§ 21-P:48-a — Division of Emergency Services and Communications

I. There is hereby created a division of emergency services and communications within the department of safety under the supervision of the director of emergency services and communications and reporting to the assistant commissioner. The commissioner shall nominate a director of the division of emergency services and communications for appointment by the governor, with the consent of the council, who shall serve a term of 4 years until a successor has been appointed. The director shall be responsible to carry out such duties as are specifically enumerated in this subdivision and as may be assigned by the office of the commissioner. The director shall be academically and technically qualified to hold the position and shall receive the salary specified in RSA 94:1-a for the director of emergency services and communications.
II. With the approval of the commissioner, the director may employ such necessary technical, clerical, stenographic, and other personnel, and may make such expenditures from state or federal funds as are or may be made available for purposes of emergency services and communications and the state radio communications systems. The director and other personnel of the division shall be provided with appropriate office space, furniture, equipment, supplies, stationery and printing, and funds for traveling and related expenses, in the same manner as provided for personnel of other state agencies. With general oversight by the assistant commissioner, the director shall coordinate the activities of all organizations for emergency 911 telecommunications within the state, state and local, county, and private, and shall maintain liaison with and cooperate with police, fire, emergency medical, and sheriff's departments and emergency telecommunications organizations of other states and of the federal government. The director shall also oversee the state radio communications system, which includes infrastructure and any communication systems that directly support interoperable communications and the exchange of information between the public safety answering point/emergency communications center and the first responder, and have such additional duties, responsibilities, and authority authorized by applicable laws as may be prescribed by the commissioner.
III. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, maintenance of the state radio communications systems overseen by the division of emergency services and communications pursuant to this section shall be funded by the surcharge fund established in RSA 106-H:9.

Legislative History

2008, 361:7. 2011, 224:335, eff. July 1, 2011. 2016, 147:3, eff. July 1, 2016. 2025, 141:381, eff. July 1, 2025.