Governor Kathy Hochul announced $20 million in state funding has been awarded to seven counties and New York City to improve emergency communications and protect New Yorkers. The Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant program funding will be used to aid county governments to improve and enhance local emergency response capabilities by investing in public safety communications in critical areas across the state.
“Public safety is my number one priority, and information is the best tool we have to protect people in emergency situations,” Governor Hochul said. “Our emergency communications infrastructure is critical to keeping communities safe, and these investments will enhance our ability to reach New Yorkers before emergencies arise and aid in our efforts to respond to them.”
The $20 million in state funding will be administered by the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) under the 2023 Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant (SICG) Targeted Grant Program. The primary objective of the SICG-Targeted program is to close gaps in the interoperability infrastructure, regional communications deficiencies, improve redundancy and resiliency and implementation of National Interoperability channels. All New York State counties were eligible to apply for SICG-Targeted funding. Recipients can use the funding to conduct various emergency communications projects, such as installation of new equipment, enhancing communication channels among public safety radio systems and training and exercise support to promote interregional emergency communications and first responder readiness.
New York Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “These awards play a critical role in helping our local responders enhance and modernize existing emergency communications systems, and promote further interoperability between counties and their partners.”
The SICG Targeted grant awards announced today are below:
| County | Award Amount |
Project |
| Cattaraugus County | $178,972 | Upgrade radio system components, including servers and dispatch consoles, as well as establish inter-county connections. |
| Chenango County | $3,000,000 | A new Project 25 digital radio system to bring multiple agencies into a single radio system. Provide for additional radio sites of National Interoperability Channels. |
| Dutchess County | $3,000,000 | A new Project 25 digital radio system that will include interoperability with surrounding counties and the MTA-PD. |
| Genesee County | $2,257,429 | The County will replace a key radio tower site, which will allow for the expansion of the National Interoperability Channels. |
| Livingston County | $2,570,999 | The County will expand the National Interoperability Channels in all bands, thereby improving countywide coverage and capability. |
| New York City | $3,000,000 | New York City will use the grant award to upgrade and improve the National Interoperability Channels, enhancing interoperability with the surrounding counties in both New York and New Jersey. |
| Schoharie County | $3,000,000 | Schoharie County will utilize the grant award to expand the shared Capital District shared digital trunked radio system into the county. |
| Washington County | $2,992,600 | The County will create a shared radio core with neighboring counties, interconnecting radio consoles and utilizing microwave networks to improve interoperability on both sides of the Hudson River. |
More information about the SICG Program can be found on the DHSES website here.
