By Elizabeth Lowe
Staff writer

Atlas Twp. – As soon as local firefighters complete training and get new radios, they’ll see a difference in emergency communication.
Genesee County 911 director Lloyd Fayling hoped Atlas Township firefighters would be live on the system by July 8.
Training was scheduled for July 16, says Atlas Township Fire Chief Jim Naugler, but is being moved to a later date due to summer scheduling conflicts.
The 800 MHz countywide system, which cost $10.1 million, will allow firefighters to set up specialized talk groups on emergency radios, and communicate even when in commercial buildings, dense buildings, or basements.
The system operates on microwave dishes installed on seven towers across the county, which link radios with Michigan State Police towers across the state.
‘You can call fire chiefs up north if they’re carrying a portable radio,? said Fayling.
Of the seven county towers, three are new, located in Flushing, Montrose, and Genesee Township.
Atlas Township had also been slated for a new $280,000 tower on county property near Goodrich High School, Goodrich Middle School, and Oaktree Elementary, to the dismay of some residents, who suggested co-locating equipment on the WFUM tower near Kipp and Washburn roads in Atlas Township.
The new tower was averted when media intervention took place. Between multiple telephone interviews with The Citizen in March 2004, Fayling made contact with WFUM director Jay Nelson. A contract was negotiated to install the 800 MHz equipment on WFUM’s 928-foot tower, at the cost of $216,000.
An access road and transmitter building were installed in January 2005, with microwave dishes placed on the tower this spring, said Fayling.
Atlas Township Fire Department is paying 40 percent of the cost of radios, which will be installed on fire vehicles. Officers will carry portable radios, as will some of the other firefighters, says Naugler.
Preliminary radio use shows 98 percent coverage, said Fayling, with much improved quality, and no static.
‘We covered 978 quadrants in the county,? he said. ‘Every one mile by one-half mile.?
The only area in the county where communication fell out was in a one-mile swampy area near Lennon, Fayling said.
The $10.1 million price tag is a point of pride, says Fayling, who used a consultant to negotiate the price down from a low bid of $14 million.
‘It’s the most current technology, in fact, it’s a level or two above what the state has,? he said. ‘The state’s trying to put funding together to change their system.?
The contract specified the most current technology would be provided at the time of delivery, says Fayling.
For example, Motorola 3000 model radios were the most current at the time of negotiation, but under the contract, they were automatically upgraded to the cutting-edge Motorola 5000 model, with ‘smart? batteries and rechargers that immediately drain a battery completely and recharge it for maximum capability.
‘They’re always coming out with new technology, we wanted to try to get on the front end of that curve.?
Atlas Township Firefighter Lial Miller has spent three days in training to teach other local firefighters to use the system.
Currently, the short band widths on firefighters? analog radios reach only as far as Flint.
The new radios may be a bit bulkier, but are expected to provide better communication.
Miller is confident Atlas Township firefighters will soon be competent in using the system.
‘As long as they keep a level head, this is not a complicated thing,? he said. ‘Our department is good about that.?
If departments stay on schedule, the system is expected to be up and running countywide by September, says Fayling.