TECHNOLOGY

New Radio System Keeps County Safe

by: Kenneth W. Steere, Williams Communications, Project Management Director

Bay County’s new emergency communication radio system, also known as the “800MHZ system” went substantially live at the end of July, greatly improving the county’s emergency responders’ ability to communicate vital information quickly and effectively. The new system is an Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Project 25 (P25) compliant 800MHz digital linear simulcast trunked reliable radio network. This network is capable of meeting current and future operational communication needs for the county’s first responders. The new system is comprised of nine radio frequency (RF) sites (tower, shelter, generator), two network switching centers, five dispatch centers, and more than 1,800 subscriber radios (portable, mobile and control stations).

This new system will allow Bay County to transition away from proprietary solutions and provide the county with greater choice and selection in emerging radio technologies that are in full compliance with the APCO P25 industry-recognized open standards. While the total cost for the project was $13 million, the expense ultimately represents a savings to the county by leveraging existing tower infrastructure and radio communication facilities where possible. Additionally, the new communications network’s infrastructure and design provides for greater reliability and hardening to better withstand natural and environmental hazards such as tropical storms, flooding, hurricanes, and domestic or other threats.

Bay County recognizes and has invested in a public safety radio network that will provide coverage reliability and clearly understood audio quality delivered to first responders throughout their various working environments. (See coverage propagation map

on page 21)

The new radio system provides Bay County with a solution that meets the needs of the county’s public safety personnel today and well into the future. It is focused on coverage, reliability and security. The approach maintains the current Bay County coverage footprint provided by the four original sites and enhances the coverage in critical areas with the addition of five strategically placed sites. These critical coverage areas were identified by current high traffic areas and projected growth identified in the Bay-Walton Sector Plan.

Daily interoperability between Bay County’s first responders and other adjacent municipal/county agencies is necessary. Interoperability is the real-time ability to communicate with others, on demand, regardless of frequency band or manufacturer platform. Bay County’s new radio system solves this challenge and allows field users and dispatchers to interoperate with not only surrounding agencies but also with other first responders when necessary.

The new radio system is designed to be reliable with no single point of failure. The nine-site, highly redundant design employs a Distributed Control Point technology that virtualizes the site control function to allow multiple sites the ability to perform this function, further hardening the system against a single point of failure. The two Network Switching Center management functions are geographically separated and high availability; the system uses a fault-tolerant IP network and a loop-protected (hot stand by) microwave subsystem.

Prior to the implementation of the new system, Bay County used an E911 system and a 12-channel analog, trunked SmartNet II 800MHz trunked radio system installed in 2000. This system consisted of four multiple towers and shelters, containing base stations and repeaters located at various sites throughout the county. Dispatch services are handled by various agencies. The new system expands the four existing available infrastructure sites and adds two sites via co-location and three new tower sites for the new P25 800 MHz digital simulcast trunked radio network:

Bay County planned for several tiers of portable and mobile radio units for use by the various public safety and non-public safety agencies. All devices provide clear, reliable, and secure communications with proven interoperability. Public safety agencies have the highest-tiered devices capable of voice encryption, telephone interconnect calling, private call, GPS location, status messaging

SITE TYPE SITE NAME ANTENNA HEIGHT

Existing RF Tower 9th St Tx 240’ / Rx 255’ Existing RF Tower FHP Tx 425‘ / Rx 447’ Existing RF Tower Bennett Tx 450’ / Rx 464’ Existing RF Tower Beach Central Tx 280’ / Rx 300’ Added RF Tower EOC (co-location) Tx 230’ / Rx 260’ Added RF Tower Steelfield (co-location) Tx 257’ / Rx 305’ Built RF Tower Beach East Tx 186’ / Rx 190’ Built RF Tower Beach West Tx 240’ / Rx 260’ Built RF Tower Mexico Beach Tx 246’ / Rx 256’

Bay County Fire Department Bay County Sheriff’s Office Callaway Fire Department Callaway Public Works Lynn Haven Fire Department Lynn Haven Police Department Mexico Beach Fire Department NFBI Airport Panama City Beach Fire Rescue County County County Self

County Self

County Self

County

Panama City Beach Police Department Self

Panama City Beach Public Works Self

Panama City Fire Department

Panama City Police Department

Parker Fire Department

Springfield Fire Department

Springfield Police Department County

Self

County

County

Self

and other specialized features. All radios, regardless of tier, now perform reliably under the toughest imaginable conditions.

The new, state-of-the-art Symphony Dispatch Platform provides high-performance computing and graphics capability to support 24-hour, mission-critical dispatch operations. The completely solid-state design affords the high reliability needed for dependable communications in emergencies. The Symphony Dispatch Platform uses digital audio technology to provide end-to- end secure communications that are free from unauthorized access. With its advanced features, the Symphony Dispatch Platform allows dispatchers to communicate efficiently and clearly with first responders to improve response times. Symphony provides dispatchers complete control to adapt as their priorities and needs change.

Dispatch services are handled by various agencies. Each dispatcher position is equipped to selectively monitor and control any combination of talk groups, NPSPAC mutual aid, and interoperability radio channels. Additionally, dispatch consoles have the capability of establishing and/or disabling dispatcher- controlled RF/audio interoperability service links. Each dispatcher position has new CPUs, monitors, speakers, headsets, footswitches and associated equipment

Most agencies on the system went live on July 2021, with only a few remaining for completion.

DISPATCH RADIO CONSOLE LOCATIONS NUMBER OF POSITIONS

Bay County EOC E911/Dispatch Center 14 Panama City Police Department 5 Panama City Beach Police Department 4 Lynn Haven Police Department 2 North Florida Beaches International (NFBI) Airport 2 (re-using existing)

What’s the future of Bay County Communications?

By Brian Hardin, Communications Division Chief, Bay County Emergency Services

Texting is so prolific these days, many people prefer it to talking on the phone. But in an emergency, it is always best to call 911. What about emergency situations when talking is not possible? Soon, Bay County will have a solution via the Text-to-911 system, for use ONLY in emergencies where talking or calling is not possible. Once the program is finalized and available, Bay County will announce details about how to use the new system. But until then, it’s important to stress that calling is always the best option. Texting may not provide the same location accuracy that an actual call can, so if someone is in a situation that makes calling impossible, they must know their location to be able to relay it to the 911 professional being texted. Noting landmarks, mile markers, street names, or any other location information will be critical to the responding agencies.

Examples of situations that texting to 911 would be used:

› DO text 911 only for an emergency when calling 911 is not possible, such as if the caller is deaf, hearing, or speech impaired. Other examples include: if the caller is otherwise unable to speak because of a medical condition (such as a stroke), or if speaking would be unsafe, as in the case of abduction or home invasion, a nearby active shooter situation, or perhaps a domestic violence situation.

› Do NOT text 911 for non-emergency situations.

Instead, dial the agency's listed seven-digit, non-emergency telephone number. A non-emergency incident is one where life and property is not in danger, such as theft of property or vandalism. Citizens should also use the non-emergency telephone number for intoxicated persons who are not disorderly or cars blocking the street or alley. Do not call 911 to report a power outage, rather, call your electrical utility instead. Additionally, 911 dispatchers cannot call a taxi for you; please call the cab company directly.