and medical personnel can respond quickly and save lives.”
The funds will upgrade the current Mississippi Wireless Information Network, which allows public safety agencies statewide to contact each other through radio systems clearly and quickly. The grant will enable first responders to transmit data wirelessly as needed. The program will serve 90 hospitals, 340 ambulances and up to 9,900 public safety workers in Mississippi.
http://www.governorbarbour.com/news/2010/aug/8.18.10msgetsbroadbandgrant.html
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In March, 2008, Governor Barbour announced a $162M project to create MSWIN.
MSWIN will provide interoperable emergency radio communications and allow for a more coordinated response during times of crisis.
Phase I of the MSWIN project is now underway on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
When completed, the network will allow seamless mission-critical communications between state agencies, first responders and local governments.
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Aug. 18, 2010
MISSISSIPPI RECEIVES $70 MILLION TO IMPROVE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
The State of Mississippi was awarded a $70 million federal grant to improve emergency communications capabilities among the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, law enforcement and other first responders, Gov. Haley Barbour announced today.
The U.S. Department of Commerce awarded the grant as part of the second round of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
“Our first responders need the ability to transmit data quickly such as patient’s vital signs or medical data in an emergency situation,” Gov. Barbour said. “This grant will help us upgrade our system’s technology so MEMA, law enforcement, fire departments and medical personnel can respond quickly and save lives.”
The funds will upgrade the current Mississippi Wireless Information Network, which allows public safety agencies statewide to contact each other through radio systems clearly and quickly. The grant will enable first responders to transmit data wirelessly as needed. The program will serve 90 hospitals, 340 ambulances and up to 9,900 public safety workers in Mississippi.
The MSWIN system, which provides interoperable communication for emergency responders, was created under the direction of Gov. Barbour after Hurricane Katrina exposed a critical need for agencies to communicate efficiently.
The MSWIN system allows users to speak through a secure digital radio system operating under the Mississippi Wireless Communication Commission. The MSWIN system was established with $157 million in federal funds and $57 million in state bond funds. The MSWIN system is currently fully operational in the southern third of the state and is scheduled to be complete throughout the entire state of Mississippi by December of 2011.
Really nice discussion guys. I know this is the MSWIN system. I was trying to convey to the readers that this would not affect the voice-portion of MSWIN that has already been built.
As for contractors and stuff, my understanding is there are yet no specs for the national system mentioned in this article. How could Mississippi could have known in 2010 when they were awarded the stimulus money what the specs would be when Congress had not even passed the legislation creating the new network?
I have several calls to members of the commission and if I get new information, I will post it here. Thanks.
How about a comment from Senator Burton. He had a bill to address this issue and it died in Merle Flowers' Energy Committee, more specifically in a subcommittee of one, Sen.Burton. I'd like to know who convinced him to kill his own bill...
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