State Radio to Upgrade, First Responder Radios Must be Updated by End of Year

PIERRE, S.D. - Every fi rst responder  radio statewide must be updated this  year to avoid losing communication  when the State Radio system is  upgraded. Older radios may need to  be replaced with P25 capable radios.

The legislature has already full funded  the over $10 million project, which  must be completed this year. The  parts and software essential for the  centralized tower system are no longer  manufactured, sold, or supported.

“Our system is more than 20 years old,  so we have been planning this upgrade  with the Public Safety Communications  Council and the legislature for almost  five years,” said Trent Nincehelser,  director of State Radio for the State of  South Dakota. “We have the funding.  We have the project plan. Now we need to make sure that all radios are updated  to keep communication going on the  new system.”

First responders should visit stateradio. sd.gov to learn if radios can be updated  to communicate with the new system  and to see the phased upgrade  schedule. State Radio staff will host  online question and answer sessions  every Wednesday at 2 p.m. CT  throughout February. Visit stateradio. sd.gov for information to join a Zoom  session.

Nincehelser encourages those affected  to act now to ensure fi rst responders can  continue to operate without interruption.

“The radios need to be ready for  the system transition in advance,”  Nincehelser said. “This isn’t something you want to be doing the day of or the  week of the change.”

The P25 system is a national standard  for interoperable land mobile radio  (LMR) systems that allows emergency  responders to exchange critical  communications across agencies  and jurisdictions. As a joint effort  of the Association of Public-Safety  Communications Officials (APCO)   and the National Association of  State Telecommunications Directors,  Project 25 is a longstanding  partnership between the public safety  communications community, standard  development organizations, and  industry manufacturers. While the future  of technology is constantly evolving,  the P25 standard should provide a  consistent, long-term platform. ■