News

N.Y. Emergency Service Agencies Get Radio Upgrades

Daily Messenger (Canandaigua, New York)

11/25/2012

Victor Fire Department was a hub of activity last week as emergency service agencies of northwest Ontario County had new state-of-the-art radios installed in their fire trucks, ambulances, and command vehicles.

The radios are a part of the implementation of Ontario County's new 700/800 MHz county wide P25 public safety radio system. This system will provide state of the art communications for the county's first responders, and will use mobile relay (FB2) and mobiles (MO) to reduce the congestion experienced on their existing systems.

The radios were purchased after the agencies were awarded $382, 180 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency/Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Fire-fighter's Regional Radio Interoperability Communications Grant. Led by members of the Victor Fire Department, the lengthy grant application process was tackled by a six-member committee of representatives from Victor, Farmington and Fishers Fire Departments and the Victor Farmington Ambulance Corps.

Money received from the grant went toward the purchase of six new radios for base stations, 30 mobile radios for all vehicles owned by these agencies, and 86 portable radios. The radios will function as part of a new public safety radio system being constructed by Ontario County at a cost of approximately $17 million. The new, state-of-the-art radio system will allow all of the county public safety agencies to directly communicate with one another during large-scale emergency incidents.

In addition, the new system will provide superior radio coverage for emergency responders, increasing the safety of their personnel and emergency responses to Ontario County citizens.