August 2024

9/25/24 | Issue 34

Pictured above: Natisha Claypool, Assistant Dispatch Manager for the Fayetteville Police Department, and Jim Vaughan, Assistant Chief for the Springdale Fire Department, support John Luther as he wins the 2024 Cox Award.

John Luther, Washington County, Wins the Cox Award

The AICEC is proud to announce that the winner of the 2024 Glenn "Sonny" Cox Award for Excellence in Public Safety Communications was presented to John Luther, Emergency Management Coordinator for Washington County.

John Luther began his career at the age of 16 as a volunteer fire fighter for the Wedington Fire Department, where he is still an active member. He moved on to become a reserve deputy for Washington County, and eventually the Emergency Management Coordinator for Washington County. In this role, Luther has worked diligently to promote the spirit of true interoperability for public safety agencies in Northwest Arkansas. Throughout Washington County's recent migration over to the AWIN system, which included significant infrastructure buildout for a robust simulcast system, Luther has focused on an end result of regional interoperability. He has worked with representatives from Benton County, Fayetteville, Springdale, Siloam Springs, Rogers and others to build cooperative communications plans.

Luther has a vast knowledge about the mechanics of communications systems and is happy to share this knowledge, answering questions and helping anyone interested in attaining a ham radio license.

Below are comments about John Luther from the Cox Award Nominations we received:

"When it was time to replace the County's failing radio system, he worked with his partners in Fayetteville and Springdale to combine our resources and create a true countywide radio system. During the project he coordinated with our partners in Benton County and we now share talkgroups with most of the agencies in our adjoining county."

"He is well versed in many of the emergency disciplines, but he is freakishly smart when it comes to radio communications."

"When the Sheriff’s Office dispatch center changed over to AWIN and soon after had a shutdown, John took the mobile command post and set it up at the Sheriff’s Office. He made sure the transition to operations was smooth and stayed there all night and the next morning."

"John has poured his heart and soul into public safety throughout his career. He has a strong passion for interoperable communications and services. He led our group to create a countywide, prime site redundant radio system. I believe it is the first in the State. As the second largest county in Arkansas he has helped lead the way of what public safety communications, as well as great relationships with public safety partners, should look like. He has been a great example of how we can all work together to achieve a common goal and how to serve our communities the best we can. He is tenacious and gracious. He epitomizes the spirit of the Sonny Cox Award."

The Cox Award was presented at the Arkansas Emergency Management Conference in Hot Springs on August 29, 2024, with John Luther's beautiful family in attendance.

Congratulations, John! Well done, friend.

AWIN at the AEM Conference

Once again, AWIN had an opportunity to participate in the Arkansas Emergency Management Conference in Hot Springs to share news and perspectives on several topics, in addition to the Cox Award presentation, including:

• Penny Rubow, AWIN Program Director, presented the "AWIN Update," providing some background stories never before heard (even by AWIN staff!), as well as the current status of the massive statewide upgrade of the AWIN system and tower site refurbishment projects.
• "AWIN Fleetmap Changes" were discussed in a breakout session, including redefining the intended uses for the AWIN interoperability talkgroups, as well as the creation of new PSAP talkgroups.
• A panel discussion on "AWIN Onboarding of Washington County and West Memphis" was held in another breakout session. Guests included John Luther, Jim Vaughan, and Kathy Stocker from Washington County, as well as DeWayne Rose from the City of West Memphis. The panel discussed their decision making and experiences related to joining AWIN full-time, as well as their cooperation with surrounding cities and counties to create a plan for interoperability.

Thank you very much to the Arkansas Emergency Management Association for inviting us to participate in this year's conference!

Above: Penny visits with Thomas Randall (FirstNet) and J.M. Rowe (RACES, SAFECOM, AICEC).

Above: Penny Rubow gives the AWIN Update.

"COMMEX" 2024

The AICEC's own J.M. Rowe, who serves SHARES, SAFECOM, FEMA R6 AUXCOMM, and as Arkansas ICTU Chair, made his way to Quapaw, Oklahoma to serve as a coordinator and evaluator for the Central States Communication Exercise, September 10-13.

Per J.M., "The 2024 Central States Communications Association Exercise was again the largest Public Safety Communications exercise in the United States. Held Biannually, this year saw 314 participants from 29 states and the District of Columbia. The response to Hurricane Francine prevented some from attending, or it would have been even higher numbers!"

Welcome back, J.M., and thank you for the photo!

Announcing New AWIN Talkgroups for PSAPs

(Originally announced on 9/9/24) At the direction of the AICEC, 12 new Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) talkgroups have been established to correlate with the 12 ASP troop boundaries, A-L. 

These talkgroups are only to be programmed into dispatch consoles, backup dispatch portable radios, and tactical dispatch equipment. The goal for these talkgroups is to provide quick, direct communications between dispatch personnel without interruptions from the field. 

Programming and use of these PSAP talkgroups is not required or mandated.

AWIN is offering these talkgroups as resources available to dispatchers who elect to use them, a decision left entirely to the discretion of the PSAP.

The PSAP-to-PSAP Talkgroup Policy can be found on the Resources tab of the AWIN web page, under Policies and Best Practices:

https://www.dps.arkansas.gov/emergency-management/adem/awin/resources/

Important Elements of the Policy: 

• PSAP to PSAP talkgroups are to be used for PSAP to PSAP communications only, such as transferring calls, requesting mutual aid, and providing updates on pursuits.
• PSAP to PSAP talkgroups are not to be programmed into field radios.
• PSAP to PSAP talkgroups may not be patched to any other talkgroups.
• All communications on PSAP to PSAP talkgroups will be brief in nature.
• PSAP’s may select which PSAP to PSAP talkgroups they program into dispatch equipment, including backup dispatch portable radios, and tactical dispatch equipment.

 Read the full PSAP to PSAP Talkgroup Policy HERE

Dispatch centers and/or personnel can work with their AWIN-Authorized Programmers to have these talkgroups added to dispatch equipment.

We hope these new PSAP talkgroups provide a helpful additional tool to facilitate

inter-dispatch communications.

Please contact AWIN.Operations@adem.arkansas.gov for questions.