The Department of Justice’s Technology and Equipment Program grant could allow Medford to help the county in efforts at revamping the region’s emergency radio systems.
In 2019, voters passed a $28 million bond measure to upgrade Jackson County communication infrastructure used by first responders, including adding 20 tower sites to improve coverage and replacing outdated analog gear.
But that project, headed by Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon, is currently faced with a $4.6 million shortfall. According to Jody Hathaway, ECSO’s project manager, the budget deficit is due to increased prices for material and construction.
“I have towers that I'm still ordering. And from what I paid two years ago and what I'm paying now, [the price] has increased,” said Hathaway. She noted there was a 16% rise in costs since the project began.
Medford’s DOJ grant will help alleviate some of the financial pressure on ECSO to provide radio equipment, according to the city’s emergency manager, Aaron Ott. He said the funds will also give technology to those public works employees who lacked essential hardware during 2020’s devastating Almeda Fire.
“They currently do not have radio capability,” said Ott. During the fire he said some workers used their cell phones for communication. “This radio system will allow us to coordinate our unified command system ... in real time,” he said.
The city could purchase the new Motorola radios in the next two months.
In February’s legislative session, Oregon lawmakers passed $2.5 million in funding for ECSO’s county-wide emergency radio system upgrade, which is intended to be completed in 2026. That bill is awaiting Governor Tina Kotek’s signature.
