Lee County in Florida is updating the radio system that its first responders use on a daily basis when responding to emergencies.

The current radio system that’s in place is almost a decade old and nearly obsolete. Lee County officials decided it was time for a change when first responders were encountering some problems when their radios didn’t work during an emergency. They’d run into issues like hearing a busy signal when they tried to communicate with one another.

Commissioners will spend about $18 million to cover their emergency radio system, which they say is highly necessary.

“This is an expenditure that we’ve been planning for for the last several years, so it won’t impact your taxes going forward. This is something we’ve been planning for and will pay for with cash,” said Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman.

They are updating from analog to digital, which is expected to triple the capacity of emergency calls.

The new system will allow 64 agencies in the area to communicate more efficiently with one another. Motorola will move forward with the replacement of the radio system. The upgrade is set to take two years. The commissioners approved the contract in a meeting this morning.