North Smithfield receives grant for radios

NORTH SMITHFIELD - The North Smithfield Management Agency, through the efforts of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, received a $13,600 grant to purchase three 800 mhz XTS2500 Motorola trunked radios and to install an amplifier booster in town.

The radios were presented to Town Administrator Paulette D. Hamilton, School Superintendent Stephen Lindberg, and Public Works Director Raymond Pendergast.

The grant, written by EMA Director Col. Peter E. Branconnier, is part of a plan to equip all police, fire and EMA officers on the new 800 mhz trunked statewide system. A number of radios were obtained last year when the local EMA, and the North Smithfield Police Department and North Smithfield Fire and Rescue combined efforts. Additional radios will be obtained in the next few months.

The portable radios have already been used several times this year by the local EMA team, including during the search and rescue operation in Glocester for a missing police officer.