Congressman Salazar fights to improve Telluride/Mountain Village emergency response communication system

$275,000 will go to help upgrade emergency communication system network

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Salazar announced today that the U.S. House of Representatives has voted in favor of a $275,000 federal funding appropriation to improve emergency communication system operations for the Telluride/Mountain Village region. The funding was requested by Congressman Salazar and was included in the 2010 Appropriations Bill for the Departments of Commerce, Science and Justice. The bill has passed the House and now heads to the Senate for consideration.    

Specifically, the appropriated funds will help complete construction of a public safety communications network by installing additional repeater sites and redundant systems at critical sites. It will help optimize the existing coverage footprint and improve the radio network with the installation of a microwave link to connect the Montrose County Dispatch Center with Mountain Village radio tower sites. The project will improve system operation capabilities to benefit public safety services for the regional population.

On the funding for the communication system upgrade, Congressman Salazar offered the following statement:

“It is critical, particularly in high terrain regions like those of Telluride and Mountain Village that our first responder and mountain rescue organizations have state-of-the-art communications technology. It is my hope that with this funding, Mountain Village will continue its efforts to upgrade its communications network and continue to provide effective emergency services for the community.

On the funding, Mountain Village Town Manager Greg Sparks offered the following comment:

“The Town of Mountain Village is appreciative of the efforts of our Representative John Salazar in securing funding for our multi-jurisdictional public safety communications system.  The $275,000 of grant funding will improve the system by eliminating some radio transmission dead zones in the Ridgway, Telluride, and Mountain Village area, thus improving police, fire, and emergency medical services to our residents and area visitors.”