WASHINGTON (AP) — Gov. Martin O’Malley is attending an event with Vice President Joe Biden and other federal officials on deploying a national public safety broadband network to improve communications for emergency responders.

The event is scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Washington.

Attorney General Eric Holder, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan also are attending the event.

O’Malley has been a supporter of building a single communications network to link all first responders and state officials across Maryland.

Late last year, Maryland’s Board of Public Works approved a $485 million contract over 15 years to begin building it. O’Malley is one of the board’s three members.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)