- April 25, 2024
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After about a year of planning, fundraising and paperwork-filing, the Longboat Key police and fire departments have received new equipment courtesy of the Rotary Club of Longboat Key.
The club, through a combination of fundraising and a grant match from the Rotary organization at large, was able to purchase equipment for the departments that they wouldn’t otherwise have budgeted. The Rotary Club approached the departments last April and asked what they would need, and after receiving funding from their Rotary district, delivered the equipment at the end of April 2020.
The fire department received three Epic microphones that mount inside firefighters’ masks and make communication vastly clearer. Fire Chief Paul Dezzi asked his team what they’d want, and the microphones, already recommended by the safety committee, topped the list.
“We had three already but this allowed for us to have enough for every seat,” fire department spokeswoman Tina Adams said. “Our units are able to hear each other, dispatch is able to hear. In a time-sensitive issue, this makes a great difference.”
As for the police department, the funds went towards purchasing a camera and voice recorder helpful in documenting damage and taking statements on patrol, five night-vision monoculars and a camera that snaps photos of movement and emails officers the evidence.
“It (the camera) isn’t something that gets used daily, but when it does get used it can make or break a case,” Capt. Bob Bourke said.
The Rotary Club has helped the island’s first responders get equipment in the past, and last year purchased bikes for the police department. Former president Nancy Rozance keeps in contact with the first responders and spearheaded this year’s equipment fundraiser. All told, the equipment cost around $5,000, Rozance said.
“Rotary does something for us every year,” police chief Pete Cumming said. “They come around and ask us what we need and they’ve done something really nice for us.”
