New Portable Fire Department Radios to Cost Town $2,500

The Upper Moreland Commissioners approved the purchase of four new portable radios for the Upper Moreland Fire Department.

At the April board meeting, commissioners announced the township would kick in $2,530 and the state would provide the additional $12,470 to upgrade communications for the volunteer firefighters. 

“The county is upgrading the radio system and we will be required to buy new radios,” commissioner Donna Parsell said.

The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency will provide the majority of the funding for the new upgraded radio system, which the township is required to upgrade to in 2014.

Likewise, the Willow Grove Fire Co. found out in March it had been approved for a grant through the Office of the State Fire Commissioner.

The Willow Grove Fire Co. said it also wants to upgrade computers as well.

“The upgraded computers will be used in the firehouse and for outreach training,” Deputy Chief Lee Perlmutter said. “If we do a presentation at a service club, or a church, we will have a better portable projector and a laptop. It just gives us a better way to promote safety … We try to get the fire safety message out there. We are using that to have better equipment.”