Daviess Fiscal Court is ready to hire a firm to build the county’s multimillion-dollar upgrade to the radio system used by law enforcement, fire departments and emergency management.
When complete, the new system will allow every county agency, such as the volunteer fire departments, road department and animal control, their own radio channels, which is something the county doesn’t have currently on its antiquated radio system. The system will largely correct communications in the county caused by interference or terrain, and will merge with the system used inside Owensboro’s city limits.
On Tuesday, Aug. 18, county officials are expected to hire Motorola to build the digital radio system to replace the outdated VHF system the county has used for decades. Responders have said they have trouble communicating with the 911 dispatch center in the field when they are on portable radios. Also, atmospheric conditions interfere with transmissions.
An analysis of the current system found, among other things, that much of the equipment is either obsolete or no longer being serviced by the vendors who created it.
Jordan Johnson, purchasing agent for Fiscal Court, said Monday the award calls for Motorola to not exceed $6.009 million.
The county examined several options and consultants recommended the county go with a system that would use four sites and would share a “core” with the city’s digital system. The “core” is what connects an agency to dispatch.
The county will pay for the project.
“The city is not out anything,” by the county connecting with the city’s system, Johnson said. Motorola also provided a certified statement, saying the city’s communications system for police and fire departments would not be degraded by the county tying into the city’s “core.”
“Our utilization of the core will have no impact on the city’s functionality,” Johnson said.
The system will provide 98% radio coverage in the county for vehicle radios, along with 93.4% coverage for responders’ portable radios outdoors. Indoors, responders on portable radios can expect 86.5% radio coverage.
Johnson said portions of northeast Daviess County, which is not as densely populated as other areas and consists of farmland, is the area where there will be spots with limited coverage.
The sheriff’s office and fire department reviewed it, and they have no concerns,” Johnson said.
The system the county selected uses four tower sites. Building a fifth site would only increase indoor portable coverage to 90%, and would add almost $600,000 to the project, Johnson said.
Maj. Barry Smith, chief deputy for the sheriff’s office, said the new system will have “multiple channels we could utilize.” Currently, the sheriff’s department has two channels, the county fire department has a channel and there is a “joint ops” channel that agencies can use to talk to one another, although that channel has limitations in the current VHF system.
Agencies will be able to set up “talk group” channels for special events, such as a channel just for security working the ROMP fest or an event at the courthouse, Smith said.
“There is an advantage now and an advantage as we grow,” Smith said.
If the county grows and more communications channels are needed, the county will “already have the infrastructure” for more channels, Smith said.
City-county 911 Director Paul Nave said communication between agencies with the VHF system has been an issue, even when the units trying to communicate are on the same street. The new system will eliminate those issues, he said.
“It’s going to make a huge difference” in agency communications, Nave said, adding that having a system multiple agencies can use that can also create specific talk groups “is priceless.”
“It’s a win-win all the way around, not just for law enforcement but for fire, EMA, animal control …” Nave said. “All government agencies are going to benefit.”
Johnson said the plan is for Motorola to begin purchasing equipment when the agreement is finalized.
Actual work will likely begin in October or November, he said.
When complete, the new system will allow every county agency, such as the volunteer fire departments, road department and animal control, their own radio channels, which is something the county doesn’t have currently on its antiquated radio system. The system will largely correct communications in the county caused by interference or terrain, and will merge with the system used inside Owensboro’s city limits.
On Tuesday, Aug. 18, county officials are expected to hire Motorola to build the digital radio system to replace the outdated VHF system the county has used for decades. Responders have said they have trouble communicating with the 911 dispatch center in the field when they are on portable radios. Also, atmospheric conditions interfere with transmissions.
An analysis of the current system found, among other things, that much of the equipment is either obsolete or no longer being serviced by the vendors who created it.
Jordan Johnson, purchasing agent for Fiscal Court, said Monday the award calls for Motorola to not exceed $6.009 million.
The county examined several options and consultants recommended the county go with a system that would use four sites and would share a “core” with the city’s digital system. The “core” is what connects an agency to dispatch.
The county will pay for the project.
“The city is not out anything,” by the county connecting with the city’s system, Johnson said. Motorola also provided a certified statement, saying the city’s communications system for police and fire departments would not be degraded by the county tying into the city’s “core.”
“Our utilization of the core will have no impact on the city’s functionality,” Johnson said.
The system will provide 98% radio coverage in the county for vehicle radios, along with 93.4% coverage for responders’ portable radios outdoors. Indoors, responders on portable radios can expect 86.5% radio coverage.
Johnson said portions of northeast Daviess County, which is not as densely populated as other areas and consists of farmland, is the area where there will be spots with limited coverage.
The sheriff’s office and fire department reviewed it, and they have no concerns,” Johnson said.
The system the county selected uses four tower sites. Building a fifth site would only increase indoor portable coverage to 90%, and would add almost $600,000 to the project, Johnson said.
Maj. Barry Smith, chief deputy for the sheriff’s office, said the new system will have “multiple channels we could utilize.” Currently, the sheriff’s department has two channels, the county fire department has a channel and there is a “joint ops” channel that agencies can use to talk to one another, although that channel has limitations in the current VHF system.
Agencies will be able to set up “talk group” channels for special events, such as a channel just for security working the ROMP fest or an event at the courthouse, Smith said.
“There is an advantage now and an advantage as we grow,” Smith said.
If the county grows and more communications channels are needed, the county will “already have the infrastructure” for more channels, Smith said.
City-county 911 Director Paul Nave said communication between agencies with the VHF system has been an issue, even when the units trying to communicate are on the same street. The new system will eliminate those issues, he said.
“It’s going to make a huge difference” in agency communications, Nave said, adding that having a system multiple agencies can use that can also create specific talk groups “is priceless.”
“It’s a win-win all the way around, not just for law enforcement but for fire, EMA, animal control …” Nave said. “All government agencies are going to benefit.”
Johnson said the plan is for Motorola to begin purchasing equipment when the agreement is finalized.
Actual work will likely begin in October or November, he said.
That is a good one.
