August 8, 2007
National Interop helps Mason County Fire Districts upgrade to P25 Digital VHF Radios
14 agencies throughout Mason County acquire the latest generation of Project 25 standard Digital Radios for use in the fire service.
HELTON, Wash., Aug 8, 2007– National Interop, Inc. announced today that it has delivered more than 240 of the latest generation Project 25 -compliant Digital handheld Radios to various fire districts and agencies in Mason County, Washington. The radios will be used by firefighters, helping the fire districts increase their interoperability with state and federal responders that have already acquired Project 25 radios.
Project 25 (P25) is a set of standards established through the efforts of a number of associations and federal agencies, originally led by APCO (Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International). The standards are designed to enable interoperability with digital two-way radio handhelds, mobiles, base stations, and dispatch centers used in local, state, and federal public safety agencies.
The Mason County fire districts are believed to be the first deployment in the fire service of P25 VHF radios across an entire county in Washington or Oregon. Initially the radios will be used in conventional analog mode, but over time the districts expect to transition to P25 digital modes of operation. A majority of the cost of the new radios was supported by a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) grant.
Our districts work together on many calls, as well as with Washington State Patrol, the Department of Natural Resources, and others, and this technology puts interoperability in the hands of our on-scene commanders,” said Assistant Chief Tim McKern of Mason County Fire District 5, which was the lead agency on the application for the FEMA Grant.
National Interop, comprised of a team of subject matter experts on important issues in public safety communications, including state and federal interoperability frequencies not previously known to the fire districts. National Interop focused on helping the districts identify radios that would stand up to the demands of the fire service in a rural and wilderness environment, as well as the need for day-to-day operable communications.
“With this program the Mason County firefighters are pushing their communication capabilities forward, and we are honored to be working them,” commented David Billstrom, National Interop CEO.
The equipment includes mobile radios, high-power amplifiers, and antennas for more than 80 vehicles, as well as handheld radios rated for submersion in water, waterproof speaker-mics, noise-cancelling headsets, chargers, extra batteries, and other accessories. A variety of products by different manufacturers were recommended by National Interop, so that each component of the system was the most appropriate choice for the districts’ specific needs. National Interop combined all of the parts into a coherent system, designed the frequency programming, and also will install all of the equipment into vehicles.
About
National Interop
National Interop, Inc. serves public safety
agencies by providing tactical and permanent
communications systems. The company’s staff
includes current and former public safety first
responders, VoIP and network experts, land
mobile radio technicians, and system analysts
and designers.
The company offers consultation, construction and training services and creates communication systems that are flexible, economical, and scalable. National Interop, Inc. is privately held with offices in Seattle, Wash. Portland, Ore. Additional information is available at www.nationalinterop.com.