South Carolina's statewide safety radio network up and running

(Columbia-AP) July 06, 2005 - A statewide radio network that lets police, fire and other emergency workers talk to each other is ready for hurricane season.

State Law Enforcement Division Chief Robert Stewart says the Palmetto 800 Megahertz system helped direct traffic during Hurricane Charley last August. It also played a huge role in January when law enforcement and emergency workers handled the Graniteville train wreck and chlorine spill.

The system grew out of concerns law enforcement and emergency workers raised after Hurricane Hugo 16 years ago.

The state partnered with Motorola to build towers and other elements of the system. Stewart says the handheld all of his field agents should have the new radios by next month.

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