Emergency Communications & Telecommunications 

WCCOG is a very active player in the effort to improve how Washington County is connected, both internally and with the outside world. We are implementing the Infrastructure Assessment that WCCOG completed in 2005 (see below).

In 2008, WCCOG assisted the County to raise over $800,000 in grants from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to build a new tower in Marshfield and upgrade the emergency radio telecommunications system throughout the county. The new tower in Marshfield (completed in 2008) improved transmission and reception of emergency communications while also accommodating additional cellular and broadband internet service providers.

In 2009, WCCOG worked with Washington County EMA to obtain over $300,000 in DHS funding for additional communications upgrades, including repeaters and radios, and pagers for emergency responders.

WCCOG continues to work with Washington County EMA and interested communities to assess unmet emergency communications needs and to seek grants to fund upgrades.

For more information contact the Calais (207-454-0465) or Milbridge (207-546-3600) office. 

WCCOG Infrastructure Assessment

• Cover (230 kb)
• Acknowledgements (10 kb)
• Table of Contents (9 kb)
• Executive Summary (39 kb)
• Survey of Broadband and Cellular Telephone Use (118 kb)
• Infrastructure Assessment (174 kb)
• Map 1: Development Infrastructure - Machias Labor Market Area (2 MB 11x17 paper)
• Map 2: Development Infrastructure - Calais Labor Market Area (2 MB 11x17 paper)
• Map 3: Cellular Phone Service Areas (2 MB)
• Map 4: Broadband Capacity (792 kb)
• Map 5: FCC Licensing Databases (1.5 MB)
• Models for Municipal Leasing, Regulation and Management (89 kb)
• Funding Sources for Infrastructure Investment (31 kb)
• Appendix A - Telecommunications Advisory Committee (12 kb)
• Appendix B - Local Emergency Planning Committee and Washington County Communications Committee (9 kb)
• Appendix C - Cellular Telephone and High Speed Surveys (108 kb)
• Appendix D - Cellular Telephone Service Mapping on Major Arterials in Washington County (Verizon, Unicel Analog and Digital) (766 kb)
• Appendix E - Survey Respondents by Town (14 kb)
• Appendix F - Cellular Telephone Survey Written Comments (71 kb)
• Appendix G - High Speed Internet Survey Written Comments (44KB)
•  Appendix H - Federal Communications Commission Licenses - Definitions (57 kb)
• Appendix I - High Speed Internet Available in Washington County (35 kb)
• Appendix J - Example Telecommunications Lease Agreements (109 kb)
• Appendix K - Example Ordinances (391 kb)
• Appendix L - Infrastructure Concealment (22 kb)

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