A federal mandate requiring emergency response agencies to improve communications has led to a new digital system in Fayette County.
“Today we have a new tool in our toolbox to better serve our community” said Rodney Ballard, Director of the Division of Community Corrections. Officials with Lexington Police and Fire Departments, The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and the Bluegrass Airport helped demonstrate the new technology today outside the Mayor Jim Gray’s Office.
Lexington Fire Chief Keith Jackson said the system is designed to provide a common infrastructure. “The common infrastructure in itself saves money and operations along with maintenance costs, provides radio coverage and allows communication in all areas where at one time we had no coverage or it was very weak. The system is designed to provide coverage inside of buildings throughout the entire county, which has been an issue with public safety because we haven’t been able to communicate in some of the buildings.” That’s no longer the case.
The digital radio system has been tested in 23-hundred different areas across the county, making sure emergency responders are able to communicate from the most rural parts of the county and from inside buildings. It cost $10-million dollars to implement and is expected to be used by all county agencies by the end of the year.