At a total investment of $220 million, MPSCS remains today as Michigan’s largest ever single-vendor contract.  Protecting this viable resource are 43 specially trained radio technicians geographically located across the state.      The MPSCS spotlight begins in the Village of Laurium.  Located on the U.P.’s Keweenaw Peninsula, north of Houghton/Hancock, the Laurium Radio Shop overseen by Del Rajala experiences some of the most unique climatic and geographic challenges of any radio shop.  On any given day, Del may have to travel over 100 miles in a season-average 20 feet of snow!

The Laurium Radio shop is a one-man operation that opened in 2002 after the MPSCS became operational in the Upper Peninsula.  The shop maintains all MPSCS infrastructure and radio equipment in Keweenaw, Houghton, Baraga and Ontonagon counties including providing services to the Calumet and L’Anse State Police posts and local member agencies.  The shop also assists with communications in three state parks including McLain, Fort Wilkins and Twin Lakes.

Recently, the Laurium Radio Shop was called upon to assure continued emergency 9-1-1 service to the Keweenaw Peninsula region. In August, the region experienced its second long-distance telephone outage of the year.  Once again, the Keweenaw Peninsula region was left completely isolated, unable to communicate for assistance or receive 9-1-1 calls for three hours.  The MPSCS was the region’s only source of communication.  Del received notification of the outage from MPSCS member Keweenaw County and was able to contact the Negaunee Regional Dispatch Center using his MPSCS radio on behalf of Houghton and Keweenaw Counties.  Del worked with Negaunee over his 800 MHz in an effort to reroute 9-1-1 calls.

As a result the MPSCS and Del’s quick response, emergency 9-1-1 service in the region was not interrupted and a means of establishing communications off the peninsula was immediate during the repair of the  telephone communications cable.

The Laurium Radio Shop works closely with the Sawyer and Iron River radio shops to ensure the continued operation of MPSCS in the region.  The efforts of Del and the rest of the MPSCS radio technicians help protect the State of Michigan’s tremendous radio communications investment.  If wish to contact your local radio shop for a service request visit our Web site at www.mpscs.com for a shop directory or send an e-mail to msp-radio@michigan.gov