First responders in Madison, WI are looking forward to improved radio communication, following the state panel’s approval of a $1.24 million communications tower in Superior, scheduled to break ground in June of 2018. The 300-foot-tall tower will send signals to the Northeastern part of the county, which has struggled with insufficient radio signal and unreliable cellular coverage for years. The tower will be designed to work with the Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications, a system which facilitates statewide communication during large emergencies.
Keith Kesler, the director of emergency management and communications for the county, explained to the Superior Telegram the tower will provide signal to the Nemadji River valley, where railroads periodically spark wildfires and the signal is spotty. These fires can be dangerous to fight without dependable communication between first responders and dispatch.
“This will make a huge difference, not only for the DNR but also the sheriff and fire departments,” Kesler told the Superior Telegram. Kesler, who has worked in firefighting and emergency management for 40 years, said at least one more tower is needed for more reliable communication for the sheriff and fire departments, the Washington State Patrol, and EMS agencies.
The Pattison Ranger Tower’s details are still being negotiated, according to the Superior Telegram, but the plans include a self-supporting tower, with a fenced site and a 240-square-foot equipment building. The site, near Town Line and Polish roads, will have a generator and a 1,000-gallon LP tank. The plans currently state that the Department of Natural Resources will pay for the construction costs, while the county will provide up to three acres of land for the tower site. The county and other municipalities will be responsible for paying for the equipment hung on the tower. Construction of the tower is scheduled to be completed by February 2019.
December 18, 2017
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