NORWICH – The last of three training sessions to assure that fire department’s pagers are connected to the county’s new Emergency Management Tower System will be held at 7 tonight in Sherburne.

The event marks the end of a four-year long, $6 million, capital construction overhaul of the county’s E-911 radio transmission system and towers.

The project, in concept, has been underway for more than a decade. Tower installations began with the completion of the Public Safety Facility in 2007. The updated emergency communications system replaces three towers constructed in the 1970s that served only 25 percent of the county with nine towers and 98 percent coverage. Frequencies went from four channels to 16.

Antenna and radio installations were completed in December at the remaining sites, and 99 percent of radio frequency testing is complete from 250 different locations in Chenango County. Mobile radio coverage was successful 100 percent of the time; portable radio, 92 percent; and fire personnel pagers were 99.2 percent successful.

“Coverage testing went very well,” said EMS Director Matt Beckwith. Any quirks found during the testing were remedied with United Radio, one of several contracted service providers.

A grounding and bonding audit conducted by the Motorola Radio company found few flaws, all of which were fixed on the spot. The county’s EMS Department and new system passed the audit, Beckwith said.