State Receives New Emergency Communications Systems
~EDICS units will improve response to disaster and crisis situations ~

TALLAHASSEE— Governor Jeb Bush today announced that Florida has received the first of nine portable interoperable communications systems that will improve the coordination of emergency responders in the event of a disaster or crisis situation. The nine Emergency Deployable, Interoperable Communications System (EDICS) field packages will be assigned to the State Division of Emergency Management, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the seven Regional Domestic Security Task Forces. Funding for the communications equipment is a small part of a $9-million dollar, U.S. Department of Justice, Domestic Security grant that provides for emergency response equipment.

"Communications between different agencies and organizations is critical to saving lives when responding to a disaster. These units will ensure that the proper responders are sent where they are needed most," said Governor Bush. "Since 9/11, we have been focused on ensuring that those on the front lines of disaster response have the tools to do their jobs and save lives. We have increased funding for domestic security, established the regional domestic security taskforces, and work with our partners at the federal and local level to improve communications."

The EDICS is a modular transmission and communication system and interface unit that can be rapidly deployed on location to give local, state, federal and military agencies, who normally operate on different radio frequencies and bandwidths, unified talk groups by which to coordinate their response activities. EDICS is flexible in that it can connect a variety of wireless systems such as, UHF, VHF, HF, military, cellular, satellite as well as traditional phone lines within a 5-10 mile radius of the antenna position. The units were designed in conjunction with the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and manufactured for the state by Cell-Tell Government Systems of Jacksonville, Florida.

"Our mission statement continues to be: One, take care of the needs of the victims and two, take care of the needs of the responders. This system allows us to do just that," stated Craig Fugate, Director, Florida Division of Emergency Management.

The State will receive the additional EDICS units between July and October of this year and user agencies will begin the training process within two weeks.

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