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Commissioners greenlight application for $140,517 Homeland Security grant to move fire departments to 800 MHz
Summary
The board authorized pursuing a $140,517 Homeland Security reimbursement grant to purchase dispatch equipment and radios to transition local fire departments to the 800 MHz frequency; the application is competitive and may require future local budget adjustments if approved.
The Rush County Board of Commissioners authorized staff to proceed with plans to apply for a $140,517 Homeland Security reimbursement grant to support a switch of local fire departments to the 800 MHz radio frequency.
Speaker 4 explained that Zach Tucker and local fire chiefs are coordinating the effort to move departments onto the 800 MHz platform to improve interagency communications with neighboring departments, which largely already use the frequency. The grant would fund dispatch equipment upgrades and additional radios; Speaker 4 described the grant as reimbursement-based and "highly competitive."
Speakers discussed the potential local budget implications if the county receives the grant, noting that next year the budget office might need to allocate matching or conversion costs from the 911 fund and then reverse that accounting after reimbursement. Concerns were raised about channel capacity for other public-safety users and ensuring law enforcement channels are not degraded; Speaker 4 said engineers and outside contractors (ECS) have provided a quote of $347,000 for system improvements to address coverage and interoperability issues.
Speaker 3 moved to proceed with grant planning and the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The board asked staff to continue coordination with fire chiefs and technical vendors as the application and implementation plans are developed.
