FARMINGTON – Farmington Fire Chief Terry Bell Sr. announced at the selectmen’s meeting Tuesday that the Fire Department was awarded a grant to buy a communications and command vehicle.

The large SUV will be bought with a $50,000 state grant. The vehicle is for use in the event of a hazardous material or mass casualty incident when communications will be of supreme importance. The vehicle will be equipped with several radios, computers and cell phones. This will enable an incident commander to communicate with and track multiple services and resources from one post. Radios will have the capacity of up to 165 frequencies but will only have 35 programmed initially, Bell said.

The SUV will have no obvious exterior markings and will be equipped with sirens and lights that will not be obvious.

“It will look like a secret service vehicle,” Bell said.

The state program will provide six SUVs and four larger RV-type vehicles to various municipalities throughout the state that will be expected to respond, when needed, to other municipalities in the event of a major emergency.

“We hope we never have to use it,” said Mary W. Wright, chairman of the board.

The four larger RVs go to York and Androscoggin counties, the Bangor area and Maine State Police. They will respond to incidents in support of the smaller SUVs and will be equipped with similar communication capabilities as well as bathroom and kitchen facilities.

Selectmen also unanimously approved Bell’s request for a mutual aid agreement with surrounding communities. Similar agreements have been in effect in past years with each of the towns but the agreements were on separate documents. The approved document incorporates all the towns into one contract to be signed by each. The towns are Carrabassett Valley, Carthage, Chesterville, East Dixfield, Eustis, Farmington, Industry, Jay, Kingfield, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Phillips, Rangeley, Salem, Strong, Temple, Weld, Wilton, New Portland, Livermore and Livermore Falls.

jhausen@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link