Alameda County Begins Construction on Regional
System for San Francisco East Bay Area 
SCHAUMBURG, IL- 20 April, 2006-First responders in Alameda County, California,
will soon be linked via a new emergency radio system.
The new Alameda County digital radio network replaces an aging analogue radio
network, and will provide the East Bay Region with interoperable radio
communications for any agency that elects to use it. It will remove blockages
in emergency communications caused by incompatible technologies and overcrowded
frequencies across the region that have plagued East Bay police and fire
agencies.
“An interoperable system is crucial in responding to large scale disasters as
well as equally important daily operations involving multiple jurisdictions,”
said Randy Hagar, Deputy Director, General Services Agency. “Implementation of
a regional communications system will make it possible for first responders to
talk to each other directly across city and county boundaries.”
According to Hagar, the vision for the new system is for multiple communities
throughout the SF East Bay area, including Contra Costa County, to be covered
by the system.
The new system, a Motorola 800 MHz trunked radio network based on Project 25
standards for public safety, was procured at the end of last year. The first of
its kind in California, it will be installed in a number of phases. The network
is designed to be consistent with the Homeland Security Department’s SAFECOM
guidelines for interoperability and also supports the State’s strategic plan.
Currently, there are 104 agencies on the existing system.
Source: Motorola press release
