EXECUTIVE ORDER
06-23

WHEREAS, it is the recommendation of the Missouri State Government Review Commission that the Department of Public Safety should assume the leadership position and responsibility for creating and overseeing a statewide emergency communications system; and

WHEREAS, the safety of the people of Missouri is of the highest concern to the State of Missouri and its officials; and

WHEREAS, the people of Missouri depend upon the public safety personnel in the State of Missouri to protect the safety and security of the public; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary for public safety personnel of different agencies and different disciplines to communicate together effectively and efficiently to coordinate their response to emergencies, minimize response time, and maximize resources; and

WHEREAS, dependable and interoperable public safety radio communications infrastructure is critical to Missouri's response to emergencies to get the right information to the right people at the right time as quickly as possible for the safety of emergency response personnel and the safety of the public; and

WHEREAS, Missouri has pursued progress on the issue of interoperable communications by the establishment of the State Interoperable Executive Committee, by actively planning national strategy for 700 MHz development in the Interoperability Subcommittee of the Federal Communication Commission's National Coordination Committee, and by participating in several national communications forums designed to identify interoperable communications needs across the country; and

WHEREAS, Missouri's statewide public safety voice and data communications infrastructure is in need of modernization and upgrade to provide efficient use of technological advances; and

WHEREAS, there is a need for a coordinated statewide approach in establishing an interoperable public safety and critical infrastructure radio environment for the benefit of the public, and local, state, and federal emergency responders in Missouri.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, MATT BLUNT, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the Laws of the State of Missouri, do hereby formalize the organizational structure of the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee and place it under the authority of the Homeland Security Advisory Council.

The purpose of the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) is to develop a statewide communications strategic plan, including but not limited to a statewide interconnected radio system with consolidated state voice dispatch operations, consolidated administration and technical support, advanced communication training, and nationally accepted standards to implement the communications capabilities and procedures required to provide Missouri's first responders and critical infrastructure community the communications services needed to protect the State's citizens.

The Director of Department of Public Safety or his designee shall chair the SIEC. The Chair shall appoint ten (10) Committee members comprised of state, local and critical infrastructure communications program participants representative of users' demographics. The Committee shall: identify interoperable communications best practices; promote effective interoperable communications among local, state, federal, and critical infrastructure radio users in the State of Missouri; and ensure that future state radio systems comply with interoperability standards, policies, and practices. The SIEC shall produce a Communications Strategic Plan to serve as the vision to establish and maintain interoperable communications initiatives among Missouri's public safety and critical infrastructure communities. This strategic plan shall be completed and presented to the Governor by October 15, 2006.

All State of Missouri departments and agencies are directed to assist in the development of the Communications Strategic Plan, adhere to its tenets, and participate in its execution.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, on this 27th day of June, 2006.

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