The ability to communicate instantly has become an unavoidable necessity for most, but while a broken phone can be an irritation, a radio failure in the midst of fire can have far more dire consequences. At the Board of Finance (BOF) meeting on July 26, emergency service members came to speak about the need for new radios and available funding mechanisms.

A phased approach to replacing the communication system in town began a few years ago and is currently included in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), a long-term financial planning tool for the town. The plan includes updates to the dispatch center and infrastructure upgrades, which include a new radio tower and associated equipment. The project is estimated to cost $1.8 million, according to Police Chief Jack Drumm.

At the BOF meeting, members of the North Madison Volunteer Fire Company (NOMADs), Madison Hose Co. #1, Madison Emergency Medical Services, and the Office of Emergency Management came to speak about the need for new radios. NOMAD Deputy Chief Brian Koczak said the purchase of radios is part of Phase III in the communications project and expressed concerns about the wear and tear placed on the current radios.

“During...operations, the radios are exposed to extreme cold when we are outside in the winter, they are exposed to extreme heat when we go inside a burning building, they are exposed to steam when we put water on the fire,” he said. “They really see a diverse environment.”

According to Koczak, radios are the main means of communication for firefighters on the ground and can be the main cause of injuries when communications fail.

Radios “really need to be reliable, and, over time, our radios have aged and they are starting to become less reliable,” he said. “The most important thing is these are a lifeline…Our radios are pushing 15 years old now. They are used every day in town for every service.”

Madison Hose Co #1 Chief Bobby Kyttle said there have been some significant radio failures, including during the recent fire at Cristy’s in Madison.

Referring to another firefighter at the meeting, Kyttle said, “He was actually in the second floor window of Cristy’s screaming out to me because his radio wasn’t working, so that is how we were communicating—with the saws running, the trucks running, everything going,” he said. “Just to put that in perspective.”

While the need for new radios was not in question, when and how to finance the lease or purchase of the radios was discussed. Options currently on the table include buying all radios up front or spreading them out over a five-year purchase. Firefighters were less inclined to go with the five-year model, expressing concerns over variations in equipment and the age of the radios scheduled for replacement at the end of the five-year window.

“If we did a five-year phase-in, we would have radios that would reach up to 20 years old and long past what we believe is the life of the device,” said Koczak.

Some BOF members suggested that if a phased-in approach is selected, that the time frame for the phase-in be shortened.

“If we have to go with the phase-in, I think we need to do it in less than five years, less than four years,” said BOF member Jennifer Tung.

BOF Chair Joe MacDougald said a decision should be made either way soon. The BOF is expected to take up the issue of the radios at the next scheduled BOF meeting or an earlier special meeting.