Fire companies and EMS services in the Pottsville and Minersville area now have the first piece of the puzzle.
Congressman Matt Cartwright, D-17, announced Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded $329,384 in Assistance to Firefighters Grant funds. Of that, $256,500 will be used to purchase 95 mobile radios for 21 fire companies and EMS services in Schuylkill County. The local match is 10 percent, meaning the companies are required to contribute an additional $28,500.
"It's only one piece of the puzzle, but it is definitely a big help financially and for our communications in general," Kurt Shelhammer, captain of the Yorkville Hose Company and business manager for the Pottsville/Schuylkill Haven/Orwisburg Area EMS, said Thursday.
The AFG funding announced Wednesday also included $52,250 to the Tuscarora Fire Company, Tuscarora, for eight self-contained air packs and $20,634 to the Laflin Borough Volunteer Fire Company, Laflin, for the purchase of 10 sets of outer protective clothing.
The mobile radios will be installed in vehicles at fire companies and EMS services in 11 municipalities in Schuylkill County.
Local emergency responders joined together in April to request $1,044,450 in federal assistance for both mobile and portable two-way radios. In addition to the mobile radios, they also requested $787,950 in federal funding for 289 portable radios. That request also carries 10 percent local match, which would be $87,550.
Shelhammer said it is expecting to hear about the second grant sometime within the next few months. If they do not receive the grant, Shelhammer said they can reapply next year or seek other avenues of funding.
"We are happy to get (the $256,500)," Pottsville fire Chief Todd March said. "The radios are definitely going to be a big help for everyone and save the city a lot of money."
The Federal Communications Commission mandated upgrades to narrowband the county emergency communications system by Dec. 31, 2013. After agreeing to a contract with Motorola Solutions Inc. for the upgrades in 2013, Schuylkill County was granted a waiver to extend the deadline to Oct. 31, 2014.
The total project cost $16,388,145 and was funded through the $21 million bond issued by the commissioners in October 2012.
Narrowbanding the radio frequencies allows a system to accommodate more radios while improving transmission quality and creating additional options for emergency communications, such as signal encryption for police and other emergency personnel.
Fire frequencies did not fall under the mandate, but they can use the digital frequencies.
"Fire was not mandated, but we took it as an opportunity to better our communications," Shelhammer said.
Coverage testing on the digital system has wrapped up and the system is scheduled to go online in July.