Eastern Shore to transition to new Regional Radio System this month

Public safety agencies across the Eastern Shore of Virginia will transition to a new regional radio communications network in mid-January 2026, according to Jeffrey Flournoy, Director of the Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1 Center.

Flournoy said the move to the Eastern Shore of Virginia Regional Radio System, known as ESVARRS, is the result of several years of planning and development, with total project costs approaching $10 million. The new system replaces the outdated analog radio networks currently used by public safety agencies in Accomack and Northampton counties.

ESVARRS was built by L3Harris Technologies and is a digital, trunked radio system operating on the 700-megahertz spectrum. It uses six simulcasted sites across the region to improve signal reliability, coverage, and interoperability among agencies. Flournoy said the system’s advanced technology is designed to strengthen communications between responders and enhance public and responder safety.

Northampton County Public Schools is already using the new system. Flournoy noted that the school division began operating on ESVARRS in mid-December 2025 for bus transportation and administrative communications.

Flournoy also addressed what the transition means for members of the public who monitor emergency radio traffic. He said some fire and rescue communications can still be monitored, but only with scanners capable of receiving a Project 25 Phase 2 trunked radio system in the 700-megahertz band, which are generally more expensive than traditional scanners. Law enforcement communications on ESVARRS will be encrypted and will not be monitorable by the public.

According to Flournoy, encryption of law enforcement radio traffic is intended to improve operational security and protect personally identifiable information during incidents, though it limits public access to real-time police communications.

Dispatch operations will continue to be handled by the same agencies currently providing services, including the Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1 Center, the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office, the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Chincoteague Police Department, depending on the incident type and jurisdiction.

Flournoy said the rollout of ESVARRS represents a major upgrade to emergency communications on the Eastern Shore and positions local agencies to better coordinate responses and serve the public well into the future.