Harris to modernise Chester county’s first responder communication systems

Harris has been awarded a contract by Chester county, Pennsylvania, US, to deploy and maintain modern digital communication system to support police, fire and emergency medical services.

Under the $42m contract, Harris will install the Project 25 (P25) Phase II emergency communications system for superior coverage, interoperability with surrounding radio systems while meeting county’s current and future requirements.

The company will also deploy remote transmitter and receiver sites as well as modify the microwave system that connects the remote sites to the 9-1-1 operations centre in the county Government Services Center and the South Coatesville Site.

Additionally, Harris will replace the county’s consoles and equipment with new mobile radios, portable radios and control stations for emergency responder applications, under the terms of the contract.

The P25 Phase 2 standards-based interoperable digital radio communications equipment will provide greater coverage, including in-building coverage, for voice and data communications across the county.

Operating at 800MHz, the 10-channel P25 Phase 2 system provides reliable radio capabilities for law enforcement, fire and EMS agencies.

The Harris P25 Phase 2 system is part of the unified internet protocol-based voice and data communication system, VIDA network.

Harris Public Safety and Professional Communications president Steve Marschilok said, "We’re confident that our system design is the best fit for the county’s current and future needs."

Following the completion of the deployment, Harris will maintain the new systems for over eight years for the Chester county.