SNOHOMISH COUNTY—Snohomish County 911 will be launching its brand-new Radio Replacement Project next week, on Tuesday May 6, which will replace 5,000 outdated, and failing, radio systems across law enforcement and EMS agencies county wide – in addition to 22 upgraded radio sites and enhanced infrastructure.
Snohomish County 911 has been using a 20-year-old system until now, with equipment no longer supported by manufacturers and replacement parts becoming increasingly sparce. Population growth in the County has also rendered radio coverage difficult, especially in rural areas, potentially putting 911 callers at risk.
Oftentimes radio signals from calls were simply inaudible, especially in the case of ambient noise levels such as running a fire engine while responding to an emergency.
Cyber security was also an issue with SNO911’s outdated technology since the lack of software patches left them vulnerable to cyber threats.
SNO911’s new systems, however, use updated microwaves, power systems (for a longer lifespan), and electronics that allow broader coverage, noise cancelling clarity, and even Wi-Fi.
A small, nine person, SNO911 team with expertise in radio frequency engineering, cybersecurity, and AC/DC power systems spearheaded the five-year project from planning, to completion, to testing and implementation.
“I like to call this the spine of our public safety system. You don’t really notice it unless it doesn’t work so our goal is to make sure it’s working all of the time. Imagine if your spine stops working then all of a sudden you can’t do anything else with your body. Similarly, if our first responders can’t communicate with each other, if our 911 dispatchers can’t get calls out to them, then the whole system breaks down,” said Marysville Mayor and President of Snohomish County 911 John Nehring. “Getting this new system funded and put together was absolutely essential to ensure we keep people safe.”
Mayor Nehring took a moment to thank the taxpayers of Snohomish County adding that “there is no us without you as the taxpayers and residents here.”
The Radio Replacement Project comes from a multi-year, $72 million investment, which voters approved back in 2018. Still, with bulk ordering and sharing resources across multiple jurisdictions, SNO911 saved taxpayers $23 million, it said Tuesday, which are funds that can now be reinvested in bolstering public safety in other areas, such as hiring efforts.
Each radio cost about $10,000 each and carry an extraordinary amount of technology inside of them.
Snohomish County Sheriff Susanna Johnson shared Tuesday that being able to reach rural areas, especially with Search and Rescue efforts, are critical. The new radios, she added, are also more durable to survive difficult terrain where the old systems would sometimes fail when dirty or wet.
The new systems also use encrypted communications, Sheriff Johnson continued, for officer and deputy safety and first responder safety.
“With the proliferation of smart phones and apps it is not uncommon for people to listen to us live and if you can imagine what that means for first responders where people know our movement and where we are at right now, has been a problem,” said Sheriff Johnson. “The second piece is sensitive communications in investigations where we would literally lose evidence because they know we’re coming to that address with a search warrant. The third thing is public privacy. If I stop you in a traffic stop and I need to run your information to see if you have a valid driver’s license, your date of birth is out there for anyone to hear.”
Travis Katzer, Everett Police Officer and Technology and Innovation Expert at Everett Police Department, built on Sheriff Johnson’s points by telling a story about when he first realized the lack of encrypted radios was a problem.
While on patrol in North Everett he saw a subject who he knew had a warrant out for his arrest. He turned around but the subject disappeared. He just assumed the suspect saw him turn his car around and fled. After locating the suspect and taking him into custody he reported on his radio that he had the suspect in custody and heard his own broadcast from that person’s pocket.
“This isn’t just about today. This is about the future. Having a system today is critical as it was aging but now we need to be thinking about the future,” said Kurt Mills, Executive Director of Snohomish County 911. “We have a 15-year plan to replace the system, to add towers if necessary, to handle the break fix that happen every day as necessary.”
According to Howard Tucker, Radio Systems Manager for SNO911, equipment was added in multiple locations to avoid gear redundancy, in addition to replacing generators and battery packs to keep the system up and running through harsh weather conditions, and replacing fuel tanks, adding interference and location finding, and fueling capabilities.
“We’re all here to serve the citizens and this system is here for the citizens and keeping the first responders safe,” said Tucker. “It’s nine people who maintained a legacy radio system and nine people who built a new radio system all at the same time.”
“We’re very grateful for the community’s support in this. The funding for this was critical and really the thanks goes back to the taxpayers,” said Chief Dave DeMarco, with Everett Fire.
SNO911 has already deployed the 5,000+ radios to police and fire throughout the County and has begun running tests before launching next Tuesday. The 22 upgraded radio towers have also been strategically placed throughout the County to cover over 2,196 square miles of diverse terrain, ensuring Snohomish County’s 844,000+ residents, 20,000+ businesses, and 300+ schools, government facilities and hospitals can receive quick and efficient access to emergency response.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
One Response
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