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Commissioners press city on condo BDA costs as staff says a P25 radio upgrade could arrive in 18 months
Summary
Fort Lauderdale commissioners pressed staff on costs condo associations face to make in‑building radio systems compliant, while city officials said a negotiated P25 radio upgrade — expected to be brought to the commission — should strengthen signals but will not guarantee coverage inside every building.
Commissioners used the May 5 conference meeting to press city staff and public‑safety leaders about the rising costs condominium associations face to install building public‑safety radio systems (BDAs) required under state and county rules.
Commissioner Glassman described repeated complaints from condominium associations and asked what financial relief the city could offer for buildings being told they must spend “$200 or $300,000” to install hardwired systems. City staff and the fire chief said the requirements remain in state statute and county ordinance; where wireless coverage is inadequate, wired systems may still be required to ensure firefighters can communicate in elevators, stairwells and other critical locations.
Chief Goolan said the city has negotiated a P25 radio system upgrade and will present the agreement to the commission at an upcoming meeting. The city’s chief information officer, Ron McKenzie, said the wired in‑building systems are a required, fire‑rated backup in locations where wireless signals do not penetrate and that annual inspections trigger follow‑up work when a radio failure is reported.
Commissioners asked how long the radio system upgrade would take. A city representative said the vendor has committed to an 18‑month delivery timeline, assuming no civil impacts, and staff said the upgrade should improve signal strength across the city but will not guarantee that every building no longer needs an in‑building solution. The CIO urged condo associations to contact the fire marshal and the city’s inspection teams for free assessments and to document progress toward compliance.
How the city is responding: staff has conducted educational webinars, prepared handouts, offered free inspections and is exploring whether building‑fund revenues could offset costs; staff also said they proposed legislative language and pursued use of city funds to improve signal coverage but concluded some revenue sources were not available for this purpose.
What residents can expect: staff recommended continued communication with the fire marshal’s office, participation in educational sessions, and that associations prepare for inspections during which officials will track progress toward in‑building radio compliance. If a radio failure is reported at inspection or during an incident, the city will coordinate with IT and fire prevention for a solution and enforcement remains an option under state law.
Reporting in this article draws directly from the commission’s May 5, 2026 transcript, including comments from Commissioner Glassman, Chief Goolan and CIO Ron McKenzie.
