Emergency Communications Board OKs $125,000 for new radio system

By Jessica Stith
of The Daily Times Staff
jessica.stith@thedailytimes.com


In a called meeting on Thursday, the 9-1-1 board approved buying a new radio system due to a "critical" situation.

The Blount County Emergency Communications District Board, minus one member, unanimously voted to allow Blount County Communications Center Director Jeff Caylor to spend up to $125,000 to purchase the new radio system.

Caylor told the board that the communications center pays Central Communications more than $1,000 per month to maintain their current system, the Citricom Series II, which he said is an outdated system.

Caylor said Central Communications has been working on fixing a "bleed-over problem" -- when one radio frequency "bleeds" into another -- that has been occurring for the past three months with the radio system. He contacted the firm and asked what the problem was and why it was not fixed.

He said he was told at that time by a company representative that several of the parts needed for the current radio system can no longer be found. Caylor said this was the first time the company had informed him of that.

He also asked if the needed parts would fix the bleed-over situation. Caylor was told the parts would not correct the problem, and that the district needed a new system.

Some of those parts link all five of the radio system consoles at the dispatch center. Although they have emergency backup procedures, Caylor said that if one of those parts were to stop operating correctly, it could pose a major problem.

Caylor said that the day after he spoke with Central Communications, he called another company for a second opinion. That firm agreed that it would be hard to find some crucial parts for the system. The next day he arranged for a called meeting of the communications district board.

 

Minimizing risk

Caylor pointed out that they have never had a problem with those parts in the 20 years that they have had the system, but he did not want to take a gamble.

"I'm not willing to take that risk," Caylor said. "As mission critical as communications is, it's not something to roll the dice on."

Caylor said that some other agencies he has talked to are still using the Citricom Series II, as well, but they have to "scour for parts."

A representative from Zetron and representatives from Motorola attended the meeting and spoke about their radio systems. Caylor said he had the most faith in the Zetron system, which he has been looking into for two years.

Caylor said he liked the Zetron system because it has a button base as well as a computer base, while most others have only a computer base. Caylor said if the computer base failed, the button base would be a backup.

Blount County Sheriff and Board Member James Berrong asked if the system would be compatible with everything that was currently in place and technology advancements that were planned for the future. Louis Cartwright, a representative of Zetron, told the board that the system "can interface with just about anything."

Caylor said this would be helpful because they plan to eventually purchase a 700 or 800 megahertz trunked radio system. The trunked system allows those using the frequencies to have more than one line of communication within a single frequency.

 

Delayed purchase

Judge William R. Brewer, board chairman, said the district board had planned on getting a new system, but was trying to delay the purchase as long as possible. Board members were hoping to hold out until after the district moves its operation to a new facility to be built on Honeysuckle Road behind the Alcoa-Maryville-Blount County Landfill, and until the purchase of the countywide infrastructure.

Blount County Commissioner and Board Member Scott Helton asked if the board was required to take bids for the new system. Brewer said there are provisions that allow for a quick purchase a new radio system in the event of a critical situation.

Alcoa Fire Chief and Board Member Roger Robinson asked that Caylor look into a system that would cover areas that the old system is deficient in covering, which effects both Maryville and Alcoa Fire Departments.

Caylor said most of the radio systems he has looked at cost about $125,000. The board agreed to allow Caylor to spend up to $125,00 on a new system.

He said he plans to purchase a new system next week and it should be installed in four to six weeks.