Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Communications topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves new radios for Public Works after snowstorm after‑action
Summary
Following an after‑action review of November’s snowstorm, the council approved the purchase of Kenwood radios to improve field communications and compatibility with county and fire district systems. Staff said frequencies and repeater access were coordinated with partners.
City resilience specialist Steven Decatur told council staff held an after‑action meeting following November’s snowstorm and identified the need for vehicle radios that are reliable and interoperable with county and fire district channels. Staff reviewed options with Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services and the fire‑district radio specialist and proposed Kenwood radios programmed to the city’s public‑works frequencies and shared repeater.
"One of the big things that came up in that after action report was that we needed, a different way to communicate, during during the snowstorm," Decatur said, describing the operational problems with using cell phones while operating equipment. He said the chosen radios will be compatible with the fire district and sheriff channel programming and leverage existing Kenwood programming maintained by county OES.
Council members asked about coverage, repeater placement and whether radios would be digital; staff said they had evaluated digital systems but do not expect digital upgrades in the terrain and funding context in Siskiyou County for at least a decade, and that Kenwood analog radios best meet interoperability needs now. Council approved the purchase by roll call.
The purchase is intended to reduce missed communications during emergency operations and day‑to‑day public‑works work; staff said radios will be inventoried and signed out to prevent losses.
