By HANNAH GARCIA

STAFF WRITER

hgarcia@gulfcoastnewspapers.com

The Gulf Shores City Council approved two improvement initiatives involving the fire department Monday at a special-called meeting.

The Council approved funding “not to exceed $90,000” to replace or improve radio and communication systems within the city’s fire department; it also approved an application for a $1 million allowance from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant from FEMA.

The approved funding is in response to a mandate from the FCC that all privately licensed radio systems that operate on broader spectrum bands be “narrowbanded” by Jan. 1, 2013, which means they must implement equipment that can operate on channel bandwidths of 12.5 kilohertz or less.

The point of the directive is to improve efficiency standards and reduce high congestion, according to literature from the FCC. The change would also affect the police department and public works department.

“The very end of Fort Morgan Road, the last five miles, we can’t talk on our radios. We have to switch over to a mutual aid 911 channel,” Battalion Chief Mitchell Sims said.

Strained communication abilities affect the departments overall operability, Sims said.

The Fire Department will use the $90,000 to purchase 50 Motorola radios that were “built for firefighters,” Sims said. The communications company sent Gulf Shores a few demo radios during the wildfire in Gulf State Park. According to Sims, the company offered the radios at a “good price.”

Motorola is selling the radios to Gulf Shores for roughly half price, including warranty. The city typically spends $400 per radio, which buys “one of the cheapest” types of radio, Sims said.

The money will be drawn from the city’s bond funds, according to Councilman Jason Dyken.

“This is of upmost importance to our city and the safety of our employees. This is something I think, without a doubt, ought to be covered,” Dyken said. “We have money in the bond funds that can cover this without any problem.”

The grant money from the AFG Grant fund would be used towards linking Gulf Shores into a regional communication system as well as improved and new equipment designed to increase communication abilities and safeguard against contact loss during storms and disasters, according to Sims.