MONROE - An emergency services and public works communications project for the city has been prepared by Rob Jacobson, technical services director for the Monroe Police Department.
Jacobson assessed the city's current radio communication system, which included the street, water, waste water, fire, engineering, parks and police departments.
His report indicated that none of the radios used by the engineering or the parks department are narrow band compliant and all must be replaced.
A portion of the radios in the water and waste water departments are compliant.
Jacobson recommends transferring narrowband radios from the fire department to replace the public works departments' radios and installing or replacing base station radio systems where needed. A centrally located repeater system is also needed for public works. A radio repeater system retransmits low or weak signals at a higher level to increase coverage distance.
The fire department narrowband radios are in good condition, said Jacobson, but federal guidelines encourage all public safety agencies to replace conventional analog radios with P25 digital radios. P25 refers to a set of standards for digital radio communications used by fire, police and EMS.
The fire department also needs digital compliant mobile radios and a digital compliant repeated operations channel. The department has one repeater channel, which is shared by all departments in the county and is not for use during ground operations. The department is now using a mutual aid ground channel for fire operations.
Half of the police department portable radios are not narrowband capable. None of its portable or the mobile radios meets the P25 digital compliance standards for public safety, and none are capable of using the WISCOM, a state-wide shared radio system expected to be operational later this year. WISCOM is being set up to facilitate communications during major disasters or large-scale incidents, when contact beyond neighboring communities is needed.
The police department also needs a repeater P25 digital radio channel and a paging channel. The current paging channel is shared by all agencies in Green County.
Tornado sirens are activated by tones over the paging channel, which becomes overwhelmed during severe weather. Jacobson said Monroe Police have moved the city sirens to its department channel, but it is not a permanent solution, and emergency services for Monroe should be moved to a new Monroe paging frequency.
Radio replacements in squad cars requires a reconfiguration of vehicle consoles. Because the Mobile Data Computer (MDC) system and the Mobile Data Video System (MDVS) need to be replaced because of age and failures, Jacobson recommends replacement during the reconfiguration process.
Of the total estimated project cost, about two-thirds of it goes toward addressing the radio communication systems, including radio equipment, installation, tower work, wiring and MDC/MDVS.
And, an additional $250,000 is needed to replace an emergency power generator at the downtown police and fire stations.
The current 25 kilowatt, natural gas Kohler generator was installed in 1965 and has problems with coolant leaks.
Underpowered and unreliable, the generator also lacks the capacity to handle the additional requirements of the new equipment about to be installed, said Jacobson.
A large power outage in September 2010, the night prior to the Cheese Days celebration, tested the generator. It could operate only the basic essential items in the police dispatch center, according to Jacobson.
Extension cords had to be run throughout the building from the few operational electrical outlets to power phone and computer systems to issue press releases and communicate with other emergency and public officials.
If emergency power is not desired for the city hall, the overall project could be reduced by $100,000; however, emergency power is essential in this project for the fire and police departments, Jacobson added.
- Tere Dunlap
Jacobson assessed the city's current radio communication system, which included the street, water, waste water, fire, engineering, parks and police departments.
His report indicated that none of the radios used by the engineering or the parks department are narrow band compliant and all must be replaced.
A portion of the radios in the water and waste water departments are compliant.
Jacobson recommends transferring narrowband radios from the fire department to replace the public works departments' radios and installing or replacing base station radio systems where needed. A centrally located repeater system is also needed for public works. A radio repeater system retransmits low or weak signals at a higher level to increase coverage distance.
The fire department narrowband radios are in good condition, said Jacobson, but federal guidelines encourage all public safety agencies to replace conventional analog radios with P25 digital radios. P25 refers to a set of standards for digital radio communications used by fire, police and EMS.
The fire department also needs digital compliant mobile radios and a digital compliant repeated operations channel. The department has one repeater channel, which is shared by all departments in the county and is not for use during ground operations. The department is now using a mutual aid ground channel for fire operations.
Half of the police department portable radios are not narrowband capable. None of its portable or the mobile radios meets the P25 digital compliance standards for public safety, and none are capable of using the WISCOM, a state-wide shared radio system expected to be operational later this year. WISCOM is being set up to facilitate communications during major disasters or large-scale incidents, when contact beyond neighboring communities is needed.
The police department also needs a repeater P25 digital radio channel and a paging channel. The current paging channel is shared by all agencies in Green County.
Tornado sirens are activated by tones over the paging channel, which becomes overwhelmed during severe weather. Jacobson said Monroe Police have moved the city sirens to its department channel, but it is not a permanent solution, and emergency services for Monroe should be moved to a new Monroe paging frequency.
Radio replacements in squad cars requires a reconfiguration of vehicle consoles. Because the Mobile Data Computer (MDC) system and the Mobile Data Video System (MDVS) need to be replaced because of age and failures, Jacobson recommends replacement during the reconfiguration process.
Of the total estimated project cost, about two-thirds of it goes toward addressing the radio communication systems, including radio equipment, installation, tower work, wiring and MDC/MDVS.
And, an additional $250,000 is needed to replace an emergency power generator at the downtown police and fire stations.
The current 25 kilowatt, natural gas Kohler generator was installed in 1965 and has problems with coolant leaks.
Underpowered and unreliable, the generator also lacks the capacity to handle the additional requirements of the new equipment about to be installed, said Jacobson.
A large power outage in September 2010, the night prior to the Cheese Days celebration, tested the generator. It could operate only the basic essential items in the police dispatch center, according to Jacobson.
Extension cords had to be run throughout the building from the few operational electrical outlets to power phone and computer systems to issue press releases and communicate with other emergency and public officials.
If emergency power is not desired for the city hall, the overall project could be reduced by $100,000; however, emergency power is essential in this project for the fire and police departments, Jacobson added.
- Tere Dunlap