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the changes that the FCC put forward, and the changes in our radio system to comply with that, <br />this particular tower is crucial for that need. <br />And, I'm, if you guys have any questions from the fire side in terms of response or radio or <br />dispatching, I'm here to answer as well. <br />ANDRADE: Good morning. Gantry Andrade, Assistant Fire Chief, Operations Division. Just <br />here to show support for this project in that communications plays a vital role in our emergency <br />operations so, any questions, then refer to Kazu. <br />HENKEL: Thank you. Any questions from the Commission? <br />IKEDA: John, is this the communication that the Federal government mandated about 30 years <br />ago? I remember working with you guys about having an island -wide communication system. <br />DRUMMOND: Back in the early nineties, the FCC mandated that all public safety <br />communications go to narrowband which means 12-1/2 kilohertz channels as opposed to the 25 <br />kilohertz channels that we used previously. Unfortunately, it was an unfunded mandate so the <br />County had to come up with the money to make the changeover. We were finally able to do that. <br />The Phase A of our project changed the equipment at the existing towers and changed all of the <br />radios in all County vehicles as well as the hand-held radios. Phase B of the project which the <br />Ocean View tower is part of was to increase coverage to areas of the County where we have <br />marginal or no radio coverage. So, the long -way around, yes, this is part of that. <br />HENKEL: Any other questions? I have a comment. I live in another underserved area in Puna, <br />and I appreciate the need for good communications, and Major O'Connor, you mentioned <br />redundancy in communications. Is—would that be cell phones? Is that is that part of your, if <br />the radio coverage goes down? <br />O'CONNOR: No, sir. That's not part of the coverage, the cell phone. <br />HENKEL: Okay. What, what is the redundancy? <br />O'CONNOR: What the redundancy is, is having the towers being able to overlap certain areas. <br />If one tower is to go down mechanically or, you know, due to some sort of weather event and <br />you still had other towers up, they can still pick up service in that area so we'd have that <br />redundancy and be able to communicate. <br />HENKEL: Okay, thanks for clearing that up. Any other questions? Thank you, gentlemen. I <br />have no one signed up to testify, so we'll look for a motion to close the public testimony portion. <br />IKEDA: Move to close public testimony. <br />MIYASATO: Second. <br />EXHIBIT B <br />5 <br />