PARIS – The Paris Fire Department has decided to share a recent federal grant with departments in two neighboring towns.

The department will use a $69,445 Department of Homeland Security grant to purchase upgraded communications equipment for Norway and Oxford as well as Paris. The three towns operate on a mutual aid system for emergency response.

Republican U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe announced Nov. 7 that the Paris Fire Department would receive $65,973 through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, or FIRE Act. The three towns must make a matching contribution of $3,472.

Paris selectmen unanimously voted to accept the grant money at their meeting Thursday.

In a letter to selectmen, Chief Brad Frost said he intended to purchase 120 Motorola pagers and charging units, 27 Motorola hand-held radio units and chargers, and programming software for the pagers. The equipment will be distributed among the three departments.

“The regional fire departments lack the necessary communications equipment to provide basic emergency response services without seriously jeopardizing the safety of our firefighting personnel,” Frost said.

Paris selectmen voted to purchase the equipment from Maine Radio in Scarborough. The company offered to give the department 121 pagers, 28 radios, chargers for each, a programming and hardware kit for the pagers, and three Motorola multiunit chargers for $69,328.50.

Aroostook Technologies Inc. of Presque Isle proposed $80,539 for the sale.

“By no means does this solve all of the problems that exist in communications,” Frost said, “but it certainly will help.”