First responders could benefit from SEL radio solution

A need for more clarity, reliability and manageability has led to an innovation in the world of radio communications.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) has launched a new land mobile radio solution aimed at enhancing emergency communications for first responders, public safety agencies and critical utilities.

The solution, developed in collaboration with neighboring Whitman County Emergency Management (WCEM), addresses reliability issues that have long plagued emergency radio systems. The partnership began when SEL discovered WCEM’s struggles with their existing radio infrastructure.

“At the end of the day, we needed three fundamental things for our infrastructure,” said Steve Krigbaum, then-WCEM emergency communications manager. “We needed reliable network security. We needed to know the health and condition of the radios out there in the world, and we needed precise timing. And SEL was able to provide that.”

The solution includes several components: A software-defined networking switch to enhance cybersecurity; a multiplexing platform for voice transport; a Real-Time Automation Controller allowing remote system management; and a satellite clock for precise synchronization of simulcasts.

Eastern Washington’s climate, which can endure extreme temperatures in both summer and winter, frequently caused failures in WCEM’s legacy clock systems, the agency reported. When SEL installed a prototype of their solution in summer 2024, it outperformed the existing hardware.

The WCEM system automatically selects the most accurate clock when multiple options are available. When given a choice between the SEL solution and legacy hardware, the system consistently chose the SEL option.

“It’s been a vast improvement in audio quality,” Krigbaum said. “And I think that speaks volumes when a prototype can outperform what had been your gold standard.”

For emergency responders, reliable radio communication can be a matter of life and death. The new solution aims to address longstanding challenges in the sector where legacy devices have proven unreliable.

More information about the innovation can be found at selinc.com/wcem.