HR0007 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0007 LRB096 03140 KXB 13157 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Illinois Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan was officially approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the spring of 2008; and

WHEREAS, The plan sets forth a statewide communications strategy that focuses on establishing a mechanism for all public agencies to communicate emergency information during a local, regional, or State-wide disaster; and

WHEREAS, A key component of Illinois' interoperability strategy is Starcom 21, a State-wide interoperable voice radio system designed to provide radio communications, services, and interoperability to federal, State, county, and local public safety practitioners; and

WHEREAS, The system allows public safety and public service agencies throughout Illinois to effectively and cost-efficiently operate on a common network; and

WHEREAS, After the shootings on the Virginia Tech campus in April of 2007, more than 300 Starcom 21 radios were distributed to 70 college campuses around the State; and

WHEREAS, The Starcom 21 system played a vital role in alerting first responders in the wake of the Northern Illinois University tragedy in February of 2008; and

WHEREAS, To date, the State has distributed more than 2,800 Starcom 21 radios to public safety agencies; and

WHEREAS, The Governor's Campus Security Task Force recommended that colleges and universities should make development and implementation of an interoperable communications system a priority of campus emergency planning; and

WHEREAS, The Task Force report specifically named the Starcom 21 system as a central means of implementing an interoperable communications mechanism for colleges and universities, as well as law enforcement and public safety agencies throughout Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The livelihood of all Illinois citizens could someday depend upon the synchronization of local, State, and federal emergency responders via a system like Starcom 21; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge all State, local, and county officials, especially the Bloomington police and fire departments, to join the Normal police and fire departments, the McLean County Sheriff's Department, the Illinois State Police, and numerous other State, county, and municipal law enforcement and emergency services agencies in adopting the Starcom 21 system for interoperable communications to ensure expedient communication and action in the event of a disaster and further enhancing public safety; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be distributed to the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, the Illinois Sheriffs Association, the Illinois Association of Fire Protection Districts, the Illinois Municipal League, the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Principals Association, the Illinois Association of School Boards, the Mayor of the City of Bloomington, the members of the Bloomington City Council, the Bloomington Fire and Police Chiefs, the Mayor of Normal, the Normal Town Council, the McLean County Sheriff, the Normal Fire and Police Chiefs, and the McLean County Board.