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Montgomery County Switches to New Public Safety Radio System

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman reports the County officially switched their public safety radio communications over to a new 700Mhz (Megahertz) radio system on the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS). 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 thestreets 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.

Hamman says “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.” 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. Hamman said “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.”

“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,” Hamman said.

“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 (Tuesday) 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