Firefighters to See Two-way Radio Communication Improved

16 Jul. 2016   News

During a life or death situation, having clear, open lines of communications between first responders like police or firefighters is a necessity. In that spirit of public safety, Milpitas City Council voted unanimously on consent May 17 to approve the standardization of the two-way Motorola APX class radios as the main radio equipment for the city's fire department.

Milpitas is a participant in the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority, or SVRIA -- a countywide public safety radio and data communications network -- first formed in 2001. Under this program, radios selected were the result of a competitive procurement conducted for SVRIA and Santa Clara County by Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, city staff reports state.

Under the program, numerous radios were examined, tested and evaluated and the contract was awarded to Motorola. All radios on the contract are Motorola APX radios, city reports state.

After the meeting, Rick Frawley, Milpitas Fire Department's deputy chief, said the council's adoption of the resolution enhances public safety by improving the current radio system for "increased fire ground efficiencies."

"The goal of our interoperability project is allow all agencies in Santa Clara County to communicate on a combined frequency load," Frawley said. "This will also allow for improved communications with fire resources in Alameda County as well as the BART transit system. We have used these radios for the past three years and we're planning on adding additional radios in the coming 24 months."

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"Additionally, the interoperability with mutual aid resources that respond into our community is improved. The Motorola APX series radios have become the standard radio for the Milpitas Fire Department due to our countywide transition to new radio frequencies that support regional interoperability," Frawley said.

He added the fire department has 20 portable radios and 12 mobile radios assigned to fire apparatus. He further noted the department's current radios -- costing about $5,000 each -- were purchased through grant funds.

(Source: MILPITAS POST)