Emmaus council authorizes payment plan for new first responder radios

EMMAUS, Pa. — Emmaus Borough Council voted unanimously Monday to borrow $685,000 from Lehigh County to buy upgraded radios for first responders.

The borough will pay no interest on the five-year debt, which will purchase radios that tie borough police, fire and EMS crews into Lehigh County’s newly upgraded communication network, connecting first responders and dispatchers.

In February, Lehigh County Council authorized county officials to buy millions of dollars of communications equipment on behalf of municipal governments.

Each municipality is responsible for paying the county back for its share of equipment.

Because some municipalities don’t have enough room in their budgets to fund the whole purchase at once, county commissioners created two payback options.

Governments can pay over five years with no interest, or spread payments over 10 years while paying 5% interest.

Choosing interest-free option

As with most municipal governments in the county, Emmaus chose the interest-free option, and will pay roughly $137,000 per year through 2030.

Monday’s vote makes the loan official by authorizing Emmaus officials to sell a bond, which Lehigh County will buy.

The vote in Emmaus follows similar action from the South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners, which last month authorized a plan to buy $1.3 million of upgraded communications gear for its first responders.

Whitehall Township also will spend nearly $900,000 to buy radios and associated hardware for the township’s emergency services personnel.

With the new radios, emergency personnel can connect to a modernized public safety radio system, used by dispatchers and first responders to communicate.

The overall system upgrade will cost $46 million over the next 20 years, according to Lehigh County estimates.