FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA — The City of Edmonton, Canada, capital of the Province of Alberta, has awarded Federal Engineering, Inc. (FE) a contract to evaluate options for the Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) radio system and determine the best approach for migration onto the Alberta First Responders Radio Communications System (AFRRCS).

Mr. Ronald F. Bosco, Federal Engineering’s President, described the program: “The Police, Fire, EMS, Transit, and various other City departments currently share an EDACS mobile radio system. The radio system is a simulcast 4 site 20 channel 800 MHz system and covers the downtown core and a radius of 10 kilometers outside the city boundary. The current system has performed well over its lifetime but is now nearing the end of its useful life. As a result, EFRS is now evaluating available options for upgrade of its radio infrastructure.”

“The Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General is currently in the process of building out a new province-wide radio system, the Alberta First Responders Radio Communications System (AFRRCS),” continued Mr. Bosco. “The Solicitor General has invited all Alberta first responders to join the system. FE will assess current user needs, investigate AFRRCS, and recommend appropriate solutions. Optionally, FE will support system implementation. The result of the migration process will provide clear and reliable communications for all service areas including above and below ground, inside and outside of buildings, and all transportation routes.”

Mr. Terry Owen, the City’s Project Manager, stated: “Edmonton is a booming city at the heart of a region of over a million people, nestled in the center of Alberta – a province with one of the richest reserves of oil and natural gas in the world. The capital city of the province, and the cultural capital of Canada, Edmonton bustles with arts, theatre and cultural events. Census reports indicate the province of Alberta and Edmonton as one of the fastest growing investment economies in the world.”

Mr. Owen went on: “Federal Engineering submitted a superior proposal with strong client references. They are a major provider of public safety radio consulting in the United States and have a successful track record here in Canada. We selected Federal Engineering because of the firm’s reputation in the industry and demonstrated experience in all the requisite technologies.”

Federal Engineering provides a wide range of design and management services in public safety and public service communications involving LTE as well as traditional VHF, UHF, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz and 4.9GHz mobile radio systems. FE also assists in the design and implementation of E911, PSAPs, ECCs, and EOCs. Since 1983, FE has completed thousands of communications projects for 40 state governments, as well as numerous local and federal government clients. Most recently, FE has expanded its service offerings to support FirstNet planning in anticipation of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.

In addition to its public sector work, Federal Engineering provides design and implementation support services for voice, data, and video networks used in the transportation, utilities, aerospace, finance, education, publishing, and computer services industries. FE’s certified independence ensures that clients receive objective, unbiased consulting services that are not influenced by any particular technology, product, vendor, or approach.