Larry Penkava
FRANKLINVILLE — The Franklinville Fire Department has won a grant for $216,652 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
As part of the 2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program, the local fire station had applied for the grant to help defray costs of new radios needed to meet changes mandated by the Federal Communications Commission. The change in radio frequency for the firefighters means converting radio communications to the Viper system, buying 31 portable radios and three repeaters, according to Fire Chief Kyle Dixon.
He said total cost of the changeover is $228,054, with the Franklinville Fire Department kicking in a 5 percent match of $11,402.
“We’ll set it up for bids on Motorolas after we get the grant money,” said Dixon. “It may come back cheaper,” in which event the remaining money would be sent back.
“We’ve received about a half million dollars from FEMA over the last few years,” he said. “We have another grant out with FEMA but they’re hard to get.
“I’m happy,” Dixon said. “The money is going to have to be spent” and now most of it will be from FEMA.
