While Inside Towers has reported recently on towns in other parts of New England that are fighting to keep cell towers out, the combined forces of Easton, Foxborough, Mansfield and Norton, MA have pooled resources to bolster emergency services, reports WickedLocal.com. The four towns created the Southeastern Massachusetts Regional Emergency Communication Center (SEMRECC), an $8.7 million agency that helps streamline communications for law enforcement and emergency personnel.
SEMRECC is a place “that’s going to save lives,” said State Senator, Paul Feeney. “I hope this will be a model across the state.”
The towns report that being a part of the SEMRECC has cut costs for each individual town, and improved communications and response times in emergency situations. The building housing the agency has been repurposed over the years, serving as a potential bomb shelter for visiting JFK, and later as a host site for an American Tower Company antenna. Approximately half of the building space is still available for development.
“Now our plan is to move forward,” said Massachusetts State 911 Department Executive Director, Frank Pozniak. “The state does have an effort to try to promote regionalization across the commonwealth. You have the space here to grow. We will work to get more 911 centers from more municipalities into this center.”
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