[Solano County] Grand jury finds emergency services need better radios, new building

The Solano County Office of Emergency Services (OES) needs better radio communication equipment and a new building if it is to respond to emergencies and disasters with the highest possibility of success, according to a report published by the Solano County grand jury.

The jury began its inquiry on Sept. 10, 2014.

The members toured the OES offices and communications center, where they “found the OES to be very efficient, very well managed and poised to handle emergencies in Solano County,” according to the report. The group noted that, during the time of their tour, Solano County OES was still assisting Napa County following the August earthquake.

The jurors interviewed various members of OES management, as well as staff from the OES command center and the dispatch center to find what concerns the agency had. They also reviewed the OES website.

One concern listed in the report is “dead radio reception,” due to radio signal interference caused by terrain, particularly in canyons and ravines and on waterways.

“The remedy for this problem requires repeater stations and suitable appropriate frequencies,” the report concluded.

However, lack of funding has slowed this project. The grand jury recommended that the county and the agencies affected by communication dead zones treat this as a “high-priority item” and secure adequate funding for repeater towers, frequencies and associated equipment.

Both the stability and the location of current OES offices are also of concern to the agency.

The command center and communications center at those offices are located in a severe flood zone, according to OES staff, the grand jury cited in the report.

In addition to its location, the building, which houses both equipment and staff, is considered unstable.

“Recent seismic activities have resulted in damages demonstrating the lack of stability in the building,” according to the report.

A county-owned site near the Clay Bank and Stanton detention facilities off Clay Bank Road is one potential location for new housing of both the OES and the Sheriff’s Office communications center.

The grand jury recommended that the Solano County Board of Supervisors approve and secure funding for the construction of a new facility.

“The recent Napa County earthquake disaster is evidence of the possibility of extensive damages locally and the need for rapid emergency services,” the report read.

OES personnel are “well-trained and capable of accomplishing their assigned duties,” the report concluded. “They need safe facilities and reliable communications equipment to accomplish their mission successfully.”

April 22, 2015

Vallejo Times-Herald

By Jessica Rogness