Newton County commissioners seek fixes after digital radio upgrade leaves fire departments out of range
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Summary
Commissioners heard that a recent digital radio upgrade left areas north of FM 1414 with limited radio coverage for volunteer fire departments; the court directed staff to get vendor pricing and options to restore countywide vehicle and handheld communications.
Newton County commissioners on the dais heard extensive testimony that a recent move to digital (P25) radio systems has left volunteer fire departments unable to reach vehicle or county repeaters in large parts of the county.
At the discussion, fire-department representatives and commissioners described dead zones north of FM 1414 and noted that many handheld units remain analog and cannot access the new digital channels. A fire representative said a small number of upgraded handhelds would restore critical communications for one department: "If I had 4 handhelds, that's all I need," the representative said, urging targeted purchases rather than a full fleet replacement.
Officials said vehicle or console radios can be upgraded to P25 in some cases, but replacing all handheld units would be costly. One participant estimated replacing 10 handheld units would cost on the order of $455,000, a figure commissioners cited when weighing options.
County leaders discussed alternatives including adding a countywide channel or repeaters, asking whether the vendor could add a software channel to the existing digital infrastructure rather than installing multiple analog repeaters. Commissioners and staff agreed it was unclear which mix of solutions would be fastest or most cost-effective: adding a software channel would use existing digital equipment if the vendor can reopen or expand the channel plan; installing repeaters would fill coverage gaps but carry construction and maintenance costs.
The court asked the presiding judge's office to contact the radio vendors and report back with options, technical requirements and pricing. The judge agreed to solicit proposals and present cost scenarios for (a) a countywide interoperable channel, (b) a bundled set of repeaters to fill dead zones, and (c) a limited handheld-replacement plan focused on high-need departments. Commissioners said they wanted options that could be split between county and fire-department budgets or phased to reduce up-front costs.
Next steps: the judge's office will get vendor cost estimates and technical guidance and return to commissioners at a future court session with specific procurement options and estimated timelines.
