Radios Connect With All Agencies in Southeast Louisiana

Officials of Jefferson Parish selected the Kenner Fire Department to receive 12 new two-way

portable radios under a federal communications grant program for radio interoperability for

2009. The award is part of a $238,810.36 federal grant program to benefit communities in

Jefferson Parish with a total of 39 new portable radios and 19 new mobile radios.

Kenner Fire Chief John Hellmers said he was pleased with the award and that the radios give

his department additional capability in staying in constant touch with local, federal and state

first responders in times of community emergencies.

Southeast Louisiana makes up a region that the federal government has been supporting a

change over to 700 megahertz radio units capable of electronically interconnecting with all first

responder agencies whether they are in Jefferson, New Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Bernard

Parishes, state police, levee districts, U.S. Coast Guard, F.B.I. and others. The plan is to

eliminate the lack of cross-agency contact that existed during emergencies like Hurricane

Katrina and the 9/11 terrorist event in New York.

Hellmers said this grant will put one 700 series radio in the hands of each on-duty Kenner

firefighter, thereby better ensuring the safety of his firefighters and the public across each shift.

He said a great deal of thanks goes to Deano Bonano, parish director of Homeland Security,

for his efforts in securing the new radios.

Parish officials said those numbers may change slightly if some of the radios require a dual

control capability, since those cost more.