E-911 Director Brad Mullinax addressed the county commission last Thursday evening, reporting on a deal to save money on new much needed emergency radios for local law enforcement, and rescue personnel. The digital system upgrade is needed after officials learned that the old analog system can no longer be services should something happen.

Mullinax said he has reached a deal with Motorola for $2.3 million over seven years with a yearly payment of $346,507.51. Through the agreement, good only to January 19, 2024, the county would get a few perks, including free consoles for the E-911 center, allowing money set aside by the DeKalb 911 Emergency Communications District to be allocated to the county to go towards the purchase of mobile and handheld radios.

“That will totally equip the entire county’s first responders, DeKalb Fire, DeKalb Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb EMS, and rescue squad. That’s vehicle repeater mobiles and portables in first responders’ hands,” Mullinax explained.

“We’re not having to do any upgrades on the tower on Short Mountain (where the radio towers are located) after Cannon County made an investment of about $160,000 for its system. So, we’re not having to front that cost,” he continued.

“The prices are going to increase after the first of the year. In the current deal, if the county approves it, Motorola will provide $300,000 of consoles for the 911 center. That will free up the $300,000 E-911 was planning on spending on that equipment, to turn over to the county to be used towards radios.”

Mullinax said that the state is also saving the county some money by providing mobile to EMS units. “The mobile radios that are installed in each ambulance will be provided by the state, but the handheld portable devices will have to be provided by the county.”

Mullinax brought along Coffee County Sheriff Chad Partin for the meeting as a guest after his county recently upgraded to the new digital system. Sheriff Partin shared is experience with the transition process and how well the new system works. He also told of the importance of having good radio communications.

“To a lot of citizens and elected officials, a radio is just a squawk box to them, but to the sheriff and the chief, and the deputy who might be down in a hollow somewhere fighting a meth head, that’s his or her lifeline. To a volunteer fireman who might go inside a burning home tonight, and a roof collapses, that is their lifeline,” Sheriff Partin said.

“We (Coffee County) were at a point just like you are with our analog equipment. My deputies could be out at the Cannon County line, and their portables would be useless other that knocking someone in the head. It was the same for fire, and even EMS was having trouble,” Sheriff Partin explained.

“This new system is a digital trunking system that has the capability of being encrypted. It is a system that the State of Tennessee has put together that in my opinion there is no other like it in the United States,” Sheriff Partin continued.

“I don’t like going to a funeral and listening to Taps being played. I don’t like hearing bagpipes being played at e funeral. This thing right here (radio) is the most important thing we carry with us next to our firearm. We use it every day. It’s a tool that the general public doesn’t understand.”

According to Mullinax, the Motorola deal would be a lease to purchase option, with no early payoff penalty. “Seven-year lease program, which is the longest duration of the warranty. We have to move on this quickly. We don’t have a whole lot of time to bargain with this. Prices change.”

Mullinax reported that the City of Smithville has already partially acted to upgrade its radios.

During a special called meeting on December 18, city aldermen voted unanimously to adopt a budget amendment on first reading in the amount of $115,000 to purchase a total of 25 Harris XL 400 Extreme fire rated portable radios for the Smithville Fire Department.

City leaders said Harris portables are less expensive than other brands and by making the purchase now, the city is able to take advantage of a better price for them. To help the city with the cost, the DeKalb 911 Emergency Communications District is contributing a total of $25,000 or $1,000 per radio. With these incentives, the city’s total cost for the 25 new portable radios is $115,000. The units will have a five-year warranty.

The city will eventually have to upgrade the radios for the police department and complete the process for all its emergency services by acquiring new vehicle mobile radios and repeaters.

After the meeting, County Mayor Matt Adcock said he thinks it is an important project. “I think we should be able to do it because of the contribution 911 is willing to give us. I believe would could find the other $46,000 out of our capital projects fund, but there is going to be a need for the budget committee to find a revenue source to continue those $346,000 payments for the next six years.”

Either way, Mullinax said the clock is ticking. “We are on analog, and we’re not even on good analog. We’re not even on a system that we can repair at this point. That’s the thing that scares me about this more than anything, is that we’re one lightning strike away from losing all emergency service communications in the county.”

The issue may be brought up at the December regular County Commission meeting next Thursday, December 27. The Motorola deal is only good until January 19.