The 9/11 Commission identified instances where agencies did not receive information that could have kept first responders out of the doomed buildings, and other examples of evacuation orders that did not reach civilians who died in the terror attacks.

A grant awarded last week to Kentucky agencies by the Office of Homeland Security might help avoid such confusion here.

The grant might help in case of a catastrophic attack, said the Boone County director of emergency management.

"What this will allow is direct radio communication and connectivity for first responders," said Dan Maher, whose department applied for the money on behalf of three area counties.

Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties received $2.8 million in Homeland Security grants as part of $36 million awarded to Kentucky by the Cabinet-level department - with about 65 percent going toward improving communication coverage.

Maher said the funds will be used to upgrade 911 call centers in each county to digital microwave radio, which eliminates interference and will allow dispatchers and callers to communicate directly with first responders such as police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel.

"They can be patched through directly from Boone, Kenton or Campbell counties over the radio," Maher said.

Dispatchers at 911 centers now use phone lines, which can become disabled in emergencies and jammed by call volume.

"When phone lines go down and everybody is on cell phones and it clogs up communication lines, it also affects public safety," Maher said.

The money will likely be enough to add transmission towers and microwave connectivity within a year, Maher said, but more funds would be needed to replace wire lines in all three counties.

Maher said a statewide system is planned, but more money would be needed to get such a program up and running.

The regional Weapons of Mass Destruction and Hazardous Materials Response Unit also received $390,000 from the grant to add specialized equipment.

About 60 people have been trained to work on the unit, which serves all eight counties in the Northern Kentucky region and is one of 14 planned across the Commonwealth.