PASCO, Wash.- First responders in Franklin County say their emergency communication is outdated, meaning dispatchers can have trouble reaching responders in the field.
Franklin County Fire District 3 Chief Mike Harris and Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond are concerned because the radio system is so old that the parts aren’t made anymore.
“We currently are keeping it going on a wing and a prayer,” said Harris. “We cannot find parts for it anymore.”
Harris and Raymond both said there is a real need for an upgraded system.
Raymond said the outdated radio Franklin County has is called a VHF system. He said when they fail everyone North of city limits has no communication.
“If you’re in Kahlotus and you pick up the phone for 911, how do you get that to the officers in the field? Or the ambulances responding? It’s a difficult answer when you know sooner or later our VHF system is going to fail,” Raymond said.
How do we fix this? Sheriff Raymond is proposing a 0.002 cent increase in Franklin County sales tax.
“This tax actually would, you know, shore up some of those issues and it would create a sustainable funding mechanism for a complex problem,” Raymond said.
There still has to be more discussion among Franklin County Commissioners before it’s even considered to be on any ballot. Harris and Raymond both agree it’s a matter of time before the outdated system fails.
“With a population the size of the metropolitan area between Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and the two counties, we shouldn’t be buying radio parts on eBay,” said Harris. “We should be buying them from a vendor with the engineering technician to foresee what we need in the future, build that system out and keep it current.”
For more information from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, click here.
