Boston, Mass., — To improve their public safety radio communications capabilities, the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Okeechobee County joined the Florida Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS), operated by Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an international communications and information technology company.
The Seminole Tribe and Okeechobee County now are among more than 25 state, county and tribal public safety agencies in Florida using this radio system for first-responder communications. The Tribe and the county received Public Safety Interoperable Communications grants to support their transitions to SLERS.
“Our legacy radio system consisted of VHF and UHF frequencies at our various widespread reservations. We wanted to improve our wide-area coverage and interoperable communications capabilities,” said Jerry Wheeler, Chief Public Safety Officer, the Seminole Tribe of Florida. “This system has proven to be robust and reliable. It will give our agencies interoperability to coordinate their day-to-day response efforts or handle large-scale emergencies.”
More than 530 new subscribers will join the system from tribal police and firefighting agencies via a new four-channel site at its Brighton Reservation location. The tribe also plans to add more than 100 additional subscribers in the near future.
“SLERS will give our first responders — whether they’re law enforcement, firefighters or EMS technicians — the communication tools they need to protect citizens,” said Jim Threewits, Deputy County Administrator, Okeechobee County. “Our current radio system is in excess of 20 years old. It offers limited to no interoperability with neighboring counties, state agencies — and even our own local government agencies. During the 2004 and 2005 hurricanes, this county experienced firsthand just how devastating it can be without proper interoperability in radio communications.”
As part of this system, Okeechobee County will use a new, seven-channel site to add more than 700 subscribers to SLERS for law enforcement, firefighting, utilities agencies, education and administrative departments in the City and County of Okeechobee.
The Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System operated by Harris Corporation is a single, unified all-digital radio network that covers 60,000 square miles, including 25 miles offshore. The system delivers a full set of capabilities to meet the radio voice communications needs of more than 6,500 users — with 14,000 radios in patrol cars, boats, motorcycles and aircraft throughout Florida. SLERS operates at 700/800 MHz - with more than 200 microwave sites, RF multi-sites and RF simulcast sites.
Harris Public Safety and Professional Communications is a leading supplier of assured communications® systems and equipment for public safety, federal, utility, commercial and transportation markets — with products ranging from the most advanced IP voice and data networks, to industry leading multiband, multimode radios, to public safety-grade broadband video and data solutions. With more than 80 years of experience, Harris supports more than 500 systems around the world.
About Harris Corporation
Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has approximately $5 billion of annual revenue and more than 15,000 employees — including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications® products, systems, and services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at www.harris.com.