Chautauqua County is close to taking control of its new radio system. In preparation, teams are conducting system checks at nearly 4,000 land sites across the county.
The system would replace one that Sheriff Joseph Gerace says has been obsolete for decades. There are now a series of different frequencies used by police, firefighters and EMS. Now, they will all be on one channel which works countywide.
"You have a situation like a massive natural disaster or man-made and we have a response team, that fire chief and the police chief, sheriff, State Police need to talk to each other in that particular incident. We'll be able to do that, going forward," Gerace explained.
State Police will also be in the conversation. Gerace says the system will also tie together with Erie and Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Departments which often have backup help for a Chautauqua deputy far closer than another of his cars.
The system costs around $7 million, with Albany picking up $6 million of that cost.