Bradley County emergency management director proposes $135,000 radio purchase to prepare for statewide upgrade

Bradley County emergency management director Troy told county commissioners that the department plans to buy and maintain radios countywide to prepare for a statewide public-safety radio upgrade scheduled in four years. He said the proposal includes a $135,000 line in his budget to begin replacing radios and to centralize programming and maintenance.

Troy said, "We have a public safety radio system, and it consists of multiple towers around the county," and that a future upgrade will leave many older radios unusable. "We have, like, 215 radio that are phase 1 radios that need to go to to be phase 2 capable," he said, adding that there is "no way to upgrade the radio without replacing it." He recommended buying used radios that include warranties and issuing them to departments so the replacement can be phased over roughly four years.

Commissioners pressed for details on how the $135,000 would affect fire, emergency medical services and the sheriff’s department. Mayor Davis said he understood the economics of buying used radios but asked, "How much of that would have been in fire, ambulance, and sheriff if it wasn't in your budget?" Troy replied that the county's goal would be to start with departments that have fewer radios and work through them one agency at a time.

Troy also described a centralized service model: emergency management would program, maintain and repair portable and vehicle radios — handling batteries, antennas and installations — so individual departments would not have to manage that upkeep. He noted the jail requires a separate change: it currently operates on an older VHF system that does not penetrate thick jail walls well, so the department will move jail radios to 800 megahertz and replace repeaters where needed.

Commissioners asked for a cost accounting to clarify how much of the $135,000 would be allocated to each department and how the city’s contributions affect the county budget. The chair requested staff to prepare a breakdown for review, and commissioners agreed to follow up before final budget decisions.

By centralizing purchases and upkeep, Troy argued the county can avoid a larger, sudden expense when the statewide upgrade occurs. He estimated a used radio might cost roughly $2,700 while a new unit would be about $5,000, and said the proposed approach spreads cost and reduces the immediate fiscal shock to department budgets.