(Red Oak) Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman says the county officially switched public safety radio communications over to its new 700Mhz radio system on the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS) this morning.
The radio project was approved by the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors on January 23, 2018 and awarded to Motorola Solutions.
The project included three – 300’ self-supported radio towers, one – 80’ self-supported radio tower, 290 dual band radios including portable and mobile radios for users on the streets as well as in their vehicles, a simulcast fire paging system and a host of other equipment. The Montgomery County 911 Service Board also approved the purchase of 3 new dispatching consoles to allow complete and full access of the system with a back-up communications console being placed at the Montgomery County Emergency Management Facility.
“With having the new system in place, we have already seen a dramatic improvement in our public safety communications across the county by first responders utilizing the new system where the current radio system has no coverage at all,” said Brian Hamman, Montgomery County Emergency Management Director.
The original 18-month goal of completion was extended due several factors including land acquisition, spring flooding and a final tower site approval that had an extended appeal process. We are pleased that we have not faced any unexpected change orders and the approved project budget was held to the contract price.
There is a lot of people that need acknowledged and thanked for their support to make this project a reality for us including the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, all Montgomery County first responders and their families and the public that helped support our cause in the approval stages of the project.
I would also like to thank the entire Motorola Solutions team from pre-sales to our project manager and engineer, training and the post-warranty team. Their support and help along the way have been tremendous in making this changeover as seamless as possible. The support and assistance received from them as well as all the contractors that have been involved this entire time has made the transition and experience as easy as it could be.
“The new radio system allows all Montgomery County first responders to have complete and full coverage throughout Montgomery County and the State of Iowa. Our radios will now be interoperable with all neighboring counties and we’re excited for those counties that are also about ready to cutover to their new systems as well,” said Hamman. “After several years of planning and then implementing the new system, it’s great and very exciting to finally see it being used throughout our agencies.
” Within 10 minutes of switching over this morning, the Red Oak Fire Department responded to a commercial structure fire at Red Oak Fabrications. The fire was quickly extinguished and proved that the new radio system was and is very beneficial for the safety and operations of our first responders.
