By Mary Spicuzza
The Wisconsin State Journal
MADISON, Wisc. — Emergency responders in Wisconsin still cannot communicate with each other statewide during large-scale disasters, and local agencies face obstacles — and high costs — amid plans to build a radio system here, auditors say.
An emergency management review, released Thursday by the state Legislative Audit Bureau, found the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded $318.5 million to the state through fiscal year 2008-09. And about $15.4 million in federal funds have gone toward building a statewide disaster communications system.
But emergency responders told auditors they’re concerned about the state’s plan.
“The basic infrastructure is expected to be operational in 2011,” state auditor Janice Mueller wrote in a letter to the Legislature’s audit committee. “But unresolved issues — including costs to local governments for purchasing the communications equipment needed to gain access to the system and the funding sources that will be available to help them fund those costs — will continue to pose challenges to the system’s development.”
Auditors said the new statewide system relies on the very high frequency, or VHF, band, which “does not penetrate buildings as well as other radio bands and can be difficult to use in urban areas with heavy radio traffic.” The audit also said most portable radios used by emergency responders have weak antenna ranges, which can drop out of range even at locations in their jurisdictions, and that the costs for local governments to buy equipment needed to use the system may be extremely high.
The state Office of Justice Assistance distributes most of the federal disaster grants, which were typically spent on equipment like radios, security cameras and emergency medical supplies. Auditors found the money was in general spent appropriately, but said the state’s emergency plan remains incomplete.
Lori Getter, a spokeswoman for Wisconsin Emergency Management, said the agency already was working to follow auditors’ recommendations.
“We always are updating our emergency plans,” she said.
Republished with permission from The Wisconsin State Journal