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Dispatch chief outlines radio-replacement five-year plan, warns of $734,000 price tag and 2030 compatibility deadline
Summary
Brittney, the county dispatch leader, told commissioners she submitted a five-year replacement plan for radio consoles and terminals, saying older equipment will be incompatible after 2030 and giving an initial quote of about $734,000. She will seek grants and prepare procurement quotes for the board.
Fulton County’s dispatch manager, identified in the meeting as Brittney, presented a five-year plan for replacing radio consoles and terminals used by 9-1-1 dispatchers and said the county must complete an upgrade before 2030 to avoid widespread incompatibility.
Brittney said the dispatch office currently has three operational terminals and requested consideration of adding a fourth terminal to provide redundancy when staff are responding to storms or other incidents. She told the board she received a Motorola Direct quote and is awaiting a second quote from ERS to compare components and avoid unnecessary costs. She said the total quoted cost was "734,000. So makes me sick," and noted that inflation and supply issues could change pricing over time.
Brittney said the proposed timeline includes certification trainings for dispatch staff, a projected go-live for new dispatch protocols in July, and outreach to Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) to identify grant opportunities because some public-safety grant programs have frozen funding. She told commissioners the upgrade does not have to be done immediately but must be completed by 2030, and that radio interoperability and replacement-parts scarcity make it a necessity.
Commissioners asked Brittney to provide the written plan and the quotes; she said she had already sent a quote and will pursue additional vendor estimates and any available grant options.
