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AWARDS & RECOGNITION

2003 Awards: Communications Infrastructure

WINNER:
South Dakota
Statewide Radio System

Back row, left to right: Otto Doll, Jeff Pierce Front row, left to right: Todd Dravland, Bob VanWinsen, Dennis Nincehelser

The State of South Dakota has constructed a statewide radio communication system that allows radio users from all federal, state and local levels of government in South Dakota—any place, any time and with existing radio systems—to communicate in the interest of Homeland Security, and public safety in general. This state-of-the-art system allows radio services to follow radios anywhere in South Dakota.

Characteristics, unique to the South Dakota system, are the following:

• The first statewide trunked communication system to utilize digital VHF.
• Service access to the network is free of charge.
• Radios have been issued at no charge to 95% of all public safety radio users in the state.
• A bioterrorism response plan with critical care health facilities, ambulance services, state health personnel, and veterinarians all equipped with radios on the new system.

“South Dakotas statewide radio system integrates all of public safety, because ultimately, the public expects their lives and property to be protected by the public sector regardless of whether it's a federal, state or local entity.“ Otto Doll, Chief Information Officer, State of South Dakota

Not only is the service access to the network free of charge, but radios have also been issued at no charge to 95% of all public safety radio users in the state. The radio system supports 100% of the local police, sheriffs, fire departments, ambulance services, and transit bus operators in the state. All state government public safety personnel are on the system.

Digital radios convert spoken voice into a stream of data bits (0s and 1s), which is sent over the air on a radio wave. Analog radios convert spoken voice into a modified frequency format which is sent over radio waves. Digital radios outperform analog radios by offering superior voice quality, signal range and security. Since the digital radio actually is a computer, the radio can "digitally" fill in missing or garbled transmissions, thereby extending the radio's range of clear signals. Also, the system allows radio users to transmit data in addition to their normal voice communications, enabling information to flow to public safety officials in the field.

The communities in South Dakota benefit with a VHF digital, trunked network by getting improved federal-state-local communications, improved emergency response, standardized communications, modern communications facilities and data communications. No other state in the nation has such a ubiquitous radio communications system—with all public safety officials able to talk to one another.

OTHER NOMINATIONS:
Click on the link to download program submission.

Florida
FDOE PBX Implementation

Hawaii
Governor Communications Package

Indiana
Indiana Telecommunications Network (ITN)

North Carolina
Traveler Information Management System (TIMS)

Texas
Electronics Wireless Collections Solution

West Virginia
Public Access To Regional Online Networked Services (PATRON) for Library Adult Learning Work Centers

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