Columbiana Fire Chief Jim Douglas, left, holds one of the department’s Kenwood portable radios that the city is upgrading to for all its safety forces, as Police Chief Bill Myers holds one of the current police portable radios being replaced. A $14,250 Norfolk Southern safety grant kicked off the financing with close to $50,000 being needed. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

COLUMBIANA — The city’s safety forces will use a $14,250 grant from Norfolk Southern Corporation to upgrade the radio system for its safety forces.

Last month, deputy city administrator Bryce Miner received word that the company’s Safety First Grant program awarded the moneys toward the purchase of 35 Kenwood NX5200K2 portable radio package at $1,452 each for a total of $49,875 for the city’s patrolmen and EMS personnel.

“This funding will be an immediate benefit to our safety forces in all of the work they do to keep our city and our residents safe,” explained city manager Lance Willard. “We are thankful for Norfolk Southern investing in our community and supporting our safety forces.”

The city’s fire department already uses these particular Kenwood radios, so this would bring police and EMS on board with the same system.

The remaining balance will be covered by private business contributions and city funds, Miner added.

Currently, city police use a decade-old Harris radio system. With the more modern technology, the Kenwoods have the ability to do trunking, P25, DMR and NXDN digital.

The Norfolk grant is part of the company’s two community programs launched last year — the Safety First grant program seeks to advance safety organizations and initiatives and the Thriving Communities grant program focuses on promoting economic opportunities and providing equal access to basic necessities.

Award recipients are selected annually from across the railroad’s 22-state network.

Grant applications are accepted between April and October for the program.