by Mike Harris, Orcas Fire Chief
The county council is considering an ordinance to adjust the rules regarding the placement of cell antennas. I am writing to ask for your support in changing the ordinance to allow better coverage through safe, modern technology.
Let me explain why emergency services members passionately want and need this new ordinance.
We simply want to serve you better. We know that this new service level will help us save lives. Orcas has the most rugged terrain in San Juan County. Radio signals (and cell phone signals) are line of sight. What improves cell signal on Lopez, Shaw etc. will only marginally improve Orcas. County Emergency Management has already done a study to research a radio system to serve the entire county. The costs of that system were prohibitive. Cell phones offer us another way to create this system while improving the coverage for all our citizens.
How? Radio signals can be carried on cell signals. Cell “towers” are no longer needed for the most part. In the hilly Orcas terrain a system of repeater antennae can be set up for far less cost. These antennae are extremely unobtrusive. The San Juan Co. Sheriff experimented with a similar system in 2007 and set up a data system that reached all parts of Orcas successfully. Nobody ever noticed it becasue there were no towers. However, most important is YOUR ability to call 911 from anywhere on the island, and that is the major benefit of improved, consistent cell coverage.
The concerns about improving our cell phone coverage are radiation from the antenna and harm to the aesthetics of our natural environment.
Radiation has not been demonstrated to me to be an issue given proper setbacks. Radiation from the cell phone itself (next to your head) poses a greater threat. Yet people, including me, continue to use them – and that is our choice. However, in the 20 plus years that cell phones have been in common use we have yet to prove them a significant threat.
As to the aesthetics, please let me remind you: we are not talking about erecting the old, high energy antennas here!
As your Fire Chief, I am responsible for serving you as best I can, and obtaining the proper resources is a part of that service. Our current emergency radio system needs serious and expensive upgrades. I do not want to spend tax dollars to do that when the cell companies will do it for us. When the improvements are made you will not be able to see the system upgrades but all of us will benefit.
That is truly a win-win situation.
If you support these improvements, please send the county council a copy of this letter with the words “I agree” with your printed name and signature and address.
Thank you for being opened-minded about this issue.
Mike Harris is the Fire Chief for Orcass Island Fire and Rescue.
