Public safety network grows with addition of Westminster
Published on August 23, 2024
Westminster Police, Fire, EMS and 911 Services have joined the Front Range Communications Consortium (FRCC), a radio system developed in 2014 by Weld and Adams County to improve communication between public safety communications personnel and first responder agencies. Westminster became the sixth member of the FRCC after the Weld County Board of Commissioners entered into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the city last month.
The addition of Westminster to the FRCC allows the city’s first responders to more easily communicate with Weld County, Adams County, and other emergency providers on the network, an efficiency that could strengthen emergency response.
“This really expands the reach of the FRCC and can lead to better communication, which allows for greater situational awareness of many different scenarios, like severe weather, active threats or even day-to-day duties like prisoner transports across counties,” said Cordero Bustos, Wireless Systems Manager for the Weld County Department of Public Safety Communications. Bustos explained that while communication was possible with Westminster operating on its own network, it required training and technological patchwork, something eliminated by Westminster joining the FRCC.
In addition to Weld County and Adams County, other members of the FRCC include Federal Heights, Thornton, Broomfield and the University of Northern Colorado. There is no cost to the county for the IGA, as any costs incurred by joining the network will be paid by Westminster. The IGA is set to renew yearly.
“This IGA further solidifies how effective the FRCC has been since it debuted in 2014. Our goal when it was created was to give Weld County, Adams County and member agencies more control over emergency communication, which positively impacts our ability to respond during emergencies,” said Tina Powell, Director of the Weld County Department of Public Safety Communications. “We’re excited to have Westminster on board.”
Learn more about the Weld County Department of Public Safety Communications.