Advocates of installing a cell tower on the grounds of Westmont Hilltop High School in Cambria County, PA say that adequate connectivity could save lives in an emergency situation. As Upper Yoder Police Chief John Blake told WJAC-TV, “There’s a possibility of danger without having any sort of communications set up by the school and surrounding areas. If we have a medical emergency or a mass casualty event, we would rely on cell phones and radio reception in that area for us to communicate and react to the threat or emergency. If we don’t have that, that’s going to cause a lot of problems with the operation.”
The ongoing investigation of the school shooting in Texas includes poor communications on its list of things that contributed to the death toll. Blake noted that “The communications in that area of the township are definitely diminished and can cause problems for emergency responders.” Previous attempts to build a cell tower have been thwarted by residents who objected for aesthetic reasons and have thus far prevailed in court, the source reports.
“I would hope that the value of the possibility of saving someone’s life would rank higher in the decision-making process than the aesthetic value being diminished by a cell phone tower in the area,” Chief Blake told WJAC-TV. He added that he can cite numerous personal experiences where reliable communications would have helped keep the public safe.
Also in favor of building a new cell tower, Westmont Hilltop Superintendent Tom Mitchell said, “The appeal is working its way through the legal process. The matter is pending before the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania on appeal from the local court’s favorable decision permitting the construction of the tower. We are waiting on a specific hearing date for argument before the Commonwealth Court.”
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