November 30, 1999
To: Budget Advisory Committee
From: Barry Gutteridge, Commissioner, Works & Emergency Services
Subject: Integrated Police and Fire Radio Communications System
Purpose:
To respond to the direction given staff by the Budget Advisory Committee at their meeting on November 17, 1999 to
confirm the scope of the Integrated Police and Fire Radio Communications System as regards the future inclusion of the
Ambulance and Works Depatment.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that this report be received for information.
Background:
The Budget Advisory Committee in their November 17th 1999 meeting requested that the Commissioner of Works and
Emergency Services report confirming the scope of the radio project to facilitate the future inclusion of the Ambulance and
Works Department in the new system.
In December 1998, a contract was signed with Motorola Canada Inc.; the supplier of the Police/Fire integrated radio
infrastructure, for $34.5 Million including taxes. This contract is performance based for payment and consists of a number
of milestones.
Phase one of the project, now scheduled for completion in November 2000, is the implementation of the radio
communications system in the Central Zone. Toronto Fire Services will upgrade and combine the previous municipalities
of Toronto, York and East York to an 800 MHz radio communications system and consolidate three existing
communications centres into the new Fire communications centre at 4330 Dufferin Street. Toronto Police Services will
convert District 2 and District 5 to 80 MHz trunking systems.
Phase two of the implementation of the radio communications system establishes a West, North and East Zone and
networks the four zones together. Toronto Fire Services will upgrade the existing systems in Etobicoke, North York and
Scarborough and consolidate the remaining three communications centres into the new main Fire communications centre at
4330 Dufferin Street. Toronto Police Services will convert District 1, 3 and 4 to 800 MHz trunking systems. Final
acceptable of this phase is August of 2001.
Comments:
At the present time the Toronto Fire Services administration and suppression crews continue to be dispatched from six
separate communication centres and operate on six separate radio systems. The diverse tactics and procedures these
systems impose inhibit movement and interoperation of fire personnel and equipment.
The design of the new trunked radio system reengineers the Toronto Police Service radio system so it will seamlessly
overlay the new Fire infrastructure forming a fully integrated Public Safety radio system. This integration provides Fire and
Police with a Toronto, citywide communications network that supports Police/Fire interoperability as required.
The Toronto Ambulance Service operates an Ericsson 800 MHz radio system that has approximately five years of reliable
life remaining. The new system being implemented by Fire and Police has been designed with the capability of expanding
to serve the needs of Ambulance, when required, with the addition of base station repeater equipment at the existing tower
sites and with the existing antennas. Using the existing ambulance radio frequency channels will facilitate the expansion
into one fully trunked public safety radio system.
The Non Fire and Ambulance sections of the Works and Emergency Services Department and other departments of the City
operate various radio systems that are in some cases not aligned with operational needs resulting from amalgamation. Some
users have adopted the use of public communications systems subject to user charges to the City to resolve radio
communications difficulties. Fourteen 800 MHz Frequencies are shared between the City and Toronto Hydro once the Fire
Department removes their 800 MHz channels from the existing shared Etobicoke, Scarborough and East York City radio
communications systems.
The recommended 2000 capital budget includes provision for addressing the alignment of City radio communications to
operational requirements resulting from amalgamation on a short term basis at the minimum cost including reducing
dispatch locations. The recommended 2000 capital budget also provides for carrying out analysis to determine the optimum
lowest cost long term radio communications system for non Fire and Ambulance users. This analysis will include a detailed
comparison of the options of joining with the new Police/Fire radio system, a new joint radio system shared with Toronto
Hydro, a separate stand alone radio system or purchasing radio communications services from private service providers.
This process of analysis has been reviewed with Industry Canada, and it is supported by that agency because it is directed
towards optimizing the utility of radio frequencies.
Conclusions:
The Integrated Police and Fire Radio Communications System is currently being implemented and is on track to be
completed on schedule and within budget. The system has been designed for and has the initial capacity to fill the identified
needs of the Police and Fire Services. The systems design also allows for the inclusion of the Ambulance Service radio
needs, when required, using their current 800 MHz radio spectrum with the additional of base repeater equipment.
The needs of the non Fire and Ambulance City of Toronto radio users may be accommodated on the new system with the
addition of proper radio frequency spectrum and base station equipment. The analysis process which is recommended in the
2000 capital budget program will assess the alternative of including non-fire and ambulance radio communications on the
new Police/Fire system with other alternatives to determine the optimum lowest cost long term radio communications
system for non Fire and Ambulance radio communications.
Contact:
Mark Thompson,
Manager, Fire Radio Communications Systems
397-4389
and
John Warren, P.Eng.
Director, Environmental Services
397-4625
_____________________
Alan F. Speed
Fire Chief
_____________________
Barry Gutteridge
Commissioner
Works & Emergency Services
