HADLEY — Fiber-optic upgrades to improve Hadley’s emergency communications network, including enhancing responses to fire and burglar alarms, are nearing completion more than three years after the town solicited bids for the work.

Fire Chief Michael Spanknebel told the Select Board at its July 24 meeting that improvements and connections to the fiber-optic system are being made through a multi-phase approach to seven town and school buildings. Initially, the work is to get the North Hadley fire substation connected to the main public safety complex.

“We are almost complete with the structure, then comes the interconnection, some additional equipment for radios and fire alarm monitoring, and security,” Spanknebel said.

The remaining buildings, including Town Hall, the former Goodwin Library, Hopkins Academy and Hadley Elementary School, will get the fiber connection in the second phase.

The fiber is the foundation of the project, Spanknebel said. The infrastructure is designed to send information out to receiver sites around town, with all burglar alarms and fire alarms relayed to the public safety complex.

This will improve responses, he said.  “Basically, our radio communications have always been a nightmare on the public safety side,” Spanknebel said.

Spanknebel said that while he is committed to getting the project finished, working with contractor Goosetown Communications, there have been complications along the way, including connecting the fiber-optic network to the receiver sites. One issue has been getting the fiber strung all the way to Hampshire Mall, complicated by the relocation of poles along Route 9 due to the ongoing widening project. Another challenge was getting the cable into the mall and connected to the radio equipment there.

Before the project is finished, Spanknebel said there is a chance the town may move equipment from the mall to the Homewood Suites hotel across the street, which has a better path of connection and higher antennas.

While there had been talk about getting the antennas and equipment situated on the summit of Mount Holyoke, this would have been complicated and more expensive, Spanknebel said,

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.