Fire Commisisioner Presents Cell Tower Plan

A show of hands at Saturday morning’s East Quogue Civic Association’s spring meeting told the story of little opposition to the East Quogue Fire Department’s desire to erect two 100-foot cell towers in the hamlet.

When asked if they were opposed to the towners, five people, out of the approximately 40 who attended, raised their hands. Six people raised their hands when asked if they were against having T-mobile erect the tower and pay the fire district $2,200 per month to rent space for their antennas.

The vote followed a comprehensive and measured presentation by Allyn Jackson, fire commissioner and former superintendent for Southampton Town’s Department of Parks and Recreation.  Jackson detailed the fire department’s process for determining the need for and dimensions of the towers.

“We can’t lose anyone,” he said, while having to pause and admit the subject makes him emotional.

In order to keep in touch with department members who have been sent into dangerous settings, like a burning building or an iced-over body of water swirling with snow, an uninterrupted radio connection is necessary. He cited dead spots in Spinney Hills, by Route 27 and the hospital in Southampton.

The need for a 100-foot tower, he said, was determined by using a ladder truck to test reception starting at 60 feet.

The decision to go with T-mobile, he said, was made after the cellular company approached the fire department, proposing to cover the cost of building the tower,which would save the fire department and its governing district $45,000. The company also offered to pay the district $2,200 per antenna, for a yearly income of $52,800, which would offset the $80,000 the district cut from the 2011 budget, said Jackson.

Questions from audience members included concerns about the effects of radiation on people, bees and birds and the possibility that T-mobile would “take advantage of us country folk,” as stated by resident Ann Federico.

This was vociferously supported by regular gadfly Al Algieri.

A public hearing on the matter will be held June 9 at 7 p.m. at Southampton TownHhall. Jackson stressed the plan he had just outlined was preliminary and rejection by the planning board would put it dead in the water.