$4.25M Emergency Radio System Upgrade Approved In Bridgewater

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater Township Council approved a $4.25 million bond ordinance for a new emergency radio communications system.

At the July 9 Council meeting, Mayor Matthew Moench said the upgrade is being driven by changes to the county radio system and the need to keep police, fire, rescue and public works communications working.

Moench said the changes are being "kind of forced upon us," and first responders' radios "won't work starting in January."

The ordinance was first introduced at the June 25 meeting.

At that meeting, Councilman Timothy Ring, who has served on the EMS for 35 years, said Somerset County has a radio system that operates similar to AM/FM radios. Read More: Bridgewater Moves Ahead With $4.2M Bond For Emergency Radio System

"They're in the 4 to 500 series band that they're operating on and there can be interference with TV and other stations operating in that," said Ring previously.

"Somerset County is retiring their radio system and using space moving forward on the state system, which operates on the seven and 800 band. So all the existing radios, the four 500 radios," said Ring previously. "It's like having an FM radio in your hand, and you're trying to listen to an AM station or vice versa. So that's what's necessitating this."

The final reading of the ordinance was held at the July 9 Council meeting, where Moench said the township is not making the purchase simply because it wants an upgrade, calling it "as close to a dire emergency as we get in terms of being able to provide emergency services to our public."

Officials said the township plans to purchase the equipment through a state contract and wants to move quickly because other towns are also dealing with the same issue.

According to the discussion, orders cannot wait until late in the year because the radios must be purchased, programmed, and tested.

The township is also pursuing outside funding, including possible federal support through the offices of Senator Andy Kim and Congressman Tom Kean Jr.

"We are still pursuing other sources of money to help cover and offset these costs, and if we get that, we will certainly, of course, continue to pursue that, but in the meantime this is something that we need to move forward with," said Moench.

Council members asked for the cost breakdown to be made public and raised questions about whether Fire District 3 residents could end up paying twice because that district already bought some equipment.

The mayor said the final equipment purchase will still return to the council, giving members another chance to review exactly what is being bought and how it will be distributed.

Deputy Administrator Rob Field recommended that Bridgewater retain ownership of the radios and issue them to fire companies and EMS agencies rather than give them away.

Bridgewater Police Lt. Jim Edwards told the council, "the quotes all include all programming and installations."

He said the radios use unique identifiers as a safety feature and described the system as complex.

Edwards also said police radios are already 10 years old, out of warranty and near the end of their serviceable life.

Former Councilman Alan Kurdyla, who spoke during public comment, said, "this fixes that problem," referring to firefighters carrying multiple radios when responding across jurisdictions.

Rescue squad member Robert Albano also urged approval, telling the council, "We're dealing with public safety. It has to be done."

The council voted yes on the ordinance before Geiger said, "Congratulations. We now will have new radios."

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