Rich is a Radio Shop Supervisor and has been with King County Radio Communications since 2005.

In the world of radio communications it’s essential to have a solid team to work with. People who will step up to the plate and get the job done well, whether it’s refurbishing old technology, or preparing for a new, county-wide innovative project. William (Rich) Richardson is just one of those guys, a total team player who goes the extra mile.

A retired Army first sergeant, Rich is now a Radio Shop Supervisor and has been with King County Radio Communications since 2005. He is a decorated military veteran with extensive travel experience, rattling off places like Korea, Thailand, Germany, Iraq and Egypt. While he enjoyed his travels, he is happy to call King County home, and is proud of his duty to serve King County employees and the public.

“Our job here at King County Radio Communication Services is to deliver wireless communication services to First Responders and public-serving agencies throughout King County and to serve as an active partner in support of the Regional Emergency Communication System”,  he said. “It’s ultimately like being a public servant.”

An installed communication system in a newer vehicle.

Rich and his team provide 24/7/365 uninterrupted communication infrastructure support, quality radio installation and repair services to County and non-County customers throughout the geographic King County boundaries.  This includes King County buildings, vehicles and First Responders like City Fire Departments and the Sheriff’s Office.

“About 35% of our business is with the King County Sheriff’s Office, but we work with multiple Fire Departments and Non-Public Safety Agencies across King County to do all the installation work,” said Rich. “Our goal is to ensure they can successfully Push-to-Talk at any time on their radio.”

It is these valuable behind-the-scenes communications efforts that give the people in King County and beyond the best safety response rate possible. And because first responders, like Fire Fighters and Sheriff Deputies, also use a team mentality, Rich enjoys working with them to ensure public safety.

“The First Responders remind me of being in the military,” he said. “They are a very professional group of people who constantly put the people of King County first too.”

Older communication systems need to be maintained as well.

While the current projects Rich and his team are working on are equipping a new building for the youth detention center with the appropriate communications and completing the 800MHz Radio Rebanding project, a much larger County-wide operation is quickly approaching. The Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network (PSERN), an 800MHz public safety wireless communications system, will replace the current aging system with a new emergency radio communications network. It will rely for input on project partners City of Seattle, Eastside Public Safety Communications Agency (EPSCA), King County, and Valley Communications (ValleyCom).

This large-scale project may seem daunting, as it will likely be completed after 2020, but Rich is not worried. He is confident in his staff along with the PSERN team, in his training, and most importantly, in their combined dedication to King County.

“The Radio Shop team is really good at what they do,” he said. “I love coming here and I love working with them because they genuinely enjoy what they do, and want us as a team and as a County to succeed.”

Rich (back row on the left) and his team provide 24/7/365 uninterrupted communication infrastructure support, quality radio installation and repair services to County and non-County customers throughout the geographic King County boundaries.