Safety officials seek grant for system upgrades
Published Wednesday, June 18, 2008
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — The Fairbanks public safety committee and city Fire Chief Warren Cummings are submitting a proposal for a Homeland Security grant to the state legislature that would fund desperately needed system upgrades for emergency dispatchers, firefighters and city police.
Before the public safety committee can request those funds, the City Council must approve the request to ask for money at the state level.
Homeland Security grants are given out by the federal government each year for specific projects that improve public services such as fire and police services, public works and emergency dispatch. Though the money is given directly to the state, the state is required to pass on 70-80 percent of the grant to local municipalities.
Fairbanks’ request totals more than $2.3 million for 26 different projects, but Cummings is keeping a level head about the proposal.
“It’s a big bite out of funding,” Cummings said. “Chances are slim that we will get the entire amount, but I’m hopeful for at least the dispatch funding,” he said.
One of the biggest projects on the list requests $800,000 to replace the Computer Aided Dispatch system.
“The system serves as a regional dispatch unit that benefits not only the city but a large part of the surrounding area including Delta Junction,” Cummings said.
The current dispatch system will expire in 2012.
“We have to be working on this now to get the system replaced,” Cummings said.
The second highest priority is the need for $180,000 to upgrade portable radios for patrol officers.
“The police are asking for about 30 radios,” he said.
The fire department also needs upgraded breathing apparatuses because the latest safety ratings have shown older models to be chemically hazardous.
Cummings will ask for the city’s approval Wednesday morning at a finance committee meeting.
The City Council will vote on the proposal Monday at the council meeting.
Community Discussion
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Am I mistaken or did we not install the "super" dispatch system when we built the new police station? I do understand that new systems my be desireable, but "must have " ? Spend Spend Spend,, will the money ever dry up? Yes it will...
If we do not ask for the money, someone else will...and they will get it. It is not as if they will not turn the money back to the taxpayers. Therefore, we should get our share while it is available.
Get the equipment, which it sounds like we would have to spend area taxpayers money on at some point anyways, while we can. At least some of our federal taxes benefits us directly locally.
James- you may not agree, but it is true. In all your brilliance, what will happen to the money if we don't get our share? The feds will say thanks and reduce our taxes? No.
And, when we need the equipment anyway, are you going to pony up your share? No. You will cry through the blogs about taxes and big government, beacuse you care nothing about services...until you need them. Then you will question why they were not better. I know your type. I bet you are not even a city resident.
Thanks for the personal attack, it sheds a lot of light on the type of person you are and only further detracts from the credibility of your comments.
And no, I have lived in AK 32 years. Grow up.
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