County 9-1-1 Radio Proposal Comes Under Fire

Washington County Commissioners were met with a large push back from emergency responders throughout the county regarding the replacement of the current 9-1-1 radio communications system. Commissioners approved a measure to have a study conducted to see if current VHF technology can be used in a new radio communications system. The system being studied is a system proposed by TAIT/MRA Inc./ PMC Wireless. The system would cost approximately $22.5 million and would be paid through American Rescue Plan funds. MRA Inc. is the current vendor that supplies radio communications for the county and they would be conducting the study. First Responders from all over the county asked commissioners to table the motion for further consideration. They were upset that the proposal up for vote was not the recommendation from the First Responder Public Safety Advisory Board and the Land/Mobile Radio Subcommittee. The preferred option was supplied by Motorola and worked on a 80 megahertz broadcast system. Commissioners stated that budgetary issues came into play. Motorola could not guarantee that the system would be completely installed by 2026 so that it could be funded totally by ARPA funds. Their proposal was also $7 million more than the proposed budget. Fire Chief Chris Richer from the City of Washington Fire Department spoke of having a fire in January with entrapment and having no radio support from the county 9-1-1 system. Fire Chief Jordan Cramer of South Strabane Township related how his communications on Interstates 70 and 79 cannot be completed with emergency vehicles only a half mile away. Commissioners approved the study by a 2-1 vote. Commissioner Nick Sherman registered the dissenting vote. According to Commissioner Chairwoman Diana Irey-Vaughn, if the TAIT/MRA Inc. study comes back and says VHF does not work, it is back to square one. If the proposal is feasible, it will be approved and sent on to the U. S. Department of the Treasury for their approval for implementation.