AUBURN -- A recent emergency communications glitch has several volunteer fire departments increasing pressure on Cayuga County Legislators to get it fixed.

The county Judicial and Public Safety Committee heard from more than a dozen fire officials who said the more than 50-year-old system needs to be replaced soon.

"This radio system, in my opinion, has been bad for the last 15 years and maybe more," said Locke Fire Chief Ray Dyer.

A critical base station failed overnight Nov. 3 and 4. The base was repaired within 90 minutes the first time, but went down for several hours the second.

"The whole system froze and we had no emergency radio in Cayuga County at all," county E-911 Director Denise Stayton said. "It was a pretty scary situation for us."

A group of key county legislators immediately approved an emergency resolution for a replacement that should arrive within a week. However, the base station failure underscored the much larger problem with the antiquated emergency radio system.

A revamping of the system would cost upward of $5 million.

"I definitely think it's time to look at that," Stayton said.

Leaders from fire departments in the southern end of the county have complained about dead spots for years. A system upgrade could help eliminate those as well.

Public Safety Committee Chairman Raymond Lockwood, R-Aurelius, suggested a committee of firefighters, legislators and officials from the county Sheriff, Emergency Management and E-911 departments form to identify the various needs to present to an independent consultant.

"If we're going to invest in a system, everyone's going to have to work with it," Lockwood said.

Stayton said she would survey neighboring counties with newer systems to see how they got started with the process. Legislators could seek a communications consultant to evaluate the geography, need and cost for the system before the end of the year.

"We're going to do the best we can as quick as we can," Lockwood said.

Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Citizen.