Hancock to seek bids for backup radio system

NEW CUMBERLAND - A backup radio system for Hancock County safety forces would have a price tag of about $180,000, Tom Zielinski told Hancock County commissioners at Thursday's meeting.

Commissioners unanimously approved a request for bids for the system from Zielinski, executive director of Hancock County Office of Technology and Communications. Zielinski wants to have a bid ready for the commission to consider at the Feb. 18 meeting.

The county fire association and the sheriff's department asked Zielinski and the commission to consider a backup system because of recent radio failures, he said.

In a letter to the commission Tuesday, Zielinski said bid specifications would be available at the courthouse front desk beginning at 8:30 a.m. Monday, with the submission deadline being noon Feb. 12. He said his office and the Hancock County 911 Commission recommend the backup system to compliment the existing infrastructure, which has recently suffered several outages.

Commissioners each expressed their understanding at the frustration of safety forces working with a radio system that has failed three times since the last commission meeting.

They said the line from Chester to the state Route 208 tower is at fault and needs replaced.

The commission delayed the start of Thursday's meeting several minutes while Commissioner Jeff Davis concluded a telephone call with a Verizon representative in Charleston. Davis said Verizon plans to replace the line within six to eight weeks.

"The commission is taking a proactive approach to this," said Commission President Mike Swartzmiller. "We are dealing with people's lives."

Commissioners discussed options of providing backup to either northern Hancock County alone or the entire county.

Zelinski estimated the cost for the backup system for just northern Hancock County would be about $130,000.

Zelinski expects the system to be online about six weeks after the bid is awarded. He noted the backup system will include monitoring technology that will automatically send signals into the 911 system at regular intervals and set off an alarm if any of the systems fail.