Wide Area Radio Network
Countywide 800 Radio System
The ETSB has proudly implemented WARN, a county wide area radio network. The project was a cooperative effort of the City of Kankakee, Village of Bradley, Village of Bourbonnais, and the Honorable Governor George Ryan. Through a $1 million dollar Illinois FIRST Grant we were able to purchase radios for all the public safety agencies throughout Kankakee County.
There are over 1000 radios being used on the system. The radio system is a 10 channel 800 trunk system combined from frequencies licensed to Kankakee City, Bradley and Bourbonnais. It is a 4-site simulcast system providing coverage to every corner of the county.
The ETSB furnished console equipment to Bradley and Bourbonnais for the trunked system. The ETSB owns two towers that have offered the opportunity to share resources with the State of Illinois who is implementing a state wide radio system.
The third site is controlled by Motorola who is building out the state project and the fourth site is space provided by Ni-Cor.
Kan-Comm is the result of an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Kankakee, County of Kankakee, and the Emergency Telephone System Board. With the assistance of the Public Building Commission and the Health Department, County funding was available through the bonding process. The City of Kankakee and ETSB also contributed funds towards the facility construction.
Kankakee County Emergency Telephone System Board
The Kankakee County Emergency Telephone System Board was established in 1989. It is made up of nine members representing and appointed by the County Board, City of Kankakee, Village of Bradley, Village of Bourbonnais, Fire Chiefs, and the Mayor's Association. Each member serves a three-year term.
The Board meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. The past two years the Board has increased its meetings to the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. There are standing committees of Personnel, Fire Services, Training and Education, Public Relations, Finance, and Equipment and Technology that meet as needed. Board members are not compensated for their time served.
|
The Board has been very instrumental in creating intergovernmental cooperation. Multiple agreements were necessary to make these projects possible.
Kankakee County
Emergency Telephone System
Board Members
James LaMotte, Chairman
Joseph Beard, Vice Chairman
Timothy Bukowski
Norman Grimsley
Dave Horn
Donald Kufner
Maurice O'Keefe
Larry Regnier
Jeannine Wulff
Past Members:
Bernie Thompson, Thomas Patrick Ryan, David Laird, Rollin Riegel, David Greenstreet, Timothy Nugent, Joe Krizan, Albert Wingo, Lawrence Mackin, Raymond Schneider, Ronald Grubbs,
Dan Loftus, Wes Wiseman, Napolean Haney, Michael Harshbarger, and William Cantrell
Accomplishments:
- January 1989 - Established the ETSB through referendum
- March 1992 - Received 1st 9-1-1 Call
- August 1994 - Wireless 9-1-1 implemented
- October 1996 - Mobile Data
- June 2001 - Phase I Wireless started
- December 2000 - Contract for 800 Trunked Radio System signed
- 2001 - Intergovernmental Agreements to create joint dispatch center
- August 2002 - Activated WARN System
- October 2002 - Kan-Comm opened
- December 2004 - Phase II Wireless
Future Projects:
A special thanks to the following entities for helping to make all this possible:
City of Kankakee
County of Kankakee
Village of Bradley
Village of Bourbonnais
Kankakee County Health Dept
Public Building Commission
Mayor's Association
Fire District Trustees
Fire Chiefs
Police Chiefs
EMS Services |
