County approves purchase and implementation of new First Responders Radio Communications
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wheatland County council voted to approve the purchase and implementation of a new Alberta First Responders Radio Communication System (AFRRCS), allocating funds from the Fire Capital Reserve Fund.
Additionally, county administration was directed to prepare recommendations for the decommissioning of the existing radio communication system.
The discussion took place during the April 15, regular meeting of council, during which, two options were presented for improving the county’s radio communication system.
In May 2024, the county transitioned to the Motorola Linked Capacity Plus program to enhance its two-way radio communications system. Ongoing issues with this system have led to significant safety concerns.
County Fire Halls and Fire Associations have reported persistent gaps in radio coverage, system instability, and challenges with short distance communication. Because of this, the county has temporarily reverted to its previous radio configuration.
Options presented before council included an upgrade to the existing Very High Frequency (VHF) radio system, which was estimated to cost approximately $1.1 million in the first year, with annual operating costs of around $82,000, and a total annual expenditure of $200,000.
Despite the greater options available with this type of system for customization, administration noted it would come with higher costs due to aging infrastructure and limited coverage capabilities.
Key issues which were identified in the current system included outdated radios, repeaters nearing the end of their service lives, infrastructure vulnerabilities, slow network speeds, and signal coverage limitations.
Construction of a new tower to improve system coverage was estimated to require over a year due to regulatory challenges.
The second option was to transition to an AFRRCS system, which offers reportedly superior building penetration and county-wide coverage without the need to maintain a local tower network.
Estimated initial costs are approximately $798,000, with annual operating costs of roughly $9,450, and an annual cost of $80,000 when amortizing equipment replacement.
During the April 2, Fire Association meeting, Fire Chiefs and the Fire Capital Committee reviewed both the existing radio system upgrade, as well as the transition to an AFRRCS system. One issue which was raised was regarding how the AFRRCS radio system would be funded.
The Fire Association Funding Policy splits costs 60/40 with the county. The potential financial burden on the association was a major concern raised during the meeting.
The Association voted unanimously to recommend the initial AFRRCS purchase, should that proceed, be funded through the county’s unallocated funding reserves, and supported further discussions with funding partners on how future costs should be shared.
Concerns were raised about drawing from the fire capital reserve fund, as it could impact funding availability for future apparatus replacements.
Coun. Scott Klassen motioned that council allocate the $920,000 recommended by administration in council’s agenda from the Fire Capital Reserve Fund for the purchase and implementation of the AFRRCS system.
Coun. Glenn Koester motioned to amend Klassen’s motion to instead allocate the funds from the Unrestricted Reserves. This motion was defeated 5-2 against.
Klassen’s motion as presented was voted in favour by council, recorded 6-1. Coun. Rick Laursen was the sole vote against.
Further information regarding the new system implementation is available in the county’s April 15 meeting agenda. Exact dates regarding when the system will be operational were not indicated, however the intent is to see it online as soon as possible following the procurement of necessary equipment.