WESTFIELD – The City Council, acting on a positive recommendation from both the Finance Committee and the Legislative & Ordinance Committee, approved the first reading of a $2.15 million bond to finance a new city-wide radio communication system.
The need for an improved, and comprehensive system to allow all city departments to communicate with each other, was identified by both real natural disasters, such as the 2011 tornado and 2011 Halloween snow storm, and through drills.
Communication following the tornado was often done by responders using their personal cell phones as the only direct means of communication. However, the problem with that is that other employees cannot hear or participate in that means of communication.
The Finance Committee and the Legislative & Ordinance Committee met in joint session Tuesday, prior to the council session Thursday night, to hear details of the proposed radio system presented by department heads and supervisors. About two dozen police officers and firefighters also attended the session as a show of support.
Technology director Lenore Bernashe said the tornado and Halloween storm of 2011 exposed the lack of ability to communicate during a crisis, that departments could not speak directly with each other to coordinate a response and that in many part of the city the current radio system has dead spots.
The proposed radio system “is not just for public safety departments, although public safety is a large component, but we’re looking at a city-wide system for all departments,” Bernashe said.
Fire Chief Mary Regan said that the proposed radio system will reduce or eliminate “dead spots” and that the new radios are waterproof “so they’ll hold up better in a fire situation.”
Police Captain Hipolito (Paul) Nunez framed the issue best for the councilors.
“I can’t stress enough the need for officers on the streets to be able to communicate with dispatch and other officers,” Nunez said. “They need these radios for their safety, to make sure they get home.”
Ward 5 Councilor Robert Paul suggested that the city should lease a communication system to allow the Westfield Gas & Electric Department, which was initially part of the team assessing various radio communication system, but which withdrew and leased its system independently of the city, to terminate its current lease and “come together with one technology” city wide.
“We have to insist that all city departments work together on management of any event, to have one good communication system,” Paul said.
L&O Chairman Ralph Figy said that the radio system currently being leased by the WG&E is compatible with the system the city is seeking to purchase.
“I’m not willing to take a chance (on delaying the radio system implementation,” Figy said. “All departments were part of this process, the WG&E withdrew, but the system they leased is compatible with the system this bond finances.”
