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Paducah City and McCracken County cut ribbon on upgraded countywide 911 radio system
Summary
City and county officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark a new five‑tower 911 radio network that officials say expands coverage, adds optional encryption and provides redundancy; officials cited funding from a parcel fee and local ratepayers.
Paducah City and McCracken County officials celebrated the completion of a countywide public-safety radio system at a ribbon-cutting ceremony, saying the five‑tower network will expand coverage and improve communications for first responders.
Officials said the new system replaces a single-tower setup and will offer encrypted radio transmissions and built-in redundancy to keep communications working even if one tower fails. "The new system allows our first responders to have clear, reliable communications with their handheld radios anywhere in the county," said the chief who opened the ceremony.
Mayor Bray said the upgrade followed years of planning and partnership between the city and the McCracken County Fiscal Court. "We now have a state-of-the-art 911 system with about 98% coverage countywide," Mayor Bray said, noting the project was a joint effort that included a recently created 911 commission.
Judge Executive Clymer recounted an incident from his time as a Paducah police officer to illustrate the stakes. "If that portable had not responded, had not worked as needed, I don't know what would have happened," he said, emphasizing how reliable radios can save lives and protect responders.
Eddie Jones, a McCracken County commissioner who served on a six-year study committee, said the committee concluded the issue was regional and urged the possibility of broader cooperation. "This new radio system reaches to Lyon County and Trigg County," Jones said, suggesting a regional solution could spread costs.
Jeff Parker, chairman of the county's 911 administrative board, described his role overseeing the budget and recounted a constituent who objected to a parcel fee used to fund the service. Parker said the parcel fee cited at the ceremony was $45 and defended the charge as a small cost for guaranteed 911 service.
Officials named project contributors during the ceremony, including Assistant Chief Justin Hodges (project lead), 911 manager Ariana Kiddie, vendor Communications International, consultant Federal Engineering and Paris Communications. Attendees credited many years of planning and the involvement of municipal and county leaders for completing the project.
The ceremony closed with a ribbon-cutting on a blocked street adjacent to the new communications center. Officials said the system is designed to meet national public-safety standards and to provide reliable, resilient communications for Paducah and McCracken County for years to come.
