LEWISTON — A 2010 federal homeland security grant would buy a new emergency generator for Lewiston City Hall, breathing gear for firefighters, a radio signal repeater and other gear.
Councilors reviewed their application for a 2010 Homeland Security Grant at a workshop Tuesday. Fire Chief Paul Leclair said the city is qualified to receive $298,845 in federal money, part of the Maine Emergency Management Agency’s allocation.
Councilors are expected to approve the application later this month. If MEMA approves the city’s spending plan, the money could be available in 2011.
The biggest part of the grant, $100,000, would go toward the City Hall emergency generator, Leclair said. City Hall houses the computer services for the city’s surveillance system and its emergency computer network.
“The current generator is not big enough to support the (information services) functions,” Leclair said. “In case of a power outage, we wouldn’t be able to keep that running.”
Another $53,000 would purchase additional breathing equipment for firefighters, and $50,000 would pay for a radio repeater. That would push the police and fire emergency signals into dead spots that are currently around both Central Maine and St. Mary’s Regional medical centers.
The city also proposes to spend:
* $30,000 for upgrades to the camera surveillance system and $25,000 for the school’s surveillance cameras.
* $20,000 for equipment for the joint Androscoggin County hazardous material team, shared with the city of Auburn.
* $16,000 for hazardous materials training for Lewiston-Auburn’s 911 dispatchers.
* $4,800 for Fire Department hazardous material training.
Leclair said any leftover money would be used for firefighter training.
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