NCFPD board authorizes microwave radio system contract

The North County Fire Protection District board authorized Fire Chief Steve Abbott to finalize and sign a contract with Sun Wireless for a new microwave radio system.

The Fallbrook Public Utilities District’s 5-0 board vote, Feb. 26, approved the agreement in which FPUD will obtain a new microwave radio system from Sun Wireless.

“This is going to allow us to improve and maintain the integrity of our backbone,” Abbott said. “It provides redundancy for our design so we’re not reliant solely on one piece of communication.”

The microwave radio system allows communication throughout the district by connecting the district’s network communication facilities. The current system is now more than 10 years old and has exceeded its useful service life. Not only has the district required repairs to the current system, but it is inferior to current standards and the district's current bandwidth needs exceed the current system’s capabilities.

Sun Wireless installed the current system, so a sole source contract was recommended to ensure continuity.

Each member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has an annual $2 million discretionary Neighborhood Reinvestment Program budget which provides grants, contingent upon approval by a board of supervisors’ majority, to nonprofit organizations or public agencies for the furtherance of public purposes at the regional and community levels. Bill Horn was on the board of supervisors last year, and the county supervisors approved his $108,896 Neighborhood Reinvestment Program grant, Oct. 9, to the North County Fire Protection District for a new microwave radio system and an air compressor system to refill the district’s self-contained breathing apparatus bottles.

“We were really thankful to Supervisor Horn’s office for supporting us,” Abbott said.

The district was also successful in receiving state Homeland Security Grant Program funding for the replacement. Because of the grants’ funding periods the project will be split into two phases, and each phase will commence when the district receives funding from the granting agency. Neighborhood Reinvestment Program funding will be used for the first phase which has a cost of $40,501.23.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].