It's a significant leap for public safety in the East Valley, as the Topaz Regional Wireless Cooperative (TRWC) unveiled a brand-new radio tower—its first in over two decades. The structure, monikered H60 in a nod to nearby Highway 60, promises to bolster the signal strength for public safety communications. This enhancement is expected to benefit northeast Mesa, Apache Junction, and Queen Creek the most.

Local leaders and officials from various member agencies came together on April 23 to mark the occasion with a ribbon-cutting event. Mayor John Giles expressed his enthusiasm, "Wireless technology is a critical piece of our regional public safety infrastructure, and the TRWC tower will give a much-needed signal boost to emergency crews," as reported by Mesaaz.gov. "It’s great to see so many partners come together to ensure our first responders have the tools they need to do their job."

The TRWC, established in 2008, brings various municipalities and public safety entities under one umbrella for better management and equitable support for a regional radio system. The cooperative includes Mesa, Apache Junction, Gilbert, Queen Creek, and even branches out to the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, among others. The City of Mesa is the primary funder, shelling out 65% of the cooperative's budget, with its Engineering and Communications Departments playing a vital role in erecting the new tower.

Dale Shaw, the Executive Director of TRWC, underscored the growing necessity for such infrastructure enhancements, "As both the population and TRWC grow, the need to expand our radio coverage is critical and the new tower will help meet that need," as per information obtained from Mesaaz.gov. The game plan doesn't end here. There's an entire multi-year expansion on TRWC’s, docket with the next tower set to go up in the Tonto National Forest later this year. Totaling 13 towers, the project aims to match pace with the region’s population growth and evolving public safety needs.

Interopability remains a cornerstone for the effectiveness of TRWC, as highlighted by Matt Busby, TRWC Board Chair and Assistant City Manager of Apache Junction. In an effort to make public safety radio communications as efficient as possible, the collective effort of these partner organizations seems to be paying off. So, for emergency crews in the East Valley, help just got a clear signal.