The Orange County Board of Commissioners reviewed major public safety changes, from new 911 dispatch technology and school radio coverage to a $24.9 million countywide radio and paging overhaul, along with expanded behavioral health support for first responders and rising climate-related emergency calls. The board then connected these growing needs to upcoming state constitutional amendments, approving a resolution and education efforts to help residents understand how the measures could affect local funding and services. 22mins
Original Meeting
Video Notes
Official Orange County, North Carolina recording of the October 13, 2026 joint meeting with the Orange County Fire Chiefs' Association followed by the BOCC work session. This is one combined recording. Official agenda: https://www.orangecountync.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10132026-2691
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Carrboro Fire Chief Will Potter highlighted countywide public safety accomplishments, including progress on the new computer-aided dispatch system, a Board-funded project to install bi-directional amplifiers improving radio coverage in all schools, and increased coordination among public safety departments for shared planning and emergency response.
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Chief Will Potter described expanded behavioral health and resilience efforts for first responders, including Struggle Well and crisis intervention trainings, and outlined plans to encourage early help-seeking, train supervisors on available resources, and strengthen peer support and access to confidential professional care.
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Chair Hamilton asked about trends in call types, and Chief Potter explained that call volumes had risen across EMS, fire, and weather-related incidents, noting more fall calls, increased hazards, and the growing impact of both major storms and routine severe weather events.
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Orange County Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders explained current handheld radio coverage across the county, highlighted gaps in in-building reception at critical facilities like schools, and described how installing bi-directional antenna systems offered a cost-effective alternative to building many new towers to improve public safety communications.
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Orange County Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders outlined the phased timeline, funding plan, and cost-saving strategies for a $24.9 million countywide radio tower and paging upgrade, noting partnerships with municipalities and a shift toward using the 800 MHz system and IP-based alerting to meet both communications and paging needs.
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The Board temporarily set aside its Rules of Procedure to quickly approve a resolution authorizing the chair to sign, emphasizing the importance of educating residents about the implications of related constitutional amendments on the ballot in November and announcing that a press release would follow.
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Commissioners connected the resolution on constitutional amendments to the county’s ability to fund critical public safety needs, highlighted community feedback and planned educational efforts, and noted that a county fact sheet on potential impacts would be shared with residents ahead of early voting.
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Chair Hamilton and Commissioners agreed to continue using the work group with a revised charge, adding a staff attorney, setting quarterly meetings as the baseline, and allowing flexibility for more frequent sessions when discussions or community feedback warranted it.