The International Municipal Signal Association/International Association of Fire Chiefs (IMSA/IAFC) and the Forestry Conservation Communications Association (FCCA) — two of the four FCC-certified coordinating committees for public-safety channels — have decided to combine their frequency coordination work. The new partnership will become effective on March 12.

Each association will retain its own identity for representation and training of its constituents, but will combine their frequency coordination activities in a new non-profit corporation named the Public Safety Communications Associates (PSCA). PSCA will have its headquarters in Gettysburg, Pa.

“We believe that by combining our efforts we can provide the most rapid and cost effective frequency coordination process for the entire public safety community,” Dave Kumke, president of IMSA, and Lloyd Mitchell, president of FCCA, said in a joint statement. “While PSCA will certainly benefit the fire, EMS, and forestry conservation communities, its services will also be available to any public safety applicant, be it police, highway maintenance organizations, or local government in general.”

Ralph Haller, formerly chief of the FCC’s private radio bureau, will head up the new PSCA.

Applicants can continue to file applications electronically at either the IMSA or FCCA websites. PSCA also can accept electronic applications from FreqEasy.