Windham police and fire departments recently presented their requests to the Capital Improvement Program Committee, asking for updated mobile radios, among other items.

Police Chief Gerald Lewis requested funding for updated mobile communications equipment. The total project cost would be $84,600 with the possibility of $23,308 being available from the impact fee account, leaving a balance of $61,292 requested.

“We’re at a critical point where we need to start looking at replacing these radios,” Lewis said.

The Police Department has mobile radios in all 12 of its vehicles and mobile data terminals in five of the cars, Lewis said. The data terminals work much like laptops and can be used to access the department’s records management system and to write reports. The terminals also interface with the statewide law enforcement communications system allowing officers to run queries from the field, Lewis said. The department’s five terminals were supplied through a grant in 2005 and were expected to last about seven years. One terminal no longer works, and the other four are in various states of disrepair, Lewis said.

The radios are nearing the end of their 15-year life span and replacement parts are no longer available, Lewis said. The department recently received grant money to replace some radios but no grant money was available to cover the mobile data terminals.

Committee Chairman Rob Gustafson asked why the department’s CIP request didn’t include facility and impound lot improvements that have appeared in past years requests.

“I don’t think, with our economic times, that the community is ready to support that,” Lewis said.

Since the CIP document is meant to plan for several years, Lewis said he would modify the request to include those items that may be needed in the future.

Fire Chief Tom McPherson broke his request into short-term and long-term needs. Self-contained breathing apparatus and ambulance replacement topped the list.

Replacing the breathing apparatus would cost $202,867. Federal grant money may be available to offset 95 percent of the cost, leaving $10,143 funded by the town. A similar request appeared on last year’s ballot with the stipulation that the article would be void if grant money was not received. Voters accepted the article but the town didn’t receive the grant.

“I’m hoping it will be supported once again by the community,” McPherson said.

The equipment is critical to firefighter safety and none of the department’s 23 SCBAs meet current standards, McPherson said. While he’s continuing to seek grant money, McPherson said new equipment will be needed even if no grant money becomes available.

The $200,000 ambulance was requested as part of an equipment rotation that downgrades a front-line ambulance to a backup every four years and brings in a new vehicle. The ambulance purchased in 2008 currently has 44,000 miles and more than 2,000 hours on the engine, McPherson said. The backup has 52,000 miles.

Long-term requests included an engine replacement around 2014, a ladder truck replacement around 2015, mobile data terminals in 2016 and a public safety sub-station in 2018 or later.

“I still think there’s a need for it, I just don’t think within the next three to four years,” McPherson said.

The CIP Committee will continue putting the plan together through September and make its recommendations in early to mid-October.