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5 <br />users at once. When the system is broadcasting, every tower in the sys#em is used to get the <br />message out to all users. Orange County utilizes towers in Alamance, Durham, and Chatham <br />counties to communicate with emergency services providers in Orange County on the state- <br />wide radio system. <br />Adding channels to existing towers will improve system capacity. The cast of one channel <br />added to one tower is approximately $30,000 and multiple channels will be needed on multiple <br />towers. <br />Building Penetration -refers to the reception and transmission from handheld radios operating <br />within buildings. Mobile Repeaters significantly improve in building reception. The Chapel Hill <br />Fire Department has used mobile repeaters to significantly improve VIPER radio reception. <br />Repeaters can either be mobile or mounted to a fixed location. <br />Mobile repeaters in emergency vehicles will significantly improve building penetration. Mobile <br />Repeaters are estimated to cost $20,000 each and many repeaters will likely be needed. <br />Listed below are the VIPER towers that provide service to Orange County and the number of <br />channels on each tower. <br />VIPER Towers <br />Orange County: <br />Eno Mountain (Hillsborough) 8 Channels <br />WUNC (Chatham Mtn.) 5 Channels <br />Orange County North (Laws} 5 Channels <br />UNC -- MED (Brickhouse Bldg) 8 Channels <br />Durham Counfy: <br />Cole Mili Road 5 Channels <br />Camden (Roxboro Rd.} 5 Channels <br />Alamance County: <br />Cane Mtn. 8 Channels <br />Altamahaw 8 Channels <br />Orange County does not have the technical expertise to evaluate coverage and capacity issues <br />with the VIPER system. A technical analysis is required to provide accura#e infarmation to salve <br />the coverage and capacity deficiencies. A coverage and capacity assessment will provide the <br />County with analysis of present coverage, suggestions for upgrades of axis#ing sites, and <br />additional locations for supplemental sites to increase the coverage to an acceptable level. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: This presentation of this infarmation has no immediate financial impact <br />on the County. Af#er a coverage & capacity assessment has been completed, a financial plan <br />will be .presented to the Board. Staff anticipates a total cost estimate for towers, additional <br />channels, and repeaters to be between $3.5 and $5 million dollars which would to be included <br />in the County's Capital Investment Plan. A coverage and capacity assessment is estima#ed not <br />to exceed $50,000, and the Emergency Telephone System Fund has adequate fund balance to <br />cover this cost. <br />