Schuyler, Steuben Counties Awarded Grant Funding to Improve Emergency Communications

More than $62 million has been awarded to 14 New York counties, including two locally, through the Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant targeted program to strengthen emergency communications and interoperability infrastructure used by local first responders.

The program, administered by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, provides funding to enhance public safety through improving and modernizing infrastructure, addressing communications deficiencies, implementing national interoperability channels, and boosting regional connectivity between counties and systems.

Locally, Schuyler County was awarded $4,888,663 and Steuben County received $5,846,500.

Interoperability gives first responders the ability to share information and data in real-time during an emergency. The Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant (SICG) targeted program is a non-competitive grant program designed to improve the status of land mobile radio interoperability for New York’s public safety agencies. Funding is distributed to eligible applicants that have insufficient coverage or infrastructure on national interoperability channels or to improve shared systems. The maximum available award to each recipient is $6 million with only one application being accepted per county. Prior to issuing the awards, DHSES reviewed applications and provided technical assistance to applicants upon request.