Madawaska officials approved the purchase of a radio repeater and two new radios during a Wednesday night meeting.
The department’s repeater failed last month, and needs to be replaced.
The equipment will ensure that ambulance workers can effectively communicate while responding to emergencies in remote locations.
Jessica Page, a paramedic and deputy chief at the Madawaska Ambulance Service, spoke about the department’s need for a new radio repeater.
If the communication tower goes down, then emergency medical technicians will not be able to communicate at all. The department is using a backup system in the meantime, but it is not a long-term solution, Page said.
The department also requested two new radios, as their current radios were unable to be serviced this year due to their age.
“Our current radios have been discontinued for many years, and they’re no longer supported by the manufacturer, so their parts are getting harder to find,” Page said.
The equipment would cost $28,674. The money would come from the ambulance’s reserve account, and not result in any additional taxpayer expenses. The repeater would cost around $14,000 and the radios are about $15,000. The reserve account’s current balance, before this authorization, was $337,112.
Selectman Thomas Gerard asked if other town departments have had similar issues with their radios.
Selectman Paul Chasse, who has served on the town’s fire and police departments, said the police department is slowly upgrading their radios as well, and tends to buy new ones when purchasing new vehicles.
Board Chairperson Renee Deschaine and Kristen Henry, the town’s economic development director, discussed seeking grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and foundations like Firehouse Subs. While it would be too late for this to help with the current purchases, it may be something to look into for next year’s budget season, Deschaine said.
Ambulance director Eric Cyr was not present, but had requested both the repeater and radios, Page said.
The board unanimously approved the funding requests.
