Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP)
Illinois' first-ever Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP) was approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and has been officially accepted by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois State Police, Illinois Terrorism Task Force, Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Emergency Services Management Association, Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System, Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, and Chicago/Cook County Urban Area.
The plan identifies a statewide strategy that focuses on establishing a single platform so all public safety agencies can share emergency information. The development of the SCIP was a cooperative effort by a consortium of federal, state, and local public safety practitioners working through the Illinois Terrorism Task Force's Communications Committee and the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee. Annual reviews/updates to the SCIP will be conducted under the auspices of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
Download a complete copy of the Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan, Illinois: A State of Interoperability, April 1, 2009, Version 1.1 (4MB)
To download an individual chapter of the Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan, please select from the following list. Please note that any updates or revisions to the Plan will be indicated here, as well.
 |
Illinois Transportable Emergency Communications System (ITECS)
In 2006, the ITTF placed nine Illinois Transportable Emergency Communications System (ITECS) suites throughout the state. The ITECS has a robust communications capability to ensure communications interoperability at the site of a major disaster.
The suites are sophisticated mobile communications packages with multiple systems that are housed around the state and are available to deploy anywhere in Illinois to enhance or replace local emergency response communications following any disaster or incident. Each ITECS suite contains two laptop computers, a satellite Internet system, radios and repeaters, chargers and backup batteries, a multi-line telephone system, a 50-foot communications tower and one 10,000 watt diesel generator.
Each ITECS suite is staffed by three personnel: a supervisor/frequency manager, an electronics/computer technician, and a mechanical technician. These personnel received special training on the equipment and attend a training workshop each year to keep current in equipment operations. The communications suite and tow vehicle cost nearly $400,000. Funding for the equipment came from the U.S. Department of Homeland security federal preparedness grant. |
State Radio Communications System for the 21st Century (Starcom21)
 Starcom21 is an APCO Project-25 Trunked Radio System for voice and data operations for the State of Illinois. As the state's interoperable platform, Starcom21 also provides radio communications and interoperability to federal, state, and local public safety agencies. ISPERN radio transmissions are cross patched creating interoperability on Starcom21. Other VHF frequencies may be bridged into the network in the future. Starcom21 provides radio coverage in more than 98 percent of the geographic area of Illinois with a failure rate of 5 percent or less. The legislation that established the State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) also established a Starcom21 Oversight Committee, with voting membership, to reflect the user base of the system. The Oversight Committee is establishing guidelines and practices for use of the system so that one group of users will not negatively affect another group operating on the system. Each individual agency using Starcom21 agrees to abide by the guidance given by the Starcom21 Oversight Committee.
The Starcom21 Oversight Committee, statutorily chaired by the Illinois State Police, was established by state legislation in 2006. The Oversight Committee was called to order after the final system acceptance of Starcom21 in 2008. The Oversight Committee is made up of various public safety disciplines that are representative of users of the Starcom21 network. The Oversight Committee is responsible for approving requests for use of the system based on the potential impact on current Starcom21 users and must, as well, review all requests for patches, bridges, or gateways to the system. The Committee also reviews requests for adding additional users and directs the vendor in the appropriate methodologies to be used in addressing requests from potential users.
Communications Interoperability Links
Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS)
Illinois Radio Rebanding Project
Illinois Radio Emergency Assistance Channel (IREACH)
Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO P25)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Emergency Communications
|
