A recent upgrade to Columbia County public safety communications hardware and software included a switch from analog to more reliable digital signal and may have impacted the publicâs ability to listen in on the communications.
Chief Deputy Gregory Bisch of the Columbia County Sheriffâs Office said they are âin the process of switching overâ but a few loose ends still need to be addressed with a communications tower upgrade and seeking a channel for large-scale emergency events involving multiple agencies.
The biggest change is communications now flow through a digital format, which can cause a problem for anyone in the public using an analog scanner. While the new technology allows agencies to encrypt, or mask communications from public listening, Bisch said the department views public knowledge as helpful.
Portage Fire Chief Clayton Simonson said he was aware that his emotions tend to show during events like the one he attended Wednesday at City Hall, but he gave a speech with only one pause as he took the podium to remark on his final week in charge of the department.
âIâve had a very rewarding career here,â Simonson said. âIâve just enjoyed my career.â
After 41 years with the Portage Fire Department and 16 years at the helm, Simonson is retiring. His final day will be Dec. 23.
Though the pandemic made the ceremony look a little different as a few officials gathered in the basement of the municipal building, donning masks and giving speeches to a camera streaming the proceeding live on social media rather than to a crowd of well-wishers, people still shared stories and laughs typical to a celebration that marks the end of an era.
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