Engineering Section

                Ray Grimes
          Assistant Director

The Engineering Section is tasked with the long-range planning, design, licensing, construction, technical operation and maintenance of public safety communications systems. Many agencies do not have the expertise or staffing to choose the right hardware for a successful communications project. The engineering staff designs, engineers, and installs custom communications systems that fulfill user requirements. Designs are based upon the specialized needs of the public safety community, current technology, all applicable laws and regulations, future expansion, and are as economically feasible as possible. This engineering team is known worldwide for its solutions to complex RF simulcast problems.

FCC LICENSING

The Engineering Unit has one of the most knowledgeable teams of engineering talent in the United States in the area of FCC license procurement. This team has the knowledge and experience to handle both radio and microwave applications.

DISPATCH SYSTEMS UNIT

The Dispatch Systems Unit (DSU) provides 24-hour service for over 37 9-1-1 dispatch centers and supports Emergency Operations Center and mobile command post activations.

Responsibilities include:

  • Maintenance and repair of 9-1-1 law enforcement and fire consoles
  • City primary dispatch systems
  • Fire mobile data systems
  • Public works and marine safety dispatch centers
  • 900 MHz paging encoders and transmitters
  • Hospital consoles and paramedic base stations

ENGINEERING PROJECT UNIT

The Engineering Project Unit not only supports the ongoing engineering requirements of the 800 MHZ CCCS, it also focuses on the complex engineering and enhancement efforts associated with this system. This team has the expertise, based upon years of experience with multifaceted communications projects, to assume the engineering lead, but also to assure that solutions are successfully implemented.

Responsibilities include:

  • Facility design and reconfigurations.
  • Facility technical management.
  • RF interference tracking and resolution.
  • RF exposure control.
  • Evaluation and identification of radio coverage solutions.

RADIO AND MICROWAVE UNIT

The primary mission of the Radio and Microwave Unit (RMU) is to provide and maintain quality public safety radio backbone systems. To meet its primary objective, the RMU has responsibility for all aspects of system engineering and maintenance.

Responsibilities include:

  • Radio and microwave systems and facilities design, implementation and maintenance.
  • Radio system status monitoring and 24-hour problem response.
  • Radio and microwave systems preventive maintenance and repair.
  • RF systems optimization and analysis.
  • Radio facility services for various governmental agencies.
  • 900 MHz Paging systems hardware installation/maintenance.
  • Fire Mobile Data System transmitter support.

The RMU provides technical support for the Emergency Operations Center and the Emergency Communications Center. Engineers are stationed in a System Watch Room 24/7 to monitor the status of all communications systems.