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Fire chiefs say county radio programming backlog improving after new staff training
Summary
Local fire chiefs and county staff discussed a multi-year backlog of radios needing programming; commissioners were briefed on a training plan and expected improvements but took no formal action.
Fire chiefs and county staff told Wagoner County commissioners on March 24 that a persistent backlog of unprogrammed radios and delays in repairs are being addressed with new training and staffing.
Dante Sanders, chief of the Terry Prairie Fire Department, described recurring problems getting radios programmed and said several departments lacked timely access to programming services. Mark (county staff) and Carrie (county radio technician) have begun training this week on programming procedures, Sanders said, and he described a plan to process department radios in batches.
County staff estimated that programming a single mobile radio and installation could take 30 minutes, and said the county would coordinate with chiefs to schedule pickups and in‑county programming. Commissioners were told the county now has multiple trained programmers available and that the effort should reduce travel time and turnaround.
The board did not take action on the item. Commissioners asked staff to circulate the programming plan to fire chiefs and to coordinate scheduling and procurement guidance so future radio purchases conform to county dispatch requirements.
Why it matters: The radios are critical for emergency response coordination among local fire departments and the sheriff’s office. Chiefs described improved communications in areas where programming had already been completed and sought a sustained process for purchasing and configuring units to avoid future delays.
