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Hetch Hetchy Alarm Transmission Installation

Yosemite National Park » Hetch Hetchy Alarm Transmission Installation » Document List

The project has been identified as necessary to improve the security protection responsibilities that exist at the O'Shaugnessy dam and Hetch Hetchy area. A buffer zone protection plan has been developed with the SFPUC, Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office, and NPS which identified the need to have interoperable voice communications, broadband data capability, and reliable/redundant alarm monitoring.

This project includes installation of one hop for broadband capability and a transformer installation. The broadband hop includes a Motorola point to point Ethernet bridge and fiber optic cable. One point to point transmitter will be placed on telephone pole 98 with fiber optic cable strung to pole 96 where a second transmitter will be located. The two transmitters interface with one another creating a broadband connection enabling data transmission from Early Intake to the O'Shaugnessy site. This system will provide for the ability to send digital data and use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to support alarm monitoring. The availability of digital data enables Moccasin to monitor the site, retrieve visual imagery, and share that intelligence with cooperating agencies. Similarly, the implementation of VOIP alarm monitoring creates reliability in the event of natural or man-made disasters and shared monitoring through the Yosemite Emergency Communications Center. These improvements will provide for interoperable communications amongst the agencies (SFPUC/TCSO/NPS) which share responsibility for emergency response, operations, and mutual aid to the Hetch Hetchy facilities. Rapid response and quality information sharing improves emergency responder safety and capability for an appropriate response to emergencies.

The installation at pole 98 is replacement in kind of an obsolete telephone patch box and antenna with current technology. Pole 96 will mirror pole 98 with the same Ethernet bridge. The transformer installation onto existing pole 96 is necessary to provide power to the point to point transmitters.

The site is a utility corridor for the SFPUC in continuous use to provide power and telephone service as authorized in the Raker Act. Consultation has been done with the Wilderness Office regarding proposed wilderness areas. The corridor is not excluded from wilderness but is recognized as an administrative error to the wilderness boundary. The proposed action is consistent with maintaining telephone utlities to the O'Shaughnessy site. Furthermore there is provided within the wilderness act a public safety exception. The placement of telecommunications equipment will provide for reliable communications within the area to the dispatch centers.

Installation will occur by the manufacturer with on-site support provided by the Yosemite Telecommunications shop.