The Joint SAFECOM and National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC) Funding and Sustainment Committee is pleased to announce the launch of several new documents for public safety to utilize regarding the challenges they face securing and sustaining funding to build, improve, expand, and support the ongoing costs of public safety communications systems.

The first document, Funding Mechanisms for Public Safety Communications Systems, lays out various funding mechanisms (e.g., bonds, user fees, special taxes), and provides specific examples of states and localities that have leveraged that type of funding for improvements to their systems.  This paper is intended to help public safety leaders, and government officials learn how other states and localities are funding their public safety communications systems and start a discussion in their state.  For more information on the Funding Mechanisms for Public Safety Communications Systems check out the blog post, Funding Public Safety Communications Systems, by Chief Tom Roche (Ret.), SAFECOM Funding and Sustainment Committee Chair.

The second set of documents is a set of three white papers on LMR technologies known as the LMR Trio (LMR 101 Part 1, Part 2, Part 3).  These documents can be used to educate decision-makers and funders as to the importance of LMR technologies, and the need to sustain and support LMR systems throughout the development of the nationwide public safety broadband network (NPSBN).  For more information on the LMR Trio (LMR 101 Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) check out the blog post, Land Mobile Radio (LMR) Trio, by Victoria Garcia, NCSWIC Funding and Sustainment Committee Chair and Hawaii Statewide Interoperability Coordinator.

For more funding resources or information on the SAFECOM and NCSWIC, please visit the SAFECOM and NCSWIC website or if you have any questions on these products, please email SAFECOMGovernance@hq.dhs.gov or NCSWICGovernance@hq.dhs.gov.