Bismarck Fire Department receives $500,000 for new radios

(KFYR)
Published: Oct. 23, 2019 at 6:35 PM CDT
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New radios are in the works for the Bismarck Fire Department as part of a statewide public safety radio network.

Every department across the state will be replacing the current networks with new technology. CenCom director Mike Dannenfelzer says the new system will allow first responders to better communicate through buildings, something they have an issue with right now.

They'll also be able to connect better with other networks across the state.

The radios will have an emergency button that activates a GPS. Dannenfelzer says they've been working on a project like this for almost a decade and are excited for the new system.

“It took really 10 years of work to get everybody on board with a new direction to go and work to share systems and improve inner-operability and serve the citizens better,” Dannenfelzer said.

The Bismarck city commission allocated just over $500,000 for Bismarck Fire in 2020 for the project. Dannenfelzer hopes to have the system built out by early 2021. The old radios will be re-programmed to go to Bismarck Public Works and the highway department. The whole thing is expected to cost over $200 million statewide.