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Funds to buy digital radios to work on county’s frequencies

WASHINGTON TWP., NJ (MORRIS) — The Washington Township Fire Department received a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to upgrade its outdated radio communication system.

The $128,000 grant will go toward the purchase of 52 portable digital radios and other equipment that will communicate on the same frequency as that of the county, said Keith Heimburg, the engineer for the three fire companies of the Washington Township Fire Department — Long Valley, Schooley’s Mountain and Fairmount.

“Some of the radio equipment we have is up to 18 years old,” Heimburg said. “The new equipment will be state of the art, the best you can get right now, which will simplify operations, reduce costs and improve the fire companies’ ability to respond and communicate during emergencies.”

The impetus for the upgrades, Heimburg said, is a Federal Communications Commission mandate requiring all two-way radio systems to operate in a narrow-band mode by Jan. 1, 2013.

Committeeman Howard Popper said it would be impossible for the township to fund such a project by itself.

“It’s a dire tax year,” said Popper, who is the township’s fire, police and first aid commissioner. “We have to put off infrastructure needs — paving roads, replacing police cars, and we don’t know where we’ll find the money for another fire truck next year.”

But another bonus may be that the equipment would make it easier if the county were to establish a unified countywide police radio and data communications network. It currently provides full or partial dispatch services for 11 Morris municipalities.

Popper said the township is eager to contract with the county because it would save between $500,000 to $700,000 a year.

View Original Article Here: Washington Twp. Fire Co. gets $128K federal grant