§ 6-40. Public safety eight hundred MHz radio amplification system.

(a)

[ Adequate radio coverage required. ] All new structures, which exceed five thousand (5,000) square feet and that upon testing are shown to interfere with the emergency communications system shall provide adequate radio coverage for the Volusia County Eight Hundred (800) MHz Radio Communications System, including but not limited to firefighters, police officers and emergency medical service providers. For purposes of this section, adequate radio coverage shall include all of the following:

(1)

A minimum signal strength of -95 dBm available in ninety-five (95) percent of the area of each floor of the building when transmitted from the Volusia County Eight Hundred (800) MHz Radio Communications System.

(2)

A minimum signal strength of -95 dBm received at the closest Volusia County Eight Hundred (800) MHz Radio Communications Site when transmitted from ninety-five (95) percent of the area of each floor of the building.

(3)

The frequency range shall be eight hundred six (806) to eight hundred twenty-five (825) MHz transmit and eight hundred fifty-one (851) to eight hundred seventy (870) receiver, with a ninety-five (95) percent reliability factor.

(b)

[ Buildings and structures which cannot support the required level of radio coverage. ] Buildings and structures which cannot support the required level of radio coverage shall be equipped with any of the following in order to achieve the required adequate radio coverage: (1) a radiating cable system; or (2) an internal multiple antenna system with or without FCC type accepted bi-directional eight hundred (800) MHz amplifiers. If any part of the installed system or systems contains an electrically powered component, the system shall be capable of operating on an independent battery and/or generator system for a period of at least twelve (12) hours without external power input, which must be installed as part of the system. The battery system shall automatically charge in the presence of an external power input.

(c)

Acceptance test procedure. When an in-building radio system is required, and upon completion of installations, it will be the building owner's responsibility to have the radio system tested to ensure that two-way coverage on each floor of the building is a minimum of ninety-five (95) percent. Each floor of the building shall be divided into a grid of approximately twenty (20) equal areas. A maximum of one (1) grid per floor will be allowed to fail the test. If the system fails to satisfy the minimum coverage requirements, it will be the building owner's responsibility to have the system altered to meet the minimum coverage requirements. The test shall be conducted using an EDACS portable radio, talking through the Volusia County MHz Radio Communications System (VCRCS). A spot located approximately in the center of each grid area will be selected for the test and the radio will be keyed to verify two-way communications to and from the outside of the building through the VCRCS. Once the spot has been selected within a grid area, prospecting for a better spot within said grid area will not be permitted. The gain values of all amplifiers shall be measured and the test measurement results shall be kept on file with building owner so that the measurements can be verified each year during the annual tests. In the event that the measurements result become lost, the building owner will be required to re-run the acceptance test to reestablish the gain values.

(d)

Annual test. When an in-building radio is required, it shall be the building owner's responsibility to have all active components of the system, such as amplifiers and power supplies and backup batteries, tested a minimum of once every twelve (12) months. Amplifiers shall be tested to ensure that the gain remains within the manufacturer tolerances. Backup batteries and power supplies shall be tested under load to verify that they will properly operate during an actual power outage. All other active components shall be checked to determine that they are operating within the manufacturer specifications for the intended purpose.

(e)

Test records. All tests shall be documented and signed by the chief of police or the fire chief, or a designee from either. All test records shall be retained on the inspected premises by the building owner or tenant and shall be subject to inspection by fire department official upon request.

(f)

Field testing. Police and fire personnel, after providing reasonable notice to the building owner or tenant, shall have the right to enter onto the property to conduct field-testing to be certain that the required level of radio coverage is present.

(g)

[ Compliance. ] All buildings with a valid certificate of occupancy issued as of effective date of this article, shall not be required to comply with the provisions of this article.

(Ord. No. 06-05, § 1, 3-14-06)