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Washington County to spend $25 million on new radio technology for first responders

Washington County first responders getting new radio system
Washington County first responders getting new radio system 02:31

SOUTH FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - Washington County's spending tens of millions of dollars to better protect the people who live there as well as the people who respond to emergencies. 

Washington County first responders have used radio technology, which has not changed significantly since the 1930s. Firefighters and other first responders who came to the South Franklin Volunteer Fire Department heard all about the change that is to come. 

When firefighters respond to calls in Washington County, Peters Township Chief Mike McLaughlin said they don't always get a signal. 

"Some places are good, some places are not so good," McLaughlin said. 

It risks the lives of the people who need help and of the people who are trying to get it to them.

"That's how we get our calls, that's how we respond to our calls," McLaughlin explained. "That's how we communicate with our dispatch center, and more importantly, if any of our crews are in trouble, that's how they're going to call for help. Police officers, same way. That's their lifeline." 

It's an issue that Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman said they are aware of. 

"God forbid a police officer gets pinned down in a field with a hunting rifle and is calling for backup and the call goes to nowhere," Sherman said. 

To fix that, he said they're spending about $25 million of American Rescue Plan money on a new system for first responders, making a switch from analog to digital. 

"This is the biggest project Washington County has ever taken on and frankly, it's the most important project we've ever done," Sherman said. 

The new radios are being touted as being able to provide a better signal over a bigger area. 

"I think there's a lot of people here because they have questions and rightfully so," McLaughlin said. "I think a lot of people are going to be skeptical, and that's ok, I am too, I'm one of them." 

Officials took time to answer those questions in an about two-hour-long meeting. Connectivity and cost were among the questions. 

"There were some nefarious people who were spreading rumors about this is going to be a massive cost to individual municipalities," Sherman said. "Unequivocally, that is not the case. We are committed. We have the bids here that include all the towers, all the sites, all the repeaters, all the base stations, and all the radios." 

The fire chief said despite what some may have heard, he's still not anticipating receiving the same number of radios that they have now but added they really don't need that many. 

In speaking to some of those at the meeting, they said they were feeling better but some still had lingering concerns, specifically about the cost to their departments. 

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