Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Federal Emergency Management Agency gave more than a million dollars Friday to two Oregon fire departments and organizations.   Pete Springer reports.

The Knappa-Svensen-Burnside rural fire protection district makes up a large portion of Clatsop County east of Astoria.

They’ll be getting nearly $800,000 from FEMA for operations and safety upgrades.

Knappa Fire District Chief Paul Olheiser says most of that money will be used to upgrade radio equipment.

Olheiser says his firefighters often find themselves in radio dead zones or situations where they aren’t able to communicate with other emergency personnel such as the Coast Guard or state police.

Paul Olheiser: “In order for us to contact the state police with some of our radios, we have to call our dispatch and have them call by phone to the OSP dispatch to contact the OSP officer by radio.”

Olheiser says this can put firefighters at risk during emergencies.

The rest of the money from the federal grant will go towards a new truck for the Corvallis Fire Department.