Dallas Love Field airport in Texas has announced implementation of an interoperable communications system that improves pubic safety by uniting all first responders in the event of an emergency.

In May 2005, the state of Texas was awarded a $979,100 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to improve interoperable communications capability. Dallas Love Field was chosen because it has an abundance of critical infrastructure located in a major urban metropolitan area with a high concentration of diverse responder agencies and private-sector entities. The system is now in place and was unveiled as in operation on Sept. 14.

The Dallas Love Field project was produced in collaboration with the City of Dallas, the State of Texas Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, the North Central Texas Council of Governments and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Chief Information Office with the goal of implementing a communications framework that could be cost-effectively duplicated throughout the state. Participants in the Dallas network include the Dallas police, fire and aviation departments; the state’s departments of public safety and health; the Transportation Security Administration; Customs and Border Protection; the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Southwest Airlines.

According to Gov. Rick Perry, “Texas will employ a network approach using the demonstrated leadership at local and regional levels through the Texas Councils of Government and adherence to DHS technical requirements for wireless public safety communications and interoperability. This plan leverages existing radio systems rather than the costly replacement of the existing public safety radio infrastructure in Texas.”