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Ky. County Upgrades Police, Fire and EMS Communication System



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Jan 29, 2008, News Report

Tyco Electronics announced today that its M/A-COM business has been awarded a $13.9 million contract to implement its Project 25IP radio communications system throughout Madison County, KY. The nine-site simulcast system will be customized to meet the requirements of Madison County's police, fire and EMS departments as well as the county's school bus fleet. The system upgrade will improve communication interoperability among emergency response personnel and with other agencies in and around Madison County. 

More than 1,300 radios continue to be active on the system, which currently is used more than 300,000 times a month by Madison County's public safety agencies. Agencies of all three jurisdictions of Berea, Madison County and Richmond use the system for daily communication as well as during emergency situations that require collaboration and communication between the County's first responders.

The project will convert the County's 800 megahertz analog system to a digital one, increasing the security and dependability of communications among public safety personnel. More than 1,300 radios continue to be active on the system, which currently is used more than 300,000 times a month by Madison County's public safety agencies. Agencies of all three jurisdictions of Berea, Madison County and Richmond use the system for daily communication as well as during emergency situations that require collaboration and communication between the County's first responders. 

Madison County includes the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) at the Blue Grass Army Depot, which is located just outside Richmond, Kentucky. This is one of eight chemical stockpile facilities in the United States, all of which are managed by the U.S. Army with the assistance of FEMA to enhance the Local government's ability to respond to a chemical agent emergency.

"We had to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our radio communications system and after a rigorous review process, we selected the M/A-COM P25IP communications system specifically because the technology fulfilled our requirements, today and into tomorrow, for innovative and flexible communications." said Carl Richards, agency director, Madison County Emergency Management Agency.  "The growth of our county in recent years has made it imperative that we take the appropriate steps to improve communication systems." Richards continued, "We reviewed a number of detailed proposals and determined that M/A-COM's P25IP offering will not only meet our technology needs today, but also into the future." 

"We are honored to have been awarded the contract to work with the people of Madison County and provide this sophisticated system to the area's public safety agencies," said John Rosati, regional sales director, Tyco Electronics.  "We are confident the new system will fulfill the unique requirements of the Madison County EMA and will allow for unprecedented interoperability between Madison and the surrounding counties. Additionally, Madison County's system provides a clear transition from P25 Phase I to Phase II once the specifications of Phase II are completed." 

Madison County includes the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) at the Blue Grass Army Depot, which is located just outside Richmond, Kentucky. This is one of eight chemical stockpile facilities in the United States, all of which are managed by the U.S. Army with the assistance of FEMA to enhance the Local government's ability to respond to a chemical agent emergency.

More information about M/A-COM solutions can be found on the Web at www.macom.com or www.macom-wireless.com

JB

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