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26 <br /> 1 already knows emergency services cannot communicate inside those facilities because the <br /> 2 radios will not work. He said the only way to solve that problem was to build new towers and <br /> 3 that gets quite expensive. He said that this proposal would resolve that inability to communicate <br /> 4 in critical facilities like schools over the next four to five years, while continuing to work on on <br /> 5 street coverage. <br /> 6 Commissioner Fowler asked if towers are public or private. <br /> 7 Kirby Saunders said both private and stated-owned VIPER towers are used. He said <br /> 8 there are 3 or 4 towers in Orange County and the rest are located in surrounding counties. <br /> 9 Chair Price asked why more money isn't being spent sooner to address communication <br /> 10 gaps. <br /> 11 Kirby Saunders said staff wants to complete benchmark testing first and be sure of <br /> 12 individual needs at each of the schools to prioritize accordingly. <br /> 13 Chair Price asked if this will all be done prior to next school year. She said it sounds like <br /> 14 immediate need. <br /> 15 Kirby Saunders said the benchmark testing could likely be completed by then, but the <br /> 16 timeline of installation is unknown. He said the benchmarking and installation are two separate <br /> 17 projects. <br /> 18 Commissioner Hamilton thanked staff for prioritizing schools. She asked if the equipment <br /> 19 can be moved. <br /> 20 Kirby Saunders said yes. <br /> 21 Commissioner Bedford asked if hospitals have capability. <br /> 22 Kirby Saunders said newly constructed areas of hospitals are on the VIPER network and <br /> 23 that UNC Hospitals also has a law enforcement agency inside of it that operates on the State <br /> 24 VIPER network so he does not belive there are any communications issues inside of the <br /> 25 facilities at UNC Hospitals. <br /> 26 Commissioner Bedford asked if rehab centers and nursing homes present an issue as <br /> 27 well. <br /> 28 Kirby Saunders said that is not currently in the study, but can be. He said they have not <br /> 29 identified any that have no communication. <br /> 30 Bonnie Hammersley said those facilities are privately owned as well, so the property <br /> 31 owner would have to do that. <br /> 32 <br /> 33 <br />