By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
The $299,908 grant U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow announced Wednesday for Dowagiac Volunteer Fire Department will actually benefit 12 entities throughout Cass County with their communications capability, Fire Chief Harold Munson said Thursday.
"This gives the whole county a big boost," Munson said. "We're really happy" to receive the second-largest award in Michigan from more than $1.4 million granted to seven organizations.
Munson said $130,000 is allocated to upgrading central dispatch.
The grant should also provide 200 portable radios, 160 pagers and 30 mobile radios in vehicles so that contact can be maintained with firefighters when they enter burning structures.
Munson said a committee of the Cass County Firefighters Association researched the grant, which was written by former city firefighter Robert Smith of Indian Lake.
Sister Lakes, Edwardsburg, Cassopolis and Pokagon are also among the beneficiaries of the award.
Munson said the committee sought $527,000, including communication towers, but "part of the pie is better than no pie."
There is a 20-percent local match for the grant.