progress: COMMUNITY
Floyd County looks to enhance public safety with new radio system CHARLES CITY PRESS | WWW.CHARLESCITYPRESS.COM | FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2025 C5
By Bob Steenson bsteenson@charlescitypress.com
For many years in Floyd County, law enforce- ment of fi cers, fi re fi ghters, emergency medical responders and other public safety personnel have complained about the county’s radio com- munications system. It wasn’t just a matter of convenience, being able to talk to each other and to dispatchers. In many cases it was a matter of safety, they said. Now, emergency responders hope, that situa- tion has been fi xed. Earlier this month a new communications sys- tem, based on all new digital equipment and op- erating on ISICS – the Iowa Statewide Interop- erable Communications System – became fully operational in Floyd County. The early reviews are positive. “The communication is just 100% better,” said John Gohr, the administrator for the Floyd County Dispatch Department, located at the courthouse. “Everything’s been going pretty smooth. I’m actually very, very happy with it,” he said. We had a few bugs here and there that they’ve fi xed before we went live, but everything seems to be going pretty good now.” Most importantly, he said, “We have not found any dead spots to where we can’t hear the of fi cers.” That was the reason for the new communica- tions project. “The biggest reason was of fi cer safety,” Gohr said. There were locations around the coun- ty and even within Charles City where of fi cers couldn’t communicate reliably over their old radios. “Deputies were out on, let’s say a traf fi c stop out on the Avenue. About 75 percent of the time we would hear them that they were calling in, but their signal was so weak. It was a big safety concern,” he said. As an example of the improved communica- tions with the new system, Gohr said, on Sun- day, March 16, AMR, the local ambulance pro- vider, had a patient transfer to MercyOne North Iowa hospital in Mason City. “When we were on the old system, they get past Lancer Avenue, we couldn’t hear them any- more,” Gohr said about a location fewer than 10 miles west of Charles City. “Now – and AMR is just using portables – when they go on scene at Mercy, they key up that portable, we hear them clear as a bell com- ing back here. It’s just totally amazing.” Jason Webster, the county Emergency Man-
Space no longer a problem for TLC, but staffing remains a challenge Dave Ruble photo for the Press Children in the Wobblers and Toddlers groups enjoy their playtime in the gym at The Learning Center.
By Dave Ruble Special to the Press
“Day care is not a thriving business. We have the space but not the staff.” State requirements and pay scales are among the limiting factors. The center currently has 28 on staff with two volunteer Foster Grandparents. Forsyth, the center’s assistant director, has been fi lling in as interim director since last fall while the center searches for a full-time director. But the commitment to providing quality child care services is there. TLC was able to move to its new location after years of planning and talks with the Charles City School District. An expansion was needed for the center to maintain its nonpro fi t status – both in space and numbers. The unused middle school space was a perfect solution, and TLC took over. The center was able to lease the home school resource room, the Iowa BIG North room, archi- tecture room, music rooms, girls swimming TLC , turn to page C7
Two years after moving to a new location, ev- eryone at TLC: The Learning Center – staff, par- ents, kids – is reveling in their new home at the former Charles City middle school. “We really needed more space,” said interim director Machelle Forsyth regarding the move from the former North Jackson Street location. “We love this space; we love this building. We are so grateful to be here.” TLC currently has about 95 kids enrolled from infant through school age, with about 120 in the summer, according to board President Danielle Ellingson. It has the authorization to take several more. “The new center is working great,” Ellingson said. “We have a lot more space and our own kitchen, which we didn’t have before.” The holdup for continued growth is staf fi ng. “Staf fi ng is hard statewide,” Ellingson said.
agement Agency coordinator, agreed with Gohr that so far the system is meeting expectations. Webster said that once the system went live he was in his of fi ce in the courthouse and could hear radio traf fi c from Nora Springs fi re fi ghters and EMS on the scene in that community on the border of Floyd and Cerro Gordo counties. That’s something that never would have hap- pened with the old system, Webster said. Gohr also praised the “interoperable” that is part of the ISICS acronym. Each agency in the county has its own “TAC channel” for members to communicate among themselves. But if, for example, the Charles City Fire Department is called to a scene and RADIO , turn to page C7 Fossil and Prairie Park Preserve is now operational as one of the key parts of the county’s new public service communications system. Press photo by Bob Steenson Floyd County’s new 300-foot-tall radio tower near Rockford on property adjacent to the
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