Alameda County First Responders To Be Linked Via New Digital Radio System
First responders in Alameda County, California, will soon be linked via a new emergency radio system. The county has begun construction on a regional system for the San Francisco East Bay area.
The new Alameda County digital radio network replaces an aging analog radio network, and will provide the East Bay Region with interoperable radio communications for any agency that elects to use it. It will remove blockages in emergency communications caused by incompatible technologies and overcrowded frequencies across the region that have plagued East Bay police and fire agencies.
“An interoperable system is crucial in responding to large scale disasters as well as equally important daily operations involving multiple jurisdictions,” said Randy Hagar, Deputy Director, General Services Agency. “Implementation of a regional communications system will make it possible for first responders to talk to each other directly across city and county boundaries.”
According to Hagar, the vision for the new system is for multiple communities throughout the SF East Bay area, including Contra Costa County, to be covered by the system.
The new system, a Motorola 800 MHz trunked radio network based on Project 25 standards for public safety, was procured at the end of last year. The first of its kind in California, it will be installed in a number of phases. The network is designed to be consistent with the Homeland Security Department’s SAFECOM guidelines for interoperability and also supports the State’s strategic plan.
Currently, there are 104 agencies on the existing system.
