Concerns are being shared over a new radio system in Monroe County that’s supposed to make it easier for first responders to communicate.

Sources tell News 8 the issue lies with first responders on calls not being able to communicate properly with dispatchers from the field.

The new Harris radio equipment funded by the county cost $30 million and is supposed to be a big upgrade, but three months into using a new trunk radio system on the channel 295, some of the 17 ambulance companies  using the system have experienced glitches while trying to communicate with dispatchers.

Monroe Co. EMS Advisory Board Chairman Jim Bucci said, “we’re into newer technology, and as you know…newer technology sometimes can present some difficulties when you’re trying to interface it with old technology, and I believe that’s part of the problem.”

News 8 has also obtained emails circulating among county EMS officials that detail specific concerns.

One incident happened two weeks ago at Brighton Ambulance where a dispatcher could not contact a crew sent out on a call. 

Another email reads: “This channel is awful. If it was a police channel someone’s going to get killed, that’s not to say it can’t happen on 295.”

Though EMS aren’t the only ones concerned about this new system. The county paid for EMS to have radios, and has made an offer to fire departments to join the new system. So far, the city is not on board. 

Rochester Fire Department Captain Joe Luna said, “we need more time in the city to test it. We need to be given an opportunity once all the towers are up and everything is synchronized within the system to go out and do our own field testing.”

Bucci says the dropped communications happen as the county makes patches, or upgrades, to their system.

“We worked hard to get these radios. We knew this patch you know was going to be, you know could, potentially cause us a couple hiccups. We were assured that we could get through these hiccups, and that’s what we’re doing,” said Bucci.

County officials assure that no calls for service were interrupted or missed over the last few months because of the new system. 

The project was funded through M3S, or Monroe Security & Safety Systems, a Local Development Corporation that was at the center of a bid-rigging scheme in which four men pleaded guilty. One of those men is the husband of former County Executive Maggie Brooks. This particular contract with Harris was not named in any of their indictments in the case.

A county spokesperson said on Monday that local police departments are scheduled to transition to the new system sometime in 2019. The county is also adding three more radio towers to the 19 they already have installed to help improve coverage. It’s estimated these communication issues will be solved in the coming months.