Taller Tower to Improve Service

The tower currently located at Smithtown Landing Country Club in New York will soon be a little taller. Last month, the Smithtown Town officials unanimously voted to approve a special-exception petition permitting SiteTech Wireless to increase the tower’s height from 75 feet to 125 feet. AT&T and Verizon currently have equipment located on the structure, but the height is causing service deficiencies in the area and radio communications used for police, fire service, and the highway department have suffered. Newsday reported, “Instead of being captured by New York’s 911 system, emergency calls are occasionally directed to Connecticut, Valentine said. The calls are then rerouted to the Suffolk County 911 receivers, a process that can cost precious seconds in a health emergency. Cell service is unreliable near the Kings Park bluff and along the Nissequogue River, a popular recreational area in town that offers boating, canoeing and other activities [where] several issues with water accidents have occurred.” SiteTech Wireless told the town that the extra 50 feet will clear up the issues, and that towers are usually 125 feet tall. However, the tower is placed along an environmentally sensitive area, the Nissequogue River Corridor, which impeded construction. “If we save one life by doing this, that’s it,” John Valentine, Smithtown public safety director said. “When you’re in the water, things happen quickly and minutes count, so those minutes are precious, and if this saves one life moving forward, you can’t put a price tag on that.” (Newsday)