Beverly Fire Department receives $49k federal grant
The Beverly Fire Department has been awarded $49,588 from the 2011 Assistance to Firefighters Grant in order to make radio system upgrades.
The upgrades will bring the department into compliance with 2013 Federal Communications Commission regulations for narrow banding. The department will provide $5,509 as a cost share in order to complete the project that will ultimately cost nearly $56,000.
"The money will be used to purchase new mobile radios to replace those in trucks that cannot be reprogrammed to meet the 2013 FCC regulation," according to the department's website. "Additionally, a key piece of infrastructure that also requires upgrade prior to January 2013 will be replaced. Without the required upgrades, aside from non-compliance with the FCC regulation, firefighters and citizens would be put at risk as communications reliability and quality would both be reduced."
The funding is part of more than $2.7 million in funding for firefighters and emergency response teams from across Massachusetts to improve the safety of local communities and firefighters.
Justin A. Rice can be reached at jrice.globe@gmail.com.
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