Washington Parish Communications District is a Political Subdivision of the State of Louisiana, located in Franklinton, Louisiana. The communications center is a 5,200 square feet facility capable of withstanding wind up to 130 MPH in a category 3 hurricane. This modern facility is a multi-function facility with:
The stout design and capability of this robust modern structure includes:
The WAIS Dispatch interface at the Center’s Communications Leader (COML) position is the primary operator’s position. The COML can choose amongst 38 different HF, VHF, and UHF radios operating between 3 and 700 MHz in a four-county region. The center also has connectivity to other Louisiana WAIS systems in Region 9 and in the state. While we are highlighting the three day operation of the WAIS system during the Hurricane Barry event, the WAIS Dispatch System stands ready for operational use 24/7 – 365 and is also utilized for other emergency and routine communications needs.
Washington Parish served as the beta testing facility for the initial development of the JPS WAIS Enterprise Dispatch system and now serves as a major communications asset for Region 9 and the State of Louisiana. Our thanks to James M Coleman,
Chairman, Washington Parish Communications District for his contributions for this article and his commitment for emergency communications readiness.
To learn more about the JPS WAIS technology please visit the WAIS product page:
https://jpsinterop.wpengine.com/products/wide-area-interoperability-solution/