New public safety radio gear operating in North Fulton

Officials in North Fulton said public safety workers and first responders now have much improved communications equipment, as radio systems previously operated by Milton, Roswell, Alpharetta and Sandy Springs were transferred this week to a new setup operated by the North Fulton Regional Radio System Authority.

Sandy Springs City Manager John McDonough, who heads the NFRRSA, says the new systems provide better coverage, including inside buildings, and replace radio equipment that was more than 20 years old and prone to failure. The new setup takes over from existing dispatch consoles at three centers.

The North Fulton radio authority was created in 2013 to address coverage and other issues and officials said the new system cost about $14 million to design and build.