Tomorrow, the Board of Supervisors is expected to receive an update on the status of the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communication System project, better known as LA-RICS.
The LA-RICS Authority, who is overseeing the project, was established in 2009 and is comprised of 73 member agencies, including the County of Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles and a number of independent and contract cities. The Authority’s purpose is to create a public safety communications network that would connect all government services and agencies and allow them to communicate in the event of a disaster. It will allow public safety personnel to enhance emergency coordination and help keep residents and businesses safer and more secure.
For this system to work, we need to fix “dead zones” throughout the region that cause lapses in emergency communication. Under the LA-RICS plans, towers would be installed in these areas that would carry a wireless LTE system to give first-responders access to a dedicated broadband network that will transmit data so that communication will continue in the event of a disaster.
Public safety and health is our number one concern in Los Angeles County and as this project moves forward, we will continue to address issues that are voiced by residents of our cities and communities.