WILTON, Iowa-- That hand held radio is called a P25, and it could be the difference between life or death in an emergency situation in Muscatine County.
"Now that the P25 system is becoming standardized, we're able to communicate not only statewide but actually nationwide," says Wilton Police Chief Tim Leathers.
It's an emergency responder radio that works more like a cell phone than a traditional radio. The signal bounces off a tower and is then transmitted back to the receiver. It's able to reach any first responder no matter where they are.
"If we were to have a major incident that occurs here, we've got to be able to communicate," says Leathers.
But out of all the places in the county for signals to be weak, it's in Wilton Iowa's brand new school where the radio just doesn't work. That's because the signal can't travel through the new thick walls.
$4M later, it came as a surprise to Muscatine County Board Supervisor Kas Kelly.
"That's one of those heart droppers. It was like, oh my stars, this is terrible. Something has to be done," say Kelly.
So the county board agreed to add a closer radio repeater to an existing water tower located less than a mile away from the school to improve the radio signal. The original repeater was 13 miles away in Muscatine.
The antenna was a $275,000 unexpected addition that leaders say needs to happen.
"It's important for us to be able to communicate within the building because there's going to be 1,050 souls in this building at all times. Statistically, where there are large numbers of people, that's where major incidents occur," says Leathers.
The radio repeater should be up and running by the time Wilton students return from summer vacation.