Grant sought to upgrade emergency radios
Fire and ambulance departments across Nassau County are seeking help to comply with a federal requirement to upgrade their radio systems.
The county's 77 volunteer fire departments and ambulance companies have joined to apply for a $661,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, following a Federal Communications Commission mandate that all jurisdictions' radios more efficiently use a limited frequency spectrum by 2013.
Known as "narrowbanding," the move creates added frequency capacity for new channels and better communication among public safety agencies.
Nassau police's Emergency Ambulance Bureau submitted the grant application, and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced his support for it Monday in Floral Park.
Suffolk fire departments, which also must get FCC compliance, have generally made their aid requests individually, officials said.
Some Nassau fire districts need to upgrade seven or eight radios, at roughly $3,500 each. Even after setting aside funds in their 2012 budgets, district commissioners may be forced to raise taxes to finance the equipment, Schumer said.
"They'll have little choice but to do so," he said, "and the burden will fall on the fire department or the taxpayer."
Richard Gardner, vice chairman of the Nassau County Fire Commission, said that without the grant, departments could alter their existing radios to meet the "narrowband" requirements by year's end. But he noted that the equipment is already so outdated that the upgrade would be needed soon after, anyway.
"It doesn't make sense," Gardner said, "because you're ultimately going to pay for it in double."
Fire and ambulance departments across Nassau County are seeking help to comply with a federal requirement to upgrade their radio systems.
The county's 77 volunteer fire departments and ambulance companies have joined to apply for a $661,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, following a Federal Communications Commission mandate that all jurisdictions' radios more efficiently use a limited frequency spectrum by 2013.
Known as "narrowbanding," the move creates added frequency capacity for new channels and better communication among public safety agencies.
Nassau police's Emergency Ambulance Bureau submitted the grant application, and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced his support for it Monday in Floral Park.
Suffolk fire departments, which also must get FCC compliance, have generally made their aid requests individually, officials said.
Some Nassau fire districts need to upgrade seven or eight radios, at roughly $3,500 each. Even after setting aside funds in their 2012 budgets, district commissioners may be forced to raise taxes to finance the equipment, Schumer said.
"They'll have little choice but to do so," he said, "and the burden will fall on the fire department or the taxpayer."
Richard Gardner, vice chairman of the Nassau County Fire Commission, said that without the grant, departments could alter their existing radios to meet the "narrowband" requirements by year's end. But he noted that the equipment is already so outdated that the upgrade would be needed soon after, anyway.
"It doesn't make sense," Gardner said, "because you're ultimately going to pay for it in double."
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