VIDEO: It’s out with the old and in with the new – to save lives when time counts. Snohomish County is preparing to implement a new emergency radio system that will help firefighters, officers and residents communicate with each other during emergencies. “The goal of all of us was to make sure we didn’t get to a point where it didn’t work,โ said Jon Nehring, Marysville mayor. โOur system was aging rapidly, to the point where we’re having to buy parts off of eBay.”
Nehring is also the president of the board of directors of Snohomish County 9-1-1. The agency is in charge of replacing a 20-year-old, outdated emergency radio system. “It’s the spine of the system,โ Nehring said. โYou don’t often think of your spine, but if something breaks down there, you can’t do anything anymore, you’re paralyzed. Same with this, if you can’t communicate in an emergency, your first responders are paralyzed and the citizens in trouble are in deep trouble.”
Voters approved a $75 million measure in 2018. It means new radios and radio towers for police and emergency medical services across the county. The new system covers a wider range and will provide a clearer signal. “A lot more channels that we can have access to, to support,โ said Travis Katzer, Everett police officer. โIt’s capable of encryption.”
