First responders, municipal officials attending forum on new 911 emergency radio system
Meeting will be held Wednesday night in South Franklin
First responders and municipal leaders from across Washington County are being invited to attend an educational forum to discuss the new 911 emergency radio system and ask questions with Motorola and public safety officials about how it will be implemented.
The 90-minute meeting Wednesday night at the South Franklin Volunteer Fire Department’s Social Hall is designed to brief first responders on the new $24.445 million radio system that will be rolled out over the next 18 months to two years.
The meeting is an invitation-only event and apparently not open to the general public despite the three county commissioners expected to be in attendance, although it was not clear whether they would be speaking about the project or just listening to Motorola representatives, project consultants and county public safety officials discuss the new radio system.
According to a press release sent Friday morning, emergency agencies will receive an “equitable distribution of portables, mobiles and base stations” for their departments with first responders having the “latest communication tools” in the field. The county will also have a new radio tower system network, and will be joining the Inter-County Regional Radio System, which officials said will improve communication between neighboring counties and other outside agencies.
In addition to representatives from Motorola and members of the county’s public safety committee, project consultants Mission Critical Partners will also be at the forum to answer questions.
“This forum is intended exclusively for emergency responders and (municipal) managers, not the public, but the media is welcome to attend,” county spokesman Patrick Geho wrote in an email from a reporter asking about the project and its timeline. “During the forum, we will address these, and other questions related to a project that will take 18 to 24 months to complete. The County Public Safety Committee is currently distributing a survey to assess the department’s needs regarding mobile units, handheld devices, and base stations.”
The commissioners approved the contract with Motorola Solutions during their Sept. 23 voting meeting. The vote was split, with Republican Commissioners Nick Sherman and Electra Janis voting in favor of the contract and Democratic Commissioner Larry Maggi voting against the motion after he questioned the decision to terminate a previously approved contract with another telecommunications vendor. Following the vote, Sherman promised to host a forum for first responders and municipal officials in order for them to ask questions and learn more about the project.
The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the fire hall at 101 Jolly Road in South Franklin Township. Attendees are required to RSVP through the county.