Future Public Safety Radio System
Building
TOGETHER,
TODAY,
for a better
TOMORROW
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Overview
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Components of the Public Safety Radio System
Value & Purpose
Today’s Radio System & Historical Cost
Planning Ahead
Vendor Comparison
Financial Plan Options
Lessons Learned from Other Counties
The Next Step
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Components of the Public Safety Radio System
• Radio site
• Microwave system
• Dispatcher radio
console (computerized)
• Mobile radios (fixed in a
vehicle)
• Portable radios
(handheld)
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Components: Radio Sites & Microwave
High Profile Sites
Fill-in Sites
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10 Self supporting towers (High Profile)
2 Telephone pole sites (Fill-in)
2 Sled mount sites
2 Water tank sites
1 Football Stadium site
1 Smoke Stack site
All connected through a microwave system
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Value/Purpose
• Required to answer emergency calls and dispatch
emergency responders
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(4PA Code Chapter 120b Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act)
• Technology changes will force Public Safety Answering
Point (PSAP) to perform some level of system refresh
between 10 and 15 years
• By using our County-owned network, we are able to
maintain high level of system availability and greatly
minimize failures for mission critical communications
• As opposed to using commercial vendors that do not
maintain a high level of system availability, we are at
their mercy regarding tower space, rent and future
modifications
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Today’s Public Safety Radio System
• Current Harris radio system is functioning and
handling today’s needs
• Capacity has not been compromised
• Very efficient and easy to manage
• No ‘End of support’ orders have been received to
date for “operating system” or OpenSky
• Maintaining interoperability on a County-toCounty and County-to-State level
• Our current OpenSky radio system is proprietary
and renders its own hurdles for interoperability
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Historical Cost of Today’s Radio System
• Current system purchased in August 2000
• Law Enforcement went live December 2005
• Fire & EMS went live July 2007
• County baseline of equipment established
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Apparatus (Fire or EMS) = 1 mobile and 1 portable
Chief and Deputy = 1 mobile and 1 portable
Assistant Chiefs = 1 portable
Full Time Police Officer = 1 portable
• Cost of current system was $11M in 2000,
which included a shared cost for responder
radios
• County paid 2/3 and local agencies paid 1/3 of
the cost
• Equipment wanted above baseline was 100% financial
responsibility of the agency
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Evolution Over The Next 3-5 Years
• Original model radios are either at or near endof-life
• Original models will continue to work, but parts cannot be
guaranteed for repairs
• Notices issued for M803 (expired Jan 2015) & P7200 (expires
Feb 2018)
• New models are available and being purchased
currently
– In Carlisle, Hampden & Silver Spring
• Long range planning avoids mission critical failure
while taking advantage of procurement and
financial opportunities
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Failure to plan could mean …
• Stand alone system that may not be supported in
the future
• Higher risk of failure by not keeping up with
evolving equipment needs
– Much like a cell phone or computer lifecycle plan
• End user frustration from possible failures, high
costs for unplanned equipment upgrades
• Safety concerns to all responders
• Higher equipment replacement costs due to
running past their forecasted life
• Jeopardize regional funding opportunities
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Future State
• What is Project 25 (P25)?
– National Standard developed in 1989 for digital
radio communications for use by federal, state
and local public safety agencies
– Allows improved interoperable solutions for the
end user & creates an agnostic radio system
approach when crossing borders
• Potential vendors could include: Harris,
Motorola, etc…
• Let’s take a look at who is using P25…
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South Central Task Force
Radio Systems
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Statewide Radio Systems
** Not all P25 Systems are using the same frequency band. Cumberland, Adams and York are
700/800 MHz. Franklin and Dauphin are UHF/T-band and Perry is going to VHF.
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Cumberland County P25 Capability
Local Gov’t, Police, Fire and EMS represented above.
Total radios on system = 2909
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Non-P25 Capability
Camp Hill Boro
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Middlesex Twp
11
Shippensburg Boro
37
Carlisle Barracks
4
Monroe Twp
10
Shiremanstown Boro
4
Carlisle Barracks
4
Mt Holly Springs Boro
24
Silver Spring Twp
36
Carlisle Boro
36
Naval Support Activity
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South Middleton Twp
5
Dickinson Twp
2
Naval Support Activity
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South Newton Twp
10
East Penn Twp
52
New Cumberland Boro
26
Upper Allen Twp
36
Hampden Twp
20
Newburg Boro
10
Upper Frankford Twp
7
Holy Spirit EMS
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Newville Boro
14
West Penn Twp
11
Lower Allen Twp
33
North Middleton Twp
13
West Shore Regional
25
Mechanicsburg Boro
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Penn Twp
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Vendor Comparison
Features/Functions
Harris
Motorola
Over-The-Air-Programming (OTAP)*
Over-The-Air-Rekeying (OTAR)*
Encryption
Conventional capability
Emergency Activation**
Radio ID (Caller ID)
Multi-band radios
Various models
* Will only work if radios are of the same manufacturer
** May only work if radios are of the same manufacturer
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Vendor Comparison
Features/Functions
Harris
Motorola
Replace all radios
Load software/replace non-P25
Ease of transition to P25
Interoperability with other systems
Regional sharing opportunities
System level interoperability (ISSI)
Need extensive training for all users
Bluetooth/LTE/Wi-Fi
GPS capability in portables
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Pricing Comparison
Per Device Pricing
Harris
*Motorola*
$5K
$7K - $8K
700/800 Public Safety
$2K - $3K
$4K - $5K
700/800 Public Service
$1.5K
$4K
Multi-band (VHF, UHF, 700/800)
$5K - $6K
$7K - $8K
700/800 Public Safety
$4K - $5K
$4K - $5K
700/800 Public Service
$4K
$4K
Portable Radio
Multi-band (VHF, UHF, 700/800)
Mobile Radio
* Pricing based on another County’s project and reflects manufacturer discounts
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Multi-Year Implementation Plan
System Elements
Vendor Selection & Site Layout Plan Development
Timeline
2016
Tower replacement
2016 – 2019
Site Layout Plan implementation
2016 - 2019
Radio Infrastructure
2020
Microwave Network
2021
Dispatch Console
2021
End User Radios
2022
System Acceptance & Go-Live
2023
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High Level Cost Figures
System Elements
Range
Timeline
$3-4M
2016-2019
Radio Infrastructure
$9-13.25M
2020
Microwave Network
$2.5-3M
2021
Dispatch Console
$500K-750K
2021
Contingency
$750K-$1M
TBD
Professional Services
$500-600k
2016-2023
Site Layout Plan / Tower Replacement*
Total (Non-discounted pricing)**
$16-23M
County Dept radios (Sheriff, Prison, etc)
Not included in above
2021-2022
End User Radios
Not included in above
2021-2022
* 2 Towers need to be replaced regardless of future radio project
** Current recurring utilities & maintenance expenses will be dependent on and
adjusted based on final system design.
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Cost Drivers
The need for expertise:
• Technical expertise from
writing specs to
implementation
• Multi-vendor
Multicoordination
vendor
• Multiple moving
Coordination
pieces over a
extended project
timeline
Design/Site
Plan Layout
Connectivity
Vendor
Selection
Procurement
& Cost
Sharing
Maintenance
Integration
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Need for Financial Partnership
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Large cost
Benefits of cost sharing
County – infrastructure
Radios
– County agencies, municipalities, & partner
agencies will be buying radios
– Minimize cost impact by utilizing group
purchasing power through the county
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Potential Funding Sources
• Grants
– We will share opportunities we find with all our
public safety partners
– Users can look at regional financing options
• Ex. West End Fire & Rescue – recipient of a grant on behalf
of all departments in the county to buy Franklin County
radios = approx. $1.2M
– We will provide letters of support for grant
application opportunities
• Loans – multiple options
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Lessons Learned from other Counties
• All public safety partners need to be engaged in
the process for a favorable final product solution
– Establish working group
• Vendor selection and site plan drives the project,
early input is critical
• Two-way communications throughout life of the
project with partner agencies ensures smooth
transition
– Host user meetings or website kept current w/info
• Collaborative financial plan
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Lessons Learned from other Counties
• Specific in-building coverage information
needs included
• Automated trouble ticket submission process
• Professional consultants are crucial
• Third party coverage testing
• Testing group needs to include field users
• Train-the-trainer and/or on-site user training
• Conduct independent reference checks of
each potential vendor
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Lessons Learned from other Counties
• Multiple vendor radios on the system create
issues
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Programming
Trouble-shooting
Features (ie., emergency activation, encryption)
Compatibility
• If allowing multiple vendor radios need to meet
specifications set forth by the county
– Features & functions
– Over-the-air programming
– Encryption
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Lessons Learned from other Counties
• Creative financial plan
– Ex #1: Agencies gave current equip to county,
county traded on new equip for bigger discount
on bulk purchase
– Ex #2: Finance Authority took out loan, agencies
paid the Authority over 5 yrs & county paid
interest & admin costs
– Ex #3: County purchased & transferred the asset
to agencies
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Key Decision Points
Board of Commissioners approval of
concept & timeframe
Vendor Selection Input
Total Cost, Procurement & Financial Plan
Final Commissioner Approval
Implementation & System Acceptance
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Vendor Selection Principles
• Cost advantages to the incumbent/additional
costs of starting from scratch with new vendor
• All options will be explored thoroughly and
without bias
• End goal is a homogeneous system
• Reliability & cost will be driving factors
• Vendor decision needs to be in the short term
as it drives the rest of the project
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Stronger TOGETHER
OUR ROLE: We are dedicated to developing a system of integrity, that
strengthens our coverage area, is implemented with minimal
disruption, & is cost efficient for all our public safety partners.
YOUR ROLE: Your active engagement, both early in the project and
throughout, will be critical and greatly influence the success
of the new system.
FIRST STEP: Commit today to the process as a team with agreement on
vendor selection principles & move forward with the project.
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Questions?
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