COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

^{Daviess County EMA radio communications systems are classified under two basic types of systems, governmental public safety radio systems and amateur radio emergency communications systems. The systems support all hazards/risks efforts to protect the public against the impact of natural or manmade disasters. These systems were used during various severe weather emergencies and disasters, such as during the Great Flood of '1997 and the devastating F3 Tornado on January 3, 2000!}
 

EMA GOVERNMENTAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

^{Daviess County Emergency Management Agency owns and maintains a high band VHF radio system that provides mobile and portable communications throughout Daviess County. The EMA VHF system, operating on 155.205 MHz, supports field communications during all phases of major emergencies.}

^{County EMA maintains back-up radio equipment to support emergency services, in the event of primary equipment failure at a dispatch center, within Daviess County. The Daviess County EMA's Mobile Command Post is designated as a back-up.}

^{County EMA maintains the County 911 system and keeps radio systems in operational readiness for communications with the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management, U.S. Coast Guard, Kentucky Water Patrol, Kentucky State Police, Kentucky Fire Marshal, City and County Law Enforcement, all City agencies, Airport, Fire and EMS agencies. Aviation communications are also available to coordinate with disaster operations.}

^{EMA maintains the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS), a White House-directed emergency phone service provided by the National Communications System (NCS) in the Division of the Department of Homeland Security. GETS provides emergency access and priority processing in the local and long distance segments of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). It is intended to be used in an emergency or crisis situation when the PSTN is congested and the probability of completing a call over normal or other alternate telecommunication means has significantly decreased. GETS uses local networks provided by Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) and wireless providers, such as cellular carriers and personal communications services (PCS), major long-distance networks provided by Interexchange Carriers (IXCs) - AT&T, MCI, and Sprint - including their international services and Government-leased networks, such as the Federal Technology Service (FTS), the Diplomatic Telecommunication Service (DTS), and the Defense Switched Network (DSN).}

EMA AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

^{Daviess County Emergency Management Agency maintains two amateur radio systems to support the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) program, as well as the volunteer efforts of the Daviess County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES). There are over 150 licensed Ham Radio operators within the County, with 30-40 directly affiliated with Emergency Management. They are vital to not only disaster operations, but maintenance and upkeep of equipment.}

^{Daviess County EMA maintains two meter wide area coverage amateur radio repeater. This radio repeater system is dedicated to ARES and RACES communications, associated with storm spotting and other official missions of Daviess County EMA, where the assistance of amateur radio communications is required to support response and recovery efforts. All Daviess County amateur radio systems are equipped with emergency power to assure operation, after loss of commercial power. All systems and remote sites are linked via radio links, and without reliance on wireline interconnection.}

^{The Daviess County Emergency Operations Center is fully equipped to support amateur voice communications on 160 meter through 70 centimeter amateur radio bands.}

^{The Emergency Operations Center is also equipped with amateur digital communications systems, maintaining digital packet radio bulletin board systems accessible in the two meter amateur band. The EMA digital packet system allows for the relay of priority, as well as health and welfare messaging from designated sites during major emergencies and disaster. The EMA digital packet radio system is best utilized for secure health and welfare messaging. The system is capable of sending vital radio traffic to and from the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management by digital packet radio for the county or it's municipalities, when telephone services are disrupted.}