Update from the office of MATRAC Regional Communications Specialist
• As of September 2011 all mountain top NCMCN repeaters as well as all regional hospital and Community Health Center NCMCN UHF consoles stations have been recon figured for narrow-band operation per FCC mandates.

• NC VIPER system, operated by the VIPER Group of the NC Highway Patrol project currently lists 178 VIPER operational sites across North Carolina. An additional 37 VIPER sites are slated for construction and or being constructed now. 25 additional sites are pending federal funding.

• The Homeland Security VIPER Communication Tower project continues to expand throughout western NC. The following repeaters are the latest additions:
• Tryon Peak
• Jump Off Mountain
• Beech Mountain
• Chambers Mountain

Additionally, FCC has granted approval for completing the following sites
• Macon
• Swain
• Graham Counties

• The NC Office of EMS has contracted with Radio Communications Company (RCC) to develop the necessary UHF VERTEX portable and PACK radio templates. This project will also include the addition of the new narrowband frequencies required for operation of the NCMCN MED -8 and MED -10 repeaters. .

• North Carolina Office of EMS has recently released the online training module for the VIPER mobile radios. You can find that module along with the other modules for VIPER at: http://smrs.emspic.org/viper/

• Keep in mind that MATRAC employs a regional communications specialist to address any questions you may have in terms of disaster communication, as well make ourselves available to come to your facility/agency for hands on communications training.

• PLEASE NOTE: North Carolina State Medical Response System has established a communications action team consisting of representatives from each of the eight RAC's. . This committee was initially referred to as RACCOM, but now is referred to as the Interoperability Communications Actions Team or ICAT.  Luis Cantu with TRAID RAC is the Chairman for the group, NCOEMS, Carl Vancott serves as liaison to this group. The purpose of the ICAT is to coordinate the communications functions of the RACs and make recommendation to the Office of EMS regarding radio communications for medical disaster preparedness.  Many of you may remember David Danner (who formerly served as MATRAC’s Regional Communications Specialist) has agreed to co-represent MATRAC along with Jeremy Smith as your regional voices on communications issues relating to state medical response systems operations. However, in order to best represent MATRAC we are seeking your participation on the MATRAC’s Regional Communications Committee. Currently we are in need of representatives for the following committee positions:

a. Hospital Representative with communications interest from each facility
b. SMAT III Team Communications Specialist
c. MRMRC communications representative
d. MATRAC SMAT II communications unit representative
e. County level public safety communications representative

If you wish to serve on this committee or have questions about it, please feel free to contact:
Jeremy Smith
MATRAC Regional Communication Specialist
Office – 828-692-6213
Cell – 828-565-1001
Email – Jeremy.Smith@msj.org