Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Communications topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners discuss countywide consolidation of fire department radios and repeaters; follow-up requested
Summary
Neosho County commissioners discussed purchasing handheld and mobile radios and upgrading repeaters and antennas to consolidate fire communications countywide. Commissioners asked staff to inventory existing radios, confirm what Anderson County or other partners may have available, and return with cost estimates and a distribution plan.
Commissioners on March 25 discussed a countywide plan to consolidate volunteer fire department communications onto a single digital frequency and to upgrade radio infrastructure, but did not take a final vote.
Commissioners and emergency services staff described a patchwork of radio frequencies in use: some departments operate on countywide east or west VHF channels, St. Paul and nearby jurisdictions run on a digital system, and Chanute uses a separate channel. Supporters said moving to digital handhelds and adding repeaters and higher antennas — with mobiles installed in vehicles — would reduce static and improve interoperability during responses.
"If we could put them all on 1 using the digital... we need to jump on getting the mobiles," a county representative said, noting the handhelds and accessories may have limited availability and mobiles can be more costly but provide longer-term capability.
Commissioners asked staff to clarify who currently holds radios (Anderson County was discussed as a potential source of units), to inventory existing equipment, and to provide pricing for handhelds, mobile radios, repeaters (estimated at about $3,800 each in discussion), antennas and installation. One commissioner recommended the county purchase and control inventory centrally so the county can issue radios, handle batteries and maintenance, and ensure consistent equipment across departments.
Staff committed to follow up with Wyatt (an installer/liaison mentioned in the meeting), confirm the availability and counts of handhelds and mobiles, and prepare an estimate for repeaters, antennas and programming costs. Commissioners asked that staff provide a distribution/tracking plan if the county purchases radios so the board knows which department has which equipment and how replacements or batteries will be handled.
No motion was made at the March 25 meeting; staff will return with an inventory, availability and cost estimates for the commission to consider at a future meeting.
