Media Contact:
Becky Leung
YRG for National Interop
503.222.0626
[email protected]
For Immediate Release
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Program taps National Interop for P25 Digital Radios A law enforcement agency acquires the latest generation of Project 25 standard Digital Radios for use in remote locations throughout Washington.
OLYMPIA, Wash., May 23, 2007 - National Interop, Inc. announced today that it has delivered more than 150 of the latest generation Project 25 -compliant Digital handheld Radios to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Program of the State of Washington. The radios will be used by Fish and Wildlife officers working to apprehend violators of fish and wildlife laws throughout the state. Project 25 (P25) is a set of standards established through the efforts of a number of associations and federal agencies, originally led by APCO (Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International). The standards are designed to enable interoperability with digital two-way radio handhelds, mobiles, base stations, and dispatch centers used in local, state, and federal public safety agencies.
Fish and Wildlife is the first Washington state public safety agency to deploy handheld and mobile digital P25 radios in the field, which they began to do in June, 2001.
"We face tremendous interoperability challenges with the many police, fire, and forestry agencies that we collaborate with throughout the state, and being able to operate in digital P25 mode gives us one more tool in our radio tool box," said Lt. John McIntosh, supervisor of the communications division of the enforcement program.
National Interop, comprised of a team of subject matter experts on important issues in public safety communications, and specifically on the need for interoperable communications systems, is working closely with Fish and Wildlife on the implementation of the technology.
"We are proud to be working with a public safety agency that is out in front in the efforts to improve interoperability," commented David Billstrom, National Interop CEO.
The equipment includes handheld radios that are rated for submersion in water, waterproof speaker-mics, extra batteries, and heavy-duty cases. The configuration was carefully chosen for the requirements of the enforcement officers, who are often in rugged conditions.
About National Interop National Interop, Inc. serves public safety agencies by providing tactical and permanent communications systems. The company's staff includes current and former public safety first responders, VoIP and network experts, land mobile radio technicians, and system analysts and designers. The company offers consultation, construction and training services and creates communication systems that are flexible, economical, and scalable. National Interop, Inc. is privately held with offices in Seattle, Wash. and Portland, Ore. Additional information is available here.
