Replacing Clackamas County’s Obsolete Emergency Radio System
When the public calls 9-1-1 for help, it is Clackamas County’s emergency communications system that makes sure help gets there. But right now, the link to our first responders is a weak one, and it’s getting weaker. Although the system has worked for more than a decade, manufacturers no longer make key parts and towers are not designed
to withstand the earthquakes predicted for Oregon. It’s outdated and prone to failure. When it does break down, managers sometimes have to try to find replacement parts on eBay. Vendor support for the majority of the system is ending next year. This Local Bond Measure Will Mean Better, Faster, Safer Emergency Response
A bond measure to replace our emergency radio system will appear on the May 2016 ballot. Here is what it will do:
• Convert the analog emergency radio system to current digital technology;
• Expand coverage to areas of the county that currently have none;
• Add in-building coverage, so that in an emergency radios can function within hospitals, schools, malls and other public places;
• Improve reliability during major disasters;
• Replace analog first responder radios countywide. How do we know we’ll get better service? In addition to existing accountability measures and audits, an appointed citizen oversight committee will review the
expenditures, progress, and outcomes of the project. The projected tax rate for these bonds is estimated not to exceed 10¢
per $1,000 of assessed value. Typical homeowners with a 2016 average assessed (not market) value of $262,514 would
pay about $26.25 annually or a little over $2 a month.
