Through tragedies much is learned, and so it is with emergency services organizations — in terms of communications. Lessons learned and investments and improvements in technology resulted in Regional Satellite Mutual Aid Radio Talkgroups over the Mobile Satellite Ventures' (MSV) communications network that now extends coast to coast and beyond. The California State Office of Emergency Services (CA-OES) established the Western Satellite Mutual Aid Radio Talkgroup (W-SMART) operating on the MSV satellite communications network. With the activation of W-SMART, MSV now has regional talkgroups extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean enabling and facilitating interoperable communications designed specifically for public safety and public service organizations.

Working with MSV, the CA-OES will manage, provide 24x7 monitoring, and approve participation in W-SMART by federal, state, tribal, and local public safety agencies as well as appropriate private sector users with a public safety mission located throughout Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.   

W-SMART is the seventh in a planned network of nine inter-connected and regionally-focused talkgroups providing public service organizations a rapid, reliable and interoperable tool to communicate for day-to-day operations and during times of emergencies.

"Working with national, state and local public safety agencies, MSV has already helped establish SMART talkgroups serving the Nation's Capital and 39 states located throughout the Gulf Coast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northwest, Southwest and Western regions of the United States,” said Susan Miller, senior vice president of Satellite Services for MSV.  "Additionally, two more multi-state SMART talkgroups are under development for the Northeast and Southeast regions that, when operational, will complete SMART communications in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  The regional talkgroups enable critical and interoperable communications at all levels of public safety agencies and facilities.”  

"Using W-SMART, the California State Office of Emergency Services will be able to stay in continuous contact with our operating units throughout this vast 12-state region regardless of the condition or congestion on the terrestrial communications systems,” noted Jim Corry, vice president of Government Solutions for MSV.

All public safety organizations operating throughout the western United States with active accounts on the MSV network are eligible and encouraged to join W-SMART at no charge by way of application to the California Office of Emergency Services.  A copy of the Standard Operating Procedures and application to join W-SMART are available from:  [email protected] or by calling 916-845-8605 or 619-525-4291. Besides the regional SMART talkgroups, MSV has helped to establish two nationwide public safety and national security/emergency preparedness talkgroups managed by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security's National Communications System (NCS). Mobile Satellite Ventures is a joint venture between Mobile Satellite Ventures LP and Mobile Satellite Ventures (Canada) Inc.  MSVLP is owned and controlled by SkyTerra Communications, Inc. [OTCBB: SKYT].