Mt. Pleasant Fire Department to upgrade radios

KEOTA — Mt. Pleasant Fire Department received $5,000 from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation’s 2024 Spring Grant cycle.

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Last week, WCRF announced the recipients of a total $3,614,233 in grants to two dozen organizations including Mt. Pleasant Fire Department. While more than $2.4 million went to PAWS & More Animal Shelter in Washington, the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department received $5,000 to go toward radio upgrades.

“The new multiband radios that will be purchased will allow the Mt. Pleasant Fire Dept to be able to communicate with our mutual aid departments that are on new, digital radio systems while still being able to communicate with departments in Henry County,” Mt. Pleasant Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Will Bensmiller explained. “More of the surrounding counties have switched or are in the process of transitioning to these new digital radio systems. Our current analog radios do not work with these new systems, causing interoperability issues. The new Motorola radios also will allow Mt. Pleasant Fire to also able to talk on the Iowa statewide radio system. This is beneficial in the event of things like natural disasters where state agencies have been called in to assist.”

According to Bensmiller, the new radios will cost more than the $5,000 grant, however, the department will be able to purchase them thanks to matching funds. This upgrade will equip three of the department’s trucks with these upgraded radios.

Other Henry County organizations benefiting from this round of WCRF grants include Wayland Area Childcare Organization which received $11,690 for Little Me & Company startup support and WACO Community School District which received $35,000 to replace the playground surface at WACO Elementary School.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com