ERRCS DAS Installation in the Greater Los Angeles Area and Surrounding Areas
Emergency responder radio coverage systems that meet CFC Section 510 and local fire department requirements. CA License #1132999.
Overview
What is an ERRCS and when is it required?
What is an ERRCS?
An Emergency Responder Radio Coverage System, also called ERCES or public safety DAS, is a dedicated antenna and amplifier system that guarantees firefighters and other first responders can use their radios inside your building. It typically combines a BDA (bi-directional amplifier) head end with a network of donor and distributed antennas, tuned to your local fire department's radio frequencies.
When is a system required?
Most jurisdictions in California require an ERRCS when a new building's in-building radio signal strength fails to meet the minimum level set by the California Fire Code, Section 510, and NFPA 1225. This shows up most often in large buildings, below-grade parking structures, concrete or metal-heavy construction, and big-footprint warehouses and distribution centers, which is why it is such a common requirement across the Inland Empire's logistics buildings. A radio coverage test early in construction tells you, and your AHJ, whether you need one.
What is radio coverage testing?
Before we design anything, we run a grid test that measures signal strength floor by floor against your fire department's pass or fail threshold. That test tells us exactly where coverage is weak, so the system we design solves the actual problem instead of over-building or under-building it. We test again at commissioning and provide the documented results your AHJ needs to sign off.
Our process
How we deliver the project.
Plan Design
We run the radio coverage survey, design the antenna layout and BDA head end for your building, and size the system to your fire department's signal strength requirement.
Permit
We prepare and submit the ERRCS plan set for plan check, coordinating directly with your fire department or AHJ so the design is approved without back and forth delays.
Installation
Our crews install the head end, donor and distributed antennas, cabling and battery backup, working around your construction schedule and existing trades.
Commissioning
We power up the system, tune amplifier gain per zone, and confirm every floor and stairwell hits the required signal strength.
AHJ Acceptance Test
We coordinate and run the acceptance test with your fire department inspector on site, so the building can get its final sign off and certificate of occupancy.
Annual Testing
ERRCS systems require documented annual testing under NFPA 1225. We run that test, file the report with your AHJ, and flag any component that needs service before it becomes a failed inspection.
Equipment
Equipment we use.
Fiplex
Fiplex bi-directional amplifiers and public safety repeaters are a core part of the head end systems we design and install for multi-band ERRCS coverage.
ADRF
ADRF's public safety DAS platforms give us reliable, FCC-compliant amplification for buildings that need higher output or multi-carrier coverage.
Westell
Westell in-building wireless equipment supports the distributed antenna layouts we use on larger footprint and multi-story projects.
Comba
Comba's CriticalPoint BDA and passive DAS components are a mainstay on our warehouse and commercial installations across the Inland Empire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my building need an ERRCS?
If your building's radio coverage test shows any floor or stairwell falling below your fire department's minimum signal strength, an ERRCS is required before you can get your certificate of occupancy. Large buildings, below-grade parking, concrete and steel-heavy construction, and warehouses over roughly 50,000 square feet are the most common triggers. We can run that coverage test for you and tell you exactly where you stand.
What's the difference between BDA, DAS and ERRCS?
A BDA (bi-directional amplifier) is the piece of equipment that boosts the radio signal. A DAS (distributed antenna system) is the network of antennas that spreads that signal through the building. ERRCS, or ERCES, is the code term for the complete system, BDA plus DAS plus monitoring, that a fire department requires and inspects. In practice, most people use all three terms for the same overall system.
Do you handle permits and plan submittals?
Yes. We prepare the full ERRCS plan set, submit it to your fire department or AHJ, and manage the plan check process through approval, so you don't have to translate between your architect, your GC and the fire marshal's office.