New radio program for Wheatland County
Wheatland County is upgrading its radio communications to a new electronic system to enable much better direct emergency solutions across wider parts.
Throughout its normal assembly on Sept. 15, Wheatland County council voted to award a sole supply deal to BearCom, a wireless communications supplier, to upgrade the county’s regional radio procedure. This up grade will consist of the installation of a new radio tower at Hammer Hill, located east of Namaka Lake.
The county’s local radio technique is used by all nine fire departments inside the county, as effectively as by its general public functions division.
The existing analog program is older technology nearing the close of its lifecycle, creating maintenance and aspect replacement complicated, and are not able to be programmed to allow for interagency operability, described Michael Bourgon, Wheatland County’s manager of fireplace and emergency providers.
The new digital method will also present greater protection, which is at present missing in some regions of the county, famous Bourgon.
The county regarded as transitioning to the Alberta To start with Responders Radio Communications Method (AFRRCS), a two-way radio network for first responders across the province that turned operational in July 2016. Nonetheless, following a comparison report conducted by Transitional Solutions Inc., the county opted as an alternative to enhance the recent process, allowing for 5 amounts of redundancy and resulting in a lot less price tag and teaching than transferring to AFRRCS.
Specified this conclusion, Wheatland and Adjacent Districts Unexpected emergency Medical Services Affiliation (WADEMSA) and regional municipalities will not have to go to a new method or devote in new gear, mentioned Bourgon.
The county started out functioning with BearCom on the update in 2017, and considering that has acquired some of the needed products, together with batteries and repeaters. The upgrades, for which the county has presently budgeted $275,000, will price $272,762.11, right before GST.
Sean Feagan, Community Journalism Initiative Reporter, Strathmore Moments
