By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
The update of emergency communications for Northumberland County cannot come too soon for Hamilton Township, though Mayor Scott Jibb said it will be too late for a house in Baltimore.
It was a home across the street from the Community Centre with no topographical issues, Jibb said. Nevertheless, in a location where radio communications should have been a snap, fire fighters had to use their personal cell phones to communicate back and forth.
Director of Public Works Denise Marshall offered an update that pointed to an August commissioning date.
At this point, Marshall said, they are negotiating for towers in four sites throughout the county. They anticipate being able to attach racking and hardware by the end of June and, once all outstanding agreements are signed, being able to mobilize to install the rest of the equipment.
She expects these agreements will be signed by the end of July.
“Then we can look at the final equipment installation and move toward commissioning in August,” she stated.
“That’s great to hear,” Alnwick-Haldimand Township Mayor John Logel said, detailing communications problems between their fire stations. Between Number One and Number Three, Logel said, “the radios don’t communicate back and forth.”
Cramahe Township Mayor Mandy Martin spoke of gaps in her municipality as well.
“We have had a couple of major fires in our area too – like a $650,000 house,” Martin pointed out.
Warden Brian Ostrander said the county’s fire chiefs are working on the issue to ensure the best service possible between now and commissioning.
