Berks County/Municipal Radio System Replacement Summary
Berks County began a major effort in 2010 to ensure emergency responders in the county had access to reliable radio communications. This resulted in the County constructing its first engineered, secure, and resilient public-safety radio communications system. This system has not been inexpensive to own and operate. However, according to county emergency responders, there is no argument about the fact that it has performed without downtime and has dramatically improved radio system coverage and reliability.
The components that make up this system have a life expectancy like any similar electronics. Some of the parts can be managed through a break/fix process (allowing the part to fail and then replacing it at cost). Other components cannot be managed responsibly in this way. They need to be replaced in anticipation of failure. The complex and ever-changing world economy means that manufacturers cannot guarantee availability of parts/sub-components for as long as they used to.
This means the County needs to begin considering next steps in the long-term management of this system. There are significant expenses expected over the next five years to “refresh” the technology.
The radios used in the field by local and county personnel have similar needs. These radios are going into fires, being dropped/dislodged during law enforcement activities, exposed to weather, and experience just about any other undesirable situation you can imagine. Their manufacturers will no longer support the units, and many of them need replacement now or will need to be replaced in the next 12-24 months.
State law assigns the responsibility for the delivery of most emergency services to local municipalities. So, the costs for these radios will generally be borne by local governments. As the County works to plan next steps in the ownership of the system itself (as well as the individual, hand-held radios used by County employees), local partners will be looking to set forth a plan to refresh some/all of the radios in their possession.
To support the needs of the local governments, the County Commissioners are working to:
- Offering a pass-through seven-year financing program to local governments to help spread this cost over time, if desired.
- Establish the best possible contract terms and costs.
The Berks County Commissioners hope that this summary of the project planning underway will aid residents in understanding actions that local and county governments are taking now and will need to take over the next few years.
