Improved communication is coming to Clarke County essential services thanks to a grant from Clarke County Development Corp (CCDC).
CCDC has awarded $100,000 towards the counties efforts to update their current emergency radio system. The CCDC funding was leveraged with $652,666 in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). In 2021, Clarke County was awarded a little over $1.8 Million through the ARPA. The Clarke County Board of Supervisors determined that an updated radio system was necessary to improve the
effectiveness of the critical services offered by the county.
On the new system, local law enforcement will be able to communicate with other agencies across the state to greatly improve communication on cross county pursuits and emergencies. Radios will be provided to all of Clarke County’s emergency response organizations. These include the Clarke County Hospital, 911 Dispatch, public health, Fire Departments in Murray, Weldon and Woodburn, Clarke County Conservation, Clarke and Murray Schools, and local ambulance services. These radios will be connected with the statewide radio system. According to Byron Jimmerson, Clarke County Emergency Management Coordinator,
“Since 9-11 there has been a nationwide push to fix the various pieced together systems that plaque communication efforts in an emergency”.
The State of Iowa has made a major investment into the infrastructure needed for the Statewide Radio System. The mandate for a state wide system was put in place by the State of Iowa. The Osceola Police Department and the Osceola Volunteer Fire Department will also be part of the statewide radio system, however the funding for their radios was obtained from separate FEMA funding. The statewide connectivity is imperative to maintain communication in times of emergency. The benefit to having the new and improved technology is critical to the ability for every first responding agency in the state to communicate with one another. Osceola Police Chief Marty Dufus states,
“This is truly a county wide project….It isn’t often that a group or organization gets the opportunity to make this size and this important of an impact”.
The CCDC Grant has now made this new statewide radio system a reality for Clarke County. The new system will be implemented in 2022. CCDC Executive Director Bill Trickey says,
“CCDC is proud to take part in helping our community improve communications among emergency personnel. You never know how important this is until an emergency arises. Now we know that services will be in place to make effective interagency communication a reality”.
CCDC offers granting funds obtained as the license holder for Lakeside Hotel Casino to the community. Funding is available for qualified non-profit organizations. Applications and guidelines for funding can be obtained from the CCDC offices in Osceola. Applications are considered on a monthly basis.
If you have questions or would like more information about grant programs offered by CCDC, please contact Elizabeth Simpson, Program Manager, Phone: 641.342.2944 email: esimpson@clarkecountyiowa.com.