On Saturday, February 20th Mason County Fire District 2 brought a new, state of the art, emergency radio communications system online for emergency operations in the District. The project began in 2006 when Mason County Fire District 2, with the assistance of the Mason County Department of Emergency Management received a Department of Homeland Security grant to help fund the installation of the system. Since that time the Fire District has put in considerable time conducting communications testing, purchasing new radio equipment, securing antennae locations, and overcoming numerous obstacles with FCC radio licensing.
Prior to the installation of the radio system the Fire District had numerous "holes" in radio coverage in its 100 square mile response area. With the new system in place all "holes" in radio communications have been eliminated. Fire District responders can now communicate with each other, via hand held radio, in every corner of the District with crystal clear quality and without third party assistance. According to Fire Chief Beau Bakken, "Through vital partnerships and internal dedication to improving our emergency operations Fire District 2 has an emergency communication system that greatly enhances the safety of our responders and our effectiveness."
With the implementation of the new radio system Mason County Fire District 2 has become the first public safety agency in the county to become compliant with new FCC "narrowbanding" regulations. The FCC regulations are mandated on all public response agencies by the year 2013. In addition, Mason County Fire District 2 will be conducting system coverage testing in the Tahuya community over the next month in anticipation of sharing the new system with its neighbors in Mason County Fire District 8. According to Fire District 2 Assistant Chief Scott Cooper, "By partnering to share the new emergency radio communications system with Fire District 8 we will enhance our District's joint operations instantly."
For citizens who may use a radio scanner to listen to Fire District 2's emergency radio communications there will be no need to change scanner settings. With the new system on line radio scanners will still be able to pick up the District's radio communications, however a change in volume may be noted.
