Years before Sept. 11, San Diego County began planning and then implementing a regional communications system. (RCS)

On September 11, 2001, after terrorists attacked the World Trade Center, many Emergency responders across the country discovered they couldn't talk with different agencies to warn one another about impending disasters. Usually, in an emergency, one of the first things to suffer is communications, but San Diego is ahead of the rest of the country in making sure that doesn't happen here.   

In March, 2001, shots rang out at Santana high school in Santee, and emergency personnel came from all over San Diego marking the first real test of the new system.

"It worked very well; you have to have some radio discipline even with a system this big but it worked well and the information flowed much faster," San Diego assistant sheriff Tom Zoll said.

One of 12 fire and law enforcement dispatch centers on the RCS, dispatchers at the Sheriff's Communications Center in Kearny Mesa can not only talk to deputies in the field, but, thanks to GPS (Global Positioning Satellite), can see their actual locations.

"This will tell me where my cars are so if I have a unit in trouble I can zoom out on this map and send cars," dispatcher Richard Siegel said.

The RCS began operations in 1998; for those in the field it is literally like night and day compared to the way it was.

"We have better coverage; we don't have dead spots like we used to, we have multiple channels so we can switch to other channels to get clear reception." Sheriff's deputy Joe Dean said.

Previously, the department was working with 19 frequencies; today there are more than 150. The key is the ability among all emergency responders to be able to talk to one another.

And, in getting information, the system is not only tied in with law enforcement and fire departments, but hospitals, and other health care providers, as well as lifeguards, public works agencies and all public services personnel.

Curt Munro, manager of the Sheriff’s Wireless Services Division, tells me that there are now more than 200 different agencies involved in the RCS.

Agencies may join as equity partners or as customers to pay the costs involved. Munro manages the day-to-day operations in Kearny Mesa.  He can be reached at 858-694-3903.

We consider ourselves very lucky to be living in San Diego County; our RCS system is seen as a model for other states to follow.