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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: November 17, 2011 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 1 <br />SUBJECT: Review of the VIPER (Voice Interoperability Plan for Emergency Responders) <br />Original Design and Implementation and Strategies to Improve Coverage and <br />Capacity <br />DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />1) VIPER Final Analysis Report 8/20/04 <br />2) Orange County Radio System coverage <br />Conformance Testing Report 9/9/07 <br />3) Assessment of the Current, Fire, <br />Rescue, and Emergency Services <br />Delivery System <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />F. R. Montes de Oca, 245-6100 <br />Michael Talbert, 245-2153 <br />PURPOSE: To review the design and implementation of the original VIPER (Voice <br />Interoperability Plan for Emergency Responders) system and explore strategies to improve both <br />the coverage and capacity of the system. <br />BACKGROUND: By 2001 Orange County began discussions with the public safety community <br />and started planning for the implementation of VIPER. In 2003 the VIPER system first <br />appeared in the County Capital Investment Plan and by 2009 the system switchover occurred <br />with the exception of the Sheriff's Department. In early 2011 the Sheriffs Departments' radios <br />were installed and all Orange County public safety agencies are using VIPER. <br />VIPER is a statewide 800 MHz trunked radio network being used. by the North Carolina State <br />Highway Patrol to provide multi-jurisdiction, multi-agency interoperability. A trunked radio <br />system is a complex digital radio system which uses a few channels to support multiple talk <br />groups. Orange County and its communities have chosen to become a partner with the NC <br />State Highway Patrol on the VIPER system. NC State Highway Patrol has taken the <br />responsibility for the VIPER backbone design of the radio sites and equipment providing radio <br />coverage to Orange County. The VIPER radio has been installed as designed and is <br />functioning well but is not perfect. The system, like any other digital communication system, is <br />in need of expansion as the state-wide system grows and technology upgrades as the <br />technology is constantly changing and improving. <br />