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Police, fire outline capital plans: EOC, radios, fire‑station remodels and generator upgrades
Summary
Police and fire chiefs summarized planned public safety investments including Emergency Operations Center upgrades, radio/repeater modernization, encryption compliance, a generator replacement at the police department site, and remodels for Fire Stations 71 and 72.
Porterville public safety leaders briefed the council on technology and facilities projects intended to improve emergency response and multi‑agency coordination.
Police technology and EOC Police Chief Costello outlined planned upgrades to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and communications platforms. He said the EOC needs upgraded display, mapping and high‑speed workstations for multi‑jurisdictional incident management. He also said some repeater and radio systems are aging and that Department of Justice encryption requirements for public‑safety radio systems factor into replacement timing.
Chief Costello said the EOC upgrades are designed to improve interoperability with county and state partners during sustained incidents, and that staff estimate significant equipment and software costs. "We need that integration with the county, the state and all our surrounding partners to work together in those critical incidents," Costello said.
Generator and facility work Staff discussed the need to replace or upgrade the police department generator and related electrical infrastructure; replacement is complicated by site constraints and switchgear updates. The topic will require additional project scoping and a construction plan to maintain PD access and system reliability.
Fire stations and apparatus Fire Chief Cogburn briefed the council on planned remodels for Station 71 (adjacent to City Hall) and Station 72 (on Newcomb). Chief Cogburn said Station 72 work is planned first to support Station 71’s larger remodel sequence; bids and construction management costs were included in the CIP.
Ending: Council did not take votes at the meeting. Chiefs said some projects require multi‑year budgeting and that staff will return with more detailed timelines and cost breakdowns.
