Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER) is the 800 MHz trunked public safety radio System used in the State of Minnesota. The system was developed to improve communication amongst emergency services during natural and man made disasters.
The statewide proposal was developed by the Public Safety Radio System Planning Committee (established by the 2002 Minnesota legislature) after a 2001 trial in the Twin Cities area. The original proposal scheduled completion of the network by 2011 but as of April 19, 2010 the expected completion date is 2013.
Criticism
The network came under criticism in 2008 by Ronald Vegemast, one of the original engineers working on the proposal. Vegemast raised concerns about the cost of the project and that the technology was already out of date. A spokesman for the Division of Emergency Communication Networks defended ARMER saying, "Will there be something better 10 years from now, there may very well be, but state and local officials will derive the benefits until there is something better."