VFD to get 3 new radios

PHIL CAMPBELL — The town council has agreed to purchase three new radios for the volunteer fire department.

Fire Chief Andy Marbutt said the Tango radios would serve as backups to the department’s VHF radios.

He said the new radios will operate over the cellular network while the department’s Motorola and Kenwood radios operate on the department’s VHF system.

“There are places where we can communicate on these Tango radios where we can’t get out on VHF, reach the repeaters or talk to 911,” Marbutt said. “Having the Tango radio, which operates off the cell phone signal, I think we would have had the ability to communicate.”

Marbutt said one radio would be assigned to him, one to Assistant Chief Shane Harbin and one to Capt. Nick Marbutt.

He said every member of the department already carries a VHF radio. Marbutt, Harbin and Nick Marbutt will have access to both communication systems.

Marbutt said the department hopes to receive them within the next few days.

Marbutt said the department’s Motorola and Kenwood VHF radios typically cost between about $850 and $1,250 each.

The three Tango radios, three lapel microphones and one year of service will cost just over $1,000.

“We’re getting three of those for a year for about the price of one VHF radio,” Marbutt said.

Unlike the department’s VHF radios, which have no ongoing operating costs after purchase, the Tango radios require an annual subscription because they operate over the cellular network.

“The only real drawback to the Tango radios is if the cell service goes down, you lose radio communications,” Marbutt said.

He said the Phil Campbell Police Department and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office have had success using a dual system.

Marbutt said firefighters have responded to calls where it was difficult to communicate with 911 using VHF radios.