By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

A second grant moves Florence fire department $1,000 closer to the amount they need to have county-mandated radios in their hands.

Florence Fire Chief Mark Slater said Florence Community Foundation has awarded a $1,000 grant to use toward the $45,000 purchase of 800 MHz radios the county earlier decided emergency responders need to have because the county’s dispatch system is being switched to 800 MHz.

Slater said the department earlier got a $24,000 grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The department still needs to raise $16,000, although county commissioners have pledged to allocate some rescue funds to fire departments.

Sheriff Rob Craft said at the present time, 800 MHz radios are being used by law enforcement and the existing ultra high frequency system remains in use for dispatching fire departments and emergency medical services.