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By JENNIFER LEARN jlearn@leader.net
Saturday, January 29, 2000 Page: 3A
PITTSTON TWP. – Township Super visor Chairman John Paglianite said he was
furious to learn Friday that someone from the township lodged a complaint
against the fire department for its use of a township radio frequency. The
Federal Communications Commis sion in a letter dated Jan. 20 ordered the fire
department to stop using the town ship’s frequency because of a complaint from
the township, which holds the li cense for the radio channel. According to
the letter, the township alleges that firefighters talk on the fre quency
without a license and cause “harmful interference” to the public works
department, which also uses the channel. Firefighters released the letter to
the public on Thursday. “I don’t know anything about a com plaint. I never
wanted to cut off the hose company from using the radio in any way, shape or
form,” said Paglianite. “If some body’s trying to undermine my authority,
I’m going to find out who.” Paglianite said he voted more than a decade ago
to allow the fire department to start using the frequency so firefighters
could communicate with township police, ambulance and emergency management
workers. Firefighters said the ban creates a pub lic safety hazard because
the channel al lows them to gather updates and crucial preparation details
about accidents and fires that they couldn’t hear anywhere else. Paglianite
said he met with fire officials Friday to try to resolve the situation. The
other two supervisors did not return mes sages seeking comment. FCC spokesman
John Winston said he cannot identify which township official or officials
lodged the complaint because the matter is still under investigation.
Paglianite said he does not want to be drawn into accusations that he filed
the complaint as part of a feud between town ship administration and emergency
per sonnel.
Call Learn at 831-7333.