Woodbury County, Iowa received federal funds to improve communications systems used by all first responders in the Tri-State Area.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on September 25, 2003 that 17 communities would receive a portion of $79.6 million in funds to help develop interoperable communications systems. The grant recipients receive funds as part of a joint program between DHS and the Department of Justice to develop  demonstration projects that will use the equipment and technology to increase interoperability among the fire, police, and emergency medical service communities.

•  Woodbury County, Iowa was the recipient of $5,995,822. The funding was be used to improve communications systems that can be shared by all first responders in the Tri-State Area (Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota).
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•  Woodbury County created STARCOMM (Siouxland Tri-State Area Radio Communications) for the implementation of tri-state, tri-county interoperable public safety radio communications network.

 In 2018, the Starcomm Executive Board entered into a long term agreement with the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System Board "ISICSS" and Motorola. This agreement is set to allow Motorola to install the ISICS system on all of the Starcomm tower sites and to share system resources. This is a perfect example of the vision the Starcomm team had with the original grant received back in 2003, was to enhance interoperability when the opportunity arrived.