PUBLIC SAFETY ERRCS Solutions

Emergency Responder Radio communication systems (errcs) protect your residents and tenants

EMERGENCY RESPONDER RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM (ERRCS)

An Emergency Responder Radio Communication System (ERRCS) has become a required in-building network in many municipalities around the country. The requirements for such systems are typically outlined by an entity called the “Authority Having Jurisdiction” or AHJ. The AHJ is typically the local Fire Marshal and is the first contact point for anyone attempting to acquire information about the local code requirements.

An ERRCS looks much like an Over-the-Air Cellular DAS in some respects  it uses a donor antenna to receive the radio signals from the local first responder network – signals that operate on private frequencies. These signals are then re-amplified in the building at the required locations.

The actual system requirements will vary by municipality. This will mandate what frequencies need to operate inside the building (800/700 MHz but occasionally VHF and UHF frequencies) and at what locations and strength. There will typically be system-testing requirements to get an initial permit and an annual maintenance contract required to ensure the system remains operational.

After contacting the AHJ, the next step in the process is usually a site survey to provide baseline readings of the signal strength at the property – assuming the property is in some stage of construction. This will allow for a preliminary evaluation of the possible need for an ERRCs so that horizontal and vertical cable paths and/or conduit can be identified and installed. Once the building’s outer skin is up, a second site survey will determine the necessity of the ERRCS and identify areas of the building that require a network of antennas.

Without one or more site surveys it is impossible to determine whether all or only some part of a building actually needs an ERRCS.

Learn more about local ERRCS requirements HERE, and about ERRCS codes HERE.

 

Have Questions?

We have answers. Please fill out the form on this page, and someone from our team will be in touch shortly. Thanks for your interest! →

Yes, Please Send Me More Information

Education Center

Is it an ERRCS? Or an ERCES?

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” William Shakespeare penned this line in Romeo and Juliet to suggest that the naming of things is irrelevant. Perhaps Mr. Shakespeare would have thought differently if he wanted...

IBWS – Cellular & Radio Experts

The never-ending quest of companies to expand their service offerings in search of more revenue certainly exists in the Cellular DAS (Distributed Antenna System) and ERRCS (Emergency Responder Radio Communication System) world. Many of these companies are electrical...

ERRCS & ChatGPT

There’s lots of buzz around Bing’s coming AI search engine, ChatGPT created by OpenAI. The New York Times recently published a story by its technology columnist Kevin Roose, which detailed a 2 hour conversation with Bing’s AI ChatGPT. It’s a fascinating story and he...

ERRCS Regulations & Turkey

Two years ago my wife and I vacationed in Turkey and found the history, people, and sites a fascinating experience. To this day, I’ll tell people to add “Balloon Ride in Cappadocia” to their bucket list because it was the most exhilarating experience I’ve had on this...

ERRCS System Integrator Requirements

System integrators in the Emergency Responder Radio Communications System (ERRCS) business have typically been required by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) to have two credentials to design systems: 1) a valid FCC–issued General Radio Operator License (GROL);...

ERRCS & Relevant Codes

The requirements for and installation of an Emergency Responder Radio Communication System (ERRCS) in a specific locale are governed by various codes and enforced by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). An ERRCS, unlike a Cellular Distributed Antenna System (DAS),...

AHJs & FCC License Holders

Despite the work of numerous organizations (most notably the Safer Buildings Coalition, www.saferbuildings.org) the process for the installation of an Emergency Responder Radio Communication System (ERRCS) varies too much by jurisdiction (in our humble opinion). We’ve...

Should Cellular Service be Mandated like ERRCS?

How is it that Americans spend 88% or so of their day indoors but the de facto standard for designing cellular networks concentrates primarily on outdoor coverage? The cottage business of installing cellular Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) seeks to remedy deficient...