Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Radio system upgrade to improve emergency service

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 01 Feb 2003 12:36:15 -0500

Anoka County (MN)
Radio system upgrade to improve emergency service

BY NANCY NGO
Pioneer Press

Jan. 26, 2003

Anoka County (MN) is replacing its decades-old emergency
radio system, a $12.5 million upgrade intended to improve
communications between dispatchers and emergency workers in the
field in the growing county.

Too many "dead zones" across the county can leave police and
firefighters out of contact.

"There's a need for handheld radios to have adequate
coverage for police and fire, so it's in bad need of improvement,"
said John Tonding, Anoka County central communications manager.

"This is really a public safety concern."

The overhaul of the 1970s-era system will integrate new
technology that will allow for clearer communications. It also
will provide emergency workers with more radio channels and
expanded coverage capabilities.

The switch to an 800-megahertz radio system will bring the
county in line with statewide efforts to switch to a uniform
system in the seven-county metro area.

The Anoka County project will replace equipment such as
transmitters, receivers and radio consoles. The project also
requires construction of four towers.

After obtaining permission from the Legislature last year,
the county has sold $10.5 million in bonds. A $1.3 million tax
levy has been put in place starting this year.

Taxes should amount to $13 a year for a home at $137,500 in
market value, $15 for a $165,000 home and $18 for a $198,000 home.
The tax is expected to either stay the same or decrease over the
next 10 years, said Terry Johnson, division manager of Anoka
County Finance and Central Services.

The Metropolitan Radio Board is expected to pick up the
remainder of the tab for the radio system, which could be in place
as early as spring 2004.

The new system will be part of a 800 MHz trunk system rather
than the very high frequency, or VHF, system the county currently
uses.

While the county is growing and public safety needs have
increased, the VHF system is limited in its ability to expand.

Each channel under the new system allows many different
groups to have separate conversations at the same time, so there
is more use out of one channel.

Anoka is planning a 12-channel system that will allow for up
to 100 groups to talk at once. Five of those channels will be
shared with the Minnesota State Patrol and MnDOT.

The agencies will be able to communicate with each other
when responding to the same event.

So far Hennepin County, the city of Minneapolis, the State
Patrol and MnDOT are among agencies that have switched to the new
system.

Dakota and Washington counties have plans to use the system
within the next few years, but officials said the high costs keep
them from making the change sooner.

Although Anoka County law enforcement agencies will notice a
difference in the efficiency of daily operations, the average
citizen probably will not.

"There won't be a dramatic change," Tonding said.

"The citizen calling 911 shouldn't see any substantial
change in how that is handled. Where we're gaining is the
capability of public safety officers coordinating with
dispatchers."

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/