Fire & Police Departments Elevate Need for Modern Radio Communications System

The Woodland Fire Department and Woodland Police Department are highlighting the pressing need to replace the City's outdated radio communications system. With an ever-increasing demand on public safety resources, Fire Chief Zane describes the current radio communications system as the "Achilles Heel" of Woodland's ability to respond to public safety incidents.

Chief Zane remarks, "Our radio communications system was originally implemented in 1987 and has served the Department well but has become increasingly unreliable. The system is no longer sufficient to meet the standards essential to emergency response operations. Ensuring the safety of our neighbors and our personnel depends on communicating reliably during emergencies."

In recent years, Woodland Police Department's primary radio channel has failed multiple times, forcing officers to switch to a backup channel that provides insufficient coverage throughout town. New Police Chief Ryan Kinnan identified the radio system's limitations as a pressing issue after meeting with Chief Zane to review critical infrastructure needs. Chief Kinnan notes that "in almost every significant officer-involved incident, communication is one of the leading factors affecting the outcome. Reliable radio communications are essential to public safety, and it's imperative that we provide our personnel with the tools they need."

In response to these critical needs, Woodland hired a communications consultant in 2021 to assess the current system and provide recommendations for an upgrade. Their findings proposed replacing the existing system with a modern digital network integrated with the Sacramento Regional Radio Communications System at an estimated cost of $2 million. The City has set aside $1.1 million of the resources needed and has submitted multiple federal funding requests and grants to fully fund this critical project. The project has been identified as a top spending priority and could be supported with revenues from the City's proposed Measure U.

Chief Kinnan adds, "Our goal is to create public safety departments that can adapt to any situation, and that requires modern radio technology. Without it, we risk potential delays and misunderstandings that can impact public safety outcomes." Such an upgrade would allow police officers in active pursuit and firefighters responding to emergencies to maintain uninterrupted contact without needing to switch frequencies or worry about moving out of range. This technology would provide personnel with access to multiple towers, like cellular service, and ensure continuous communication throughout Woodland while also enhancing interagency collaboration and emergency response across the region.

A timely investment in a modern radiocommunications system will benefit the community for years to come, safeguard lives, and equip public safety teams with the tools they need to respond effectively in any situation.