WAGIN: Washington-Allegany-Garrett Interoperability Network

Background

The Maryland counties of Washington, Allegany and Garrett, in partnership with the State of Maryland began work on a three-county radio interoperability network connecting their public safety mobile radio systems and linking with the radio systems of three state agencies.

The federal funded new system, known as the Washington-Allegany-Garrett Interoperability Network (WAGIN) was made operational November of 2010. The WAGIN system was built utilizing IP Interoperability and Collaboration System (IPICS) technology from CISCO Systems. This system will accommodate physical radio connections, personal computers, IP phone users, and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) connections. This system has been a great partnership between state and local governments and an effective use of grant funding. The WAGIN open standards-based system is consistent with the Maryland Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP).

Additional WAGIN System Sites are needed in order to build-out this interoperability network. Phase I of the project included site-by-site equipment needed to meet the initial technical requirements for system implementation and deployment. Included were the necessary agreed upon channels at each site that met the network requirements and system design for the WAGIN network. Phase II of the project has commenced. In 2012, six (6) new sites will be completed and operational.

WAGIN Governance

The WAGIN Governance document, recently updated and signed by all three counties in March 2011, established the WAGIN Work Group and Executive Committee. The purpose of the WAGIN Workgroup is to make and implement decisions concerning the development of plans and policies pertaining to communication capabilities and the use of funds for regional interoperability projects, in order to increase the capability of member jurisdictions to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from incidents and disasters.

The Executive Committee is the decision-making body of the Work Group and is vested with the full authority and duties of the Work Group itself. The senior elected officials in each of the three WAGIN jurisdictions have authorized the Executive Committee to determine the use of all funds available to the Region for interoperability initiatives. The Executive Committee is comprised of one voting member from each of the three counties. The Chair of the Executive Committee is elected every two years and is a voting member of the PSC, which reports to the SIEC.

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