RADIO Conference

More than 75 people gathered in Hood River September 15th for the first ever Oregon Radio, Activities, Discussions, Interoperability in Oregon (RADIO) Conference. Sherman County Commissioner Mike Smith, who serves as AOC’s representative on the Statewide Interoperability Executive Council (SIEC) worked with ODOT’s Wireless Division Manager Rob Reish in developing the concept for the conference. That concept, bring the operators, managers and technical people who work on public safety communication systems together in one place at one time to explore what they have in common, what they need from each other and how to go into the future with interoperable communications.

The huge turn out was unanticipated but appreciated and the conference content was rich with information and problem solving. This is the first step in a process Commissioner Smith sees going forward as we begin to work with FirstNet and the state radio project in developing modern and effective public safety communication systems statewide and nationwide. Deschutes County Commissioner Tony DeBone attended the conference, leading one of the discussion groups. Both Commissioners Smith and DeBone are looking forward to the future, which is going to be complicated, but exciting. Thank you commissioners for your leadership.