News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Crossville Fire Department requesting an emergency purchase of 40 radio shoulder microphones.
The current shoulder mics for the radios giving off mayday calls when exposed to water, according to Fire Chief Mike Turner.
Turner became aware of the incident after a recent fire at a local bakery.
“Mayday calls mean a firefighter’s down and they really weren’t. It was just water reacting to the digital,” Turner said. “The other problem was when they got waterlogged inside a structure you couldn’t understand the firefighters.”
“The council has fully agreed to this and safety comes first,” he said.
The emergency purchase to cost nearly $24,000. Turner said the department plans to transfer monies from existing line items to cover the purchase without a budget amendment at this time.
City Council will consider the purchase next week.
