HOLLIDAYSBURG - Blair County may have to spend $7 million to $8 million to update its 911 communications system to meet federal requirements as of January 2013, county officials said Tuesday.
Blair County 911 Director Mark Taylor is recommending the replacement of three emergency communication towers and the construction of two more, one each in the Bald Eagle and Blue Knob areas where radio communication has been difficult.
The work will be part of the county's effort to meet federal regulations requiring public safety radio users to abandon most frequencies being used and to move to frequencies taking less space on the radio spectrum. The process has been referred to as the narrow-banding mandate.
"This was one of the glaring things that I saw needed to be done when I took this job," Taylor said.
Hired in January, Taylor praised his predecessors for pursuing an engineering study associated with this project.
He compared the proposed change to what's been happening with telephones and televisions.
"They're all going digital ... and a digital system is going to improve our [emergency] communications coverage," Taylor said.
Commissioners said they're not sure how they will pay for the project but showed interest in moving forward to meet the deadline.
"It doesn't seem like there's a lot of time," Commissioner Terry Tomassetti said.
Commissioners had no answers when asked how they would pay for the project.
Tomassetti asked Taylor about the possibility of federal funding for the project, but Taylor said none is forthcoming.
Commissioner Diane Meling said the estimated expense reflects having to haul cement to off-the-road locations where the county's towers are located or will be built. Plus, she said, the county will need to build climate-controlled shelters next to the towers for supporting equipment that keeps communication intact with the 911 dispatch center.
Old milk truck bodies are now used as shelters at two of Blair County's tower sites. Replacement shelters, Taylor said, will need to meet building codes for public safety structures and be able to withstand severe weather.
Taylor told commissioners he is meeting with representatives from fire and police departments to inventory their mobile and portable radios. Some departments have already upgraded their equipment, he said. Those that haven't will have to make plans to do so.
"If all these improvements take place, we are looking at much better communication coverage," Taylor said.
