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Pendleton official asks Randolph County to join effort to lift National Radio Quiet Zone restrictions
Summary
A Pendleton County emergency-services official told the Randolph County Commission that radio restrictions dating to the 1950s are limiting emergency communications in parts of Randolph County and asked the Commission to sign a resolution to join neighboring counties in seeking changes.
Rick Gillespie, Pendleton County Emergency Services Director, urged the Randolph County Commission to back a regional effort to ease the National Radio Quiet Zone after describing how the restriction has limited emergency radio coverage in the Whitmer area and the Valley.
Gillespie said the Quiet Zone "was put in place back in the late 1950's and it was okay back then," and that a modern West Virginia statewide radio system does not work reliably inside the zone. He asked the Commission to sign a resolution joining Pendleton and Pocahontas counties and invited commissioners to a Sept. 11 meeting at the Western Steer to discuss next steps; Commissioner Chris Siler asked Gillespie to send a copy of the proposed resolution.
Emergency 911/OEM Director Michael Miller told commissioners the Quiet Zone has a direct operational impact on tower sites and the county's investments in them. Miller also said the county is exploring placing a tower at the 911 Center and scheduled a meeting with the Airport Authority to discuss the plan; he requested that at least one commissioner attend. The Commission did not take a formal vote on the resolution at this meeting.
