Gov. Nixon Participates in Roundtable Discussion With Public Safety Partners on Importance of Statewide Emergency Communications Radio Network

Press Release

Gov. Jay Nixon today participated in a roundtable discussion with Missouri public safety officials on advances made in MOSWIN, the Missouri Statewide Interoperability Network, at the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. Completed in 2013, MOSWIN is the radio network that first linked statewide law enforcement, fire, EMS and other public safety partners on a single communications system.

Prior to the roundtable, the Governor was given a demonstration of the interoperability system, as law enforcement, health and emergency response agencies from across the state -- including those in Kansas City, St. Louis, Kirksville and St. Joseph -- were brought together through a communications vehicle of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

"The ability for law enforcement, fire, EMS, emergency managers and other partners to be able to communicate on a single statewide radio network during disasters and emergency incidents represents a critical advancement in Missouri's public safety response system," Gov. Nixon said. "I appreciate the investment and collaboration MOSWIN partner agencies have made across the state to ensure the network's reliability and effectiveness and making Missouri safer and stronger."

In 2009, at Gov. Nixon's direction, Missouri committed $87 million to construct a statewide interoperable public safety radio system. As the pilot agency in the MOSWIN system, the Sikeston Department of Public Safety was a key to its success. Completed in January 2013, MOSWIN links law enforcement, fire, EMS, emergency management, public health, hospitals, transportation, utilities and other agencies for whom the ability to communicate and coordinate in response to disasters and emergency events is critical.

The network was also designed to provide a primary radio communications network for regular day-to-day intra-agency mobile communications by state agencies -- such as the Missouri State Highway Patrol, State Parks, and the Department of Corrections.

There are now more than 100 agencies that use the network to meet their full-time communications needs; more than 1.140 agencies in Missouri with a total of 35,270 radios have access to MOSWIN.

Roundtable participants included: Drew Juden, chief of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety; Paula Volkmer, director of Rolla/Phelps County Communications; Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter; Chief Robert Hearnes, of the Charleston Police Department; Chief Sammy Stone of the Dexter Police Department; Chief Mark Goddard of the Kennett Police Department; Jon Burden, administrator of the New Madrid County Ambulance District; John Mallott, director of the Kennett Department of Public Safety; Ken Dicus, chief of the South Scott County Ambulance District; Lt. Mike Coldiron of the Howell County Sheriff's Department; Missouri State Highway superintendent Col. J. Bret Johnson; and Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Lane Roberts.

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