First responders in Etowah County, AL say that it is imperative that they get a cell tower. As WBMA-TV reports, the fear is that inconsistent reception and dropped calls could put the public in danger.
“We need a tower and it’s just not for Etowah. If we had a tower here that would facilitate cellular and the two-way radios for us with a repeater, from there, we would be able to facilitate multiple fire halls,” said Black Creek Volunteer Fire Department Captain Timothy Burgess. Burgess works in the mountainous region, where digital reception can be unpredictable. Although there are already four cell towers in the area, local emergency responders say that another tower is needed.
The cost of building a new tower has been prohibitive, noted Bill Brodeur from Etowah County 911. Brodeur said that he has been given permission to seek out grants and state funds to help construct another tower. A project in neighboring St. Clair County should provide some relief for Etowah County. That cell tower is planned to be under construction within the next nine months.
“We’re looking at putting another one in Etowah County,” said Brodeur, “But we’re gonna have to get a grant to do that.”
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