Madison County Assists Godfrey Fire Protection District With Radio Communications Project

EDWARDSVILLE — Godfrey Fire Protection District gets a $60,000 boost in communication from Madison County ARPA funding.

Madison County assisted the fire district in building a new 80-foot communication tower at its newly built fire station on Godfrey Road.

In April, Madison County Board member Valarie Doucleff of Godfrey presented a ceremonial check to Godfrey Fire Chief Eric Cranmer, Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Wills and Godfrey Fire District Trustee Gerard Fischer.

Fire Chief Eric Cranmer said the new station sits down in a small valley and the radio tower will allow firefighters to communicate with one another, but also other emergency responders and agencies including those in Jersey and Macoupin counties, both of which border on the fire protection district and Village of Godfrey.

The new tower provides support for cellular, pcs and two-way communications radios. The total project cost was just over $61,000.

The new tower not only ensures communications for first responders in Godfrey, but will connect to the planned radio system — StarCom21— the Madison County Sheriff’s Office will be installing. The StarCom system is an interoperable, digital, trunked statewide voice radio communications network.

“The county was happy to be able to provide the fire district with the funding for its new tower,” Doucleff said. “This new tower will provide clear and concise communications between public safety agencies.”

“The county was happy to be able to provide the fire district with the funding for its new tower,” Doucleff said. “This new tower will provide clear and concise communications between public safety agencies.”

The county provided $1.5 million in funding to community fire districts for revenue replacement. Fire districts can received up to $60,000 in costs submitted to the county under eligible American Rescue Plan Act revenue replacement for expenditures.

Godfrey Fire celebrated the opening of their new firehouse/administration center in April. The district combined its previous two stations into the new facility, bringing all the firefighters under one roof.

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