[Scan-DC] Sussex eyes fix to put first responders on same wavelength with Maryland

[Alan Henney]

https://delawarestatenews.net/news/sussex-eyes-fix-to-put-first-responders-on-same-wavelength-with-maryland/?utm_source=Delaware&utm_campaign=5407a1eea1-dsn-mc+RSS+news+daily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1e4f95e41f-5407a1eea1-360022357&mc_cid=5407a1eea1&mc_eid=e232da1d96

Sussex eyes fix to put first responders on same wavelength with Maryland
Sep 23rd, 2018 · by Glenn Rolfe · Comments: 1

Sussex County Emergency Operations Center Director Joe Thomas listens to a
question
during his presentation on a needed radio upgrade for county first
responders. (Glenn Rolfe/Sussex Post)

GEORGETOWN — Sussex County appears to have a potential $75,000 solution
that will put county first responders and those from neighboring Maryland
on the same wavelength.

A difference in radio technology has created a communication gap and safety
concerns in mutual aid responses that Sussex County Emergency Operations
Center Director Joe Thomas can be fixed with a patch.

At issue: Fire and Emergency Medical Services from Wicomico and Worcester
counties in Maryland have come on board with a new public safety radio
system. It’s Phase 2, which features the latest technology, Mr. Thomas said.

Radios for fire, ambulance and EMS in Delaware operate on older Phase 1
technology.

“What happens is when we key up one of our radios into Maryland on a Phase
2 system we occupy two of their radio frequencies at the same time,” said
Mr. Thomas, in a Sept. 18 presentation to county council.” Well, for
someone like Wicomico County that only has six radio frequencies on their
system and we take up two of them, we have already limited a third of their
system. It creates an operational issue.”

The issue centers on the emergency 800 MHz radio system used by emergency
responders in Sussex County and Maryland. The 800 MHz system is “owned” by
the state of Delaware, but Sussex County works directly with local fire and
ambulance companies to maintain their radios and ensure radio towers are
operating correctly.

The communication gap stems from a decision that Delaware radios as they
have been ordered over the years only have Phase 1 technology.

“They don’t have Phase 2,” Mr. Thomas said. “The Phase 2 radio works
seamlessly on our system. They (Maryland responders) don’t have an issue
coming into Delaware. It’s only with our Phase 1 radio crossing into
Maryland going on their system. Newer technology has created this issue.”


Wicomico and Worcester have contacted Sussex County and said “quite frankly
… they are not going to allow our radios to talk on their system. They
don’t want to downgrade the capability of their system any further,” Mr.
Thomas told county leaders.

This impacts first responders and creates safety issues. “When you have
first responders on the scene and can’t talk to one another there can be
safety concerns,” said Mr. Thomas, adding the county has been in
communication with the state since April.

“I don’t know that there was a delay that was purposeful,” said Sussex
County Administrator Todd Lawson. “I think that when you have one state
operating under their own program and knowing they are going to make an
upgrade they probably told Delaware that they were going to also be
affected. But that information really wasn’t used in a way to plan
appropriately, so we’ve got this gap of time. Some companies have already
switched over, so we are playing catch-up.”

Among the fire and EMS departments this impacts: Seaford, Blades, Laurel,
Delmar, Gumboro, Selbyville, Roxana and Bethany Beach as well as Sussex
County EMS paramedics.

The solution, Mr. Thomas said, is an upgrade, or a “patch,” which involves
a radio flash kit.

Mr. Thomas said the Motorola company is offering the state of Delaware a
one-time 65-percent discount to the flash through the end of the year. So,
it would be $182 instead of the normal $518 radio upgrade cost.

For 420 radios, an estimated $76,000 would make communicate devices
compatible with neighboring Maryland.

Recently, Delaware Emergency Management Agency informed Sussex County that
there is grant funding they could reallocate toward this project. The
ballpark figure mentioned was $75,000.

The county would pay for that flash kit for radios, which would be
installed by county communications division. Sussex County would be
reimbursed through the grant.

Most radios have a 15-year shelf life and Delaware’s current radios were
purchased within the last five years. Mr. Thomas explained that the state
radio system is upgraded roughly every five years. “We are currently in the
middle of another upgrade,” Mr. Thomas said.

County councilman Rob Arlett, R-Frankford, said he has received calls with
concern regarding this communication issue.

Mr. Thomas’ presentation was informational; council took no action at the
Sept. 18 meeting.

The good news, Mr. Lawson said is that “we have a solution and funding to
back that solution up. I think come full circle we’ll be in a good place as
fast as we can. Certainly, there could have been some improvements in the
coordination between the two states. But that didn’t happen.”