Lake Forest Park Council takes position to support Public Safety Emergency Radio Network measure

At its meeting on April 9, 2015, the Lake Forest Park City Council took a position in favor of King County Proposition 1, a proposal on the April 28, 2015 special election ballot that, if approved, would provide funding for a new, upgraded regional emergency radio network.

Council received information on the subject at its March 26, 2015 regular meeting, and held a public meeting on April 9, following the statutorily approved process by which a governing body may consider taking a position on a ballot measure.

Replacement of the aging and obsolete emergency radio system, substantially completed in 1997, has been in the planning stages for the last several years. The new system, known as PSERN, the Public Safety Emergency Radio Network, is planned for use by all agencies, public or private, which provide emergency response services within King County.

Benefits to Lake Forest Park include a better signal in more places, replacement of old end-user radios, and enhanced interoperability with Snohomish County and the Washington State Patrol.

Lake Forest Park Police Chief Stephen Sutton had this to say about the ballot measure, 

“Thanks to King County for making sure this was on its radar and for working proactively to come up with a modern, technologically updated public safety communications system that will be of benefit to the citizens of King County. 

Thanks, also, to the Lake Forest Park City Council for taking a position to support the measure, which, in the end, benefits the residents of the City of Lake Forest Park.”

Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network