Dutchess County Government Receives $3M Grant for Countywide P25 Radio Communications Project

The $3 million Interoperable Communications Targeted Grant program of the New York Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services (DHSES) gave an important boost to the ambitious Consolidated Two-Way Radio System Project in Dutchess County last week. The Department of Emergency Response is currently working to facilitate the construction of a new interoperable countywide public-safety radio network that will improve coverage gaps and increase reliability for first responder radio communications. County Executive Sue Serino announced that the $3 million award will help offset the County's costs in this regard.

The estimated overall cost of the County's Consolidated Two-Way Radio System Project is $32 million.

In an emergency, seconds count, especially when trying to coordinate help between responding agencies and lives are potentially on the line," stated County Executive Serino. Our dedication to guaranteeing public safety depends on first responders' capacity to promptly share emergency information so that agencies can plan an effective response. Due to the hard and intricate effort that our Emergency Response team put into this project, Dutchess County is now leading the state in solving these vital communications issues. We are grateful that Governor Hochul and the DHSES acknowledged our work and offered more funding for this important investment.

The grant will assist in the purchase of a Project 25 (P25) digital radio system, which, once installed, will assist in unifying various agencies into a single emergency radio communications system. This will guarantee efficient, direct communication between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department, the first responders in Dutchess County, and the agencies in neighboring counties. The P25 system will greatly enhance communications coverage throughout the County, boost system resilience, and integrate emerging technologies in addition to enhancing collaboration amongst agencies and disciplines (fire, emergency medical services, and law enforcement).

Emergency communications infrastructure is critical to preventing coverage gaps that could prove fatal in an emergency," stated Emergency Response Commissioner Dana Smith. When our new radio system is finished, all of the county's law enforcement, fire, and emergency services will utilize it, which will save money and improve communication between our 9-1-1 center and the other agencies.

Starting in 2022, the County's radio project involved locating, planning, and erecting 19 more radio tower locations across Dutchess County. Testing is planned for late 2025, and it is anticipated that equipment installation and site building will start later this year.