BDA & ARCSEmergency Communication Systems NYCSignal Survey · Design · Installation · Annual Recertification
County Fire designs and installs Bi-Directional Amplifier (BDA) and Auxiliary Radio Communication Systems (ARCS) that give FDNY and NYPD reliable in-building radio coverage — required in buildings where concrete, steel, or below-grade construction blocks normal emergency radio signal.
🔒 Secure. We respond within 24 hours. Violations: call directly for same-day service.
What Is a BDA
System, in Plain English?
A BDA (Bi-Directional Amplifier) system boosts public safety radio signal inside a building so FDNY and NYPD radios work reliably during an emergency — here's the problem it solves and how it solves it.
Radio Signal Dead Zones
Thick concrete, steel framing, low-E glass, and below-grade spaces like parking garages and basements block or weaken the radio signal FDNY and NYPD rely on during an emergency response.
Signal Amplification, Not Replacement
A Bi-Directional Amplifier (BDA) system captures the existing outdoor public safety radio signal, boosts it, and rebroadcasts it throughout the building — it doesn't create a new signal, it makes the real one usable indoors.
Donor Antenna & Amplifier
A rooftop donor antenna receives the outside signal and feeds it to an amplifier, which boosts signal strength before distributing it through the building's internal antenna network.
Distributed Antenna Network
Antennas placed throughout every floor — including stairwells, below-grade levels, and mechanical spaces — carry the boosted signal to wherever a firefighter or officer's radio needs it.
Reliable Emergency Communication
When FDNY and NYPD radios don't work reliably inside a building, coordinating an emergency response inside that building becomes significantly harder and slower — this is why FDNY requires and tests these systems directly.
ARCS (Auxiliary Radio Communication System) is the broader NYC term for the full in-building emergency radio system — the BDA is the amplifier component at its core. In practice, most people use the terms interchangeably when discussing NYC requirements.
Does Your Building
Require ARCS/BDA?
NYC requires in-building emergency radio coverage for certain building types and conditions. The most common triggers:
High-Rise Buildings
Buildings above the height thresholds NYC treats as high-rise construction are the most common trigger — taller buildings and denser steel/concrete framing tend to block radio signal the most severely.
Large Below-Grade Footprints
Parking garages, basements, and other below-grade spaces are frequently dead zones for outdoor radio signal, regardless of the building's overall height.
New Construction
New construction projects meeting certain occupancy and height thresholds are required to include ARCS/BDA design as part of the base building fire protection system, filed and tested before occupancy.
Hotels & Assembly Occupancies
Hotels and other high-occupancy buildings are commonly required to install ARCS/BDA systems — County Fire's project history includes ARCS/BDA integration for Moxy NYC Times Square and Aloft Times Square.
What's Included in Every
BDA / ARCS Installation
A BDA system is a relationship, not a single transaction — installation gets your building compliant, and annual recertification keeps it that way.
- ✓Signal Coverage SurveyExisting radio signal strength measured throughout the building, floor by floor, to identify exactly where dead zones exist before any design work begins.
- ✓System DesignAntenna placement, amplifier sizing, and donor antenna configuration engineered to your building's specific construction, layout, and signal survey results.
- ✓Installation by Licensed TechniciansFull installation of the donor antenna, amplifier, distributed antenna network, and battery backup system by FDNY-licensed technicians.
- ✓FDNY Acceptance TestingSignal strength verified floor by floor, including stairwells and below-grade areas, before FDNY signs off on the system.
- ✓Battery Backup SystemBackup power ensures the system continues operating during a power failure — exactly when emergency radio communication matters most.
- ✓Full FDNY & DOB DocumentationComplete system documentation delivered for your FDNY and DOB records, including as-built drawings and signal test results.
- §Annual Recertification TestingFDNY requires annual recertification testing to confirm the system still meets required signal strength throughout the building — this is not a one-time install and done.
- §Battery Backup TestingBackup battery performance is verified as part of annual recertification, confirming the system will function during a power outage.
- §System MonitoringOngoing monitoring for component failures between recertification cycles, so an issue is caught before it becomes a compliance failure.
- §Documentation RenewalRecertification documentation must be renewed and filed with FDNY on the required cycle to keep the building's compliance record current.
From Signal Survey
to FDNY Signoff.
Five steps, one licensed team — no sub-contracted radio frequency specialist or separate testing company to coordinate between.
Annual Recertification
Isn't Optional.
A BDA/ARCS system is installed once but must be recertified every year — this is the single most important thing to understand about owning one of these systems.
A Relationship, Not a Transaction
Unlike some fire protection equipment, a BDA system's performance can drift over time as building conditions change — new interior buildout, equipment changes, and antenna wear can all reduce signal strength. Annual recertification catches this before it becomes a failure during a real emergency.
Full Signal Verification, Every Floor
Recertification re-tests signal strength floor by floor, including stairwells and below-grade areas, plus a functional test of the battery backup system — the same scope as the original acceptance test.
Lapsed Recertification Is a Compliance Failure
A building with a lapsed BDA recertification is out of compliance in the same way a building with a lapsed fire alarm inspection is — it can result in FDNY violations even though the system was compliant at installation.
We Track Your Renewal Date
County Fire tracks your building's recertification due date and schedules the test proactively, so your BDA system never lapses out of compliance without your knowledge.
See ARCS/BDA recertification alongside your fire alarm, sprinkler, and extinguisher inspection cycles in one place.
What Drives BDA/ARCS
Installation Cost
BDA/ARCS pricing varies more than almost any other fire protection system — a small tenant space and a 40-story building with a large below-grade footprint have almost nothing in common cost-wise. Here's what actually moves the number.
Total square footage and floor count determine how many antennas and how much amplification the system needs — the single biggest driver of cost.
A building with moderate dead zones costs less to solve than one with widespread signal failure across most floors and below-grade areas.
Heavy concrete, steel framing, and low-E glass all attenuate signal more severely, sometimes requiring a more powerful amplifier or additional antennas.
Installing in an open, unfinished space typically costs less than retrofitting antenna runs through an occupied, finished building.
Parking garages and basements often need dedicated antenna coverage, adding to total antenna count and cable runs.
Straightforward filings move faster and cost less than projects requiring variances or coordination with other filed trades.
Yours.
A signal survey is the only way to accurately scope a BDA/ARCS system. Tell us about your building and we'll respond within 24 hours to schedule one.
Request a Signal Survey →📞 (888) 470-3473BDA/ARCS Installation for
Every Building Type
Signal conditions vary enormously by construction type. County Fire designs the right system for your building's specific conditions.
BDA/ARCS Systems
Installed Across NYC
What Building Owners
& Managers Say
When our fire alarm failed during a critical inspection, County Fire had us back up and running within hours. Their knowledge of exactly what FDNY enforcement looks for is unlike anyone else we have worked with in NYC.
County Fire handled our fire alarm installation, extinguisher program, and semi-annual inspections for a new construction portfolio. Their ARCS compliance expertise helped us navigate FDNY seamlessly — first-time approval on every building.
Five years, multiple commercial properties. Sprinkler installations, semi-annual inspections, fire alarm maintenance — County Fire manages our entire compliance program. Every property passes on schedule. Genuinely reliable.
BDA/ARCS FAQs
For NYC Buildings
Direct answers to what NYC building owners and managers ask most about BDA/ARCS systems.
Signal Survey?
Whether you need a new BDA/ARCS installation or your annual recertification is due — County Fire responds within 24 hours.
📞 (888) 470-3473Request a Free Quote →BDA/ARCS Systems
Across All 5 Boroughs
Reliable Radio Coverage
Starts With a Signal Survey.
Whether you need a new BDA/ARCS installation or your annual recertification is due — County Fire responds within 24 hours with licensed technicians and no hidden fees.