Connecting First Responders Across the Permian Basin

• Serving communities across the 17-county Permian Basin region
• Supporting police departments, sheriff’s offices, fire departments, EMS, hospitals, emergency management, and public works
• Regional network of radio sites providing wide-area coverage across West Texas
• Shared communications platform supporting both daily operations and emergency response
• Designed to support multi-agency coordination during major incidents and disasters

The Regional Radio System supports communications for a wide range of public safety and emergency response activities, including:

• Daily public safety operations
• Multi-agency incident response
• Disaster and severe weather coordination
• Regional public safety cooperation
• Interoperability between local, state, and federal responders

1. Local responders use their radios during daily operations. Police officers, deputies, firefighters, EMS personnel, and other responders communicate using their radios during routine operations and incidents.
2. Radio towers across the region connect those radios to the network. A network of radio sites throughout the Permian Basin provides coverage across multiple counties.
3. The system automatically routes calls to the correct location. When a user transmits, the system connects them with other responders on the same talkgroup, regardless of where they are in the region.
4. Agencies can communicate across jurisdictions during incidents. When multiple agencies respond to an emergency, they can switch to shared talkgroups and communicate directly.
5. The result is faster, safer coordination during emergencies. The Regional Radio System helps first responders coordinate resources, share information, and protect lives and property during critical incidents.

Regional public safety communications systems allow communities to work together more effectively during emergencies that cross jurisdictional boundaries. By sharing communications infrastructure, participating agencies benefit from improved interoperability, expanded coverage, and greater system reliability.

Key benefits of the regional approach include:

Improved interoperability

Agencies from different jurisdictions and disciplines can communicate directly during multi-agency incidents.

Shared infrastructure

Participating communities share the cost of major communications infrastructure, reducing the financial burden on individual jurisdictions.

Expanded coverage

Regional systems provide broader coverage than many standalone systems, improving communications for responders traveling across the region.

Improved coordination during disasters

Severe weather, wildfires, major accidents, and other emergencies often require a coordinated response from multiple agencies.

Scalable growth

The Regional Radio System allows additional agencies and communities to participate as communications needs evolve.

Public safety incidents often require a coordinated response from multiple agencies and jurisdictions. Severe weather, wildfires, major traffic accidents, and other emergencies frequently cross county and city boundaries.

Regional communications systems allow agencies to communicate directly during these events, improving coordination and situational awareness for responding personnel.

By sharing communications infrastructure and operating on a common network, communities can improve interoperability, expand coverage, and reduce the fragmentation that can occur when agencies rely on separate communications systems.

The Permian Basin Regional Radio System supports statewide efforts to improve interoperable communications for public safety agencies across Texas.

The system aligns with statewide interoperability initiatives coordinated through the Texas Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC) and related planning efforts designed to strengthen communications among public safety agencies.

Early 2000s – Regional Planning Begins

Local governments and public safety agencies across the Permian Basin began working through the Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission (PBRPC) to improve interoperable communications among first responders.

2008–2013 – System Development and Initial Build-Out

Through partnerships among local governments and state and federal grant programs, the Permian Basin Regional Radio System was developed and deployed, creating a shared communications network for agencies across the region.

2013 – System Goes Live

The regional system became operational, providing interoperable communications capabilities for public safety agencies throughout the Permian Basin.

2013–Present – Continued Expansion and Improvements

The system continues to expand as additional infrastructure, coverage improvements, and participating agencies are added to support growing public safety communications needs across West Texas.

The Permian Basin Regional Radio System is managed through the Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission (PBRPC) in partnership with local governments and participating public safety agencies throughout the region.

The system operates under a regional governance structure that includes coordination with public safety stakeholders and regional working groups focused on interoperable communications planning and operations.

This regional approach allows participating communities to collaborate on system planning, operations, and future expansion while maintaining a shared commitment to improving public safety communications across the Permian Basin.

The Permian Basin Regional Radio System has been developed and expanded through a combination of local, state, and federal funding.

Initial system development was supported through public safety communications and homeland security grant programs, along with investments from local governments throughout the region.

Ongoing system improvements and expansion continue through regional partnerships and competitive grant programs supporting interoperable communications.

The Permian Basin Regional Radio System provides interoperable communications coverage across the Permian Basin region, supporting public safety agencies during daily operations and major emergencies.

The Regional Radio System continues to expand as infrastructure improvements are made and additional communities participate in the regional network.