Fire commissioner warns county radio system monopoly is driving up replacement costs
Western Berks Fire Commissioner Jared Renshaw told council that APX 4000 portables are obsolete and costly to replace, estimating new radios at about $9,000 each (trade-in estimates ~$4,500) and questioned a county requirement to use only Motorola-compatible equipment.
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Fire Commissioner Jared Renshaw briefed council members on the county radio challenge ahead of a Berks County DES informational meeting scheduled for May 20. Renshaw said the department's APX 4000 portable radios (purchased 2014) are no longer repairable by Motorola and that replacement portables cost about $9,000 each at list price, with trade‑in programs potentially reducing that to roughly $4,500 per unit. He said he has applied for an LSA grant to help offset replacement costs and will attend the May 20 meeting to gather more information for the borough.
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