The Regional Communications System, or RCS, is the primary wireless communications network for public safety and public service agencies throughout San Diego.

In theory, it allows our firefighters, law enforcement officers, medical crews and dispatchers from different agencies to communicate with one another during a catastrophe.

In reality, however, it doesn't quite work as effectively as it should. Currently, the City of San Diego uses one system, and the County of San Diego, along with 200 other agencies, uses another.

Earlier this year, Chairman Roberts and San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders signed an agreement pledging to work together to create a truly interoperable and seamless regional public safety communications system.

On April 17, 2007, the Board of Supervisors and the San Diego City Council approved a joint memorandum of understanding that formalizes this mutual goal.

This marks a new era of commitment and cooperation between the county and city to correct a major flaw, the lack of a truly regional system.

While both the city and the county have 800 Mhz systems, the city purchased their system a few years prior to the countywide system and in order for the city to communicate with the agencies in the RCS, they must go through a cumbersome, “patching” process.

Because the county and city will be facing similar technological challenges within the next few years, this is the perfect time to pursue the common goal of creating a truly seamless regional public safety communications system with the capacity to support future growth.

Having such a system will ensure that no matter what the disaster, be it an earthquake, a wildfire, or a terrorist attack, our region will be equipped with the most sophisticated and most complete communication system available.