Gloucester County upgraded to a 700 MHz system to overcome interference on the 500 MHz band.
CLAYTON -- Gloucester County's new 700 MHz public safety communications system is officially up and running and county officials gathered Wednesday to showcase the project.
Gloucester County Office of Emergency Response Director Tom Butts, left, and Freeholder Director Bob Damminger view an upgraded dispatch station at the county communications center in Clayton. (Submitted photo)With the advent of digital TV broadcasts in the early 2000s, public safety entities around South Jersey began experiencing interference on the 500 MHz band.
In some cases, police officers working in the field were not able to communicate with dispatchers.
In response to these kinds of issues, the Federal Communications Commission set aside a portion of the 700 MHz band for public safety communications.
Gloucester County contracted with Motorola Solutions, Inc., to construct the network at a cost of $16 million.
County upgrading communications system
About 3,000 radios, including mobile units for vehicles and handheld units, were distributed to emergency responders around the county, including police, fire and EMS.
All responders are now on the new system, county officials said.
The system consists of nine simulcast sites around the county that include microwave dishes, antennas, shelters for equipment and backup generators. These sites receive and transmit radio signals across the county's 329 square miles.
"This project was one of the largest public safety infrastructure upgrades the county has ever undertaken," said Freeholder Joe Chila, liaison to the Department of Public Safety. "We are grateful for all of the cooperation and input we received from our police, fire and EMS professionals from throughout the county."
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.