Now that the new 911 800 MHz radio system is being tested in Branch County, there are requests for some modification and improvements coming from users.
The 911 board heard a proposal to add repeaters on fire trucks and an additional channel on fire portables to improve fire safety. The cost is $100,779, which would come from the bonds borrowed to build the system.
Coldwater Fire Chief Dave Schmaltz said there are safety concerns for firefighters operating in basements of buildings. Test during the current burn in of the system showed the problem.
The board authorized trying an on board radio repeater on a fire truck to check the improvement.
“This is just an extra layer of protection,” Schmaltz said. He also warned “the 148 fire department radios will have to be programmed to be able to talk to this to this repeater. What that would end up doing is might delay the deployment of those portable radios” now set for the end of January.