FARMINGTON — Selectmen on Tuesday night, Oct. 22, accepted Homeland Security grants for the police and fire departments.

Police Chief Kenneth Charles said he had forgotten about the grant until receiving an email earlier Tuesday. “It’s facilitated through emergency management,” he noted. “They request as quick of a response because they’re chasing cats. They’ve got grants going on all over the county so they don’t like to have things sit.”

The grant will allow the purchase of two traffic alert signs from All Traffic Solutions in State Park, Pennsylvania. They can be mounted on the back of a pickup truck or telephone pole for temporary, permanent or semi-permanent positioning. They can be used incident to incident, in work zones, can withstand winds of up to 70 miles per hour, Charles noted.

The quote for the two signs and accompanying accessories was $20,477.76. The dealer adjusted the price to $18,000 to “make it work,” Charles said. There is a three-year extended warranty, he stated.

Selectman Dennis O’Neil said the signs would be needed more often than not, he loved free money.

Selectman Richard Morton asked if there would be any “down the road expenses.”

Charles said no, by logging on to a computer the message could be changed. He  noted the signs would have been useful Tuesday to warn drivers to slow down while fire crews battled a brush fire on Fairbanks Road.

For anti-theft protection, the signs are track-able, Charles stated.

They would be good to have in an emergency or flooding situations, Chair Joshua Bell said. They could be deployed to warn motorists to take alternate routes, he noted.

When asked where they would be stored, Charles said the signs aren’t very big, can fold up. They would probably be put with the rest of signage and barriers at Public Works, he noted.

“Other departments could use them,” Bell added.

Farmington Fire Rescue Chief Tim “TD” Hardy said his department received word it had been awarded a $16,433 grant. The money will be used to add accessories such as fittings, air bags, and hoses to a lift system purchased years ago, he noted. The system has been added to with 85% of funding coming from the Homeland Security program, he stated.

Selectman Matthew Smith asked if it could tip a car over and tip it back again.

Hardy said the system had lifted school buses, had partially lifted a mobile home during training last spring.

O’Neil said more rollover stories are being seen in newspapers.

Selectmen also accepted a $3,004 Edward Byrne-Justice Assistance grant to purchase 15 holsters and 12 flashlights for the Police Department.

Charles said he has had requests from officers to purchase holsters for when they are off duty. “They’re used for when they have training, staff meetings,” he indicated. “The concern that I would have is, if we leave it to the officers, they buy what they want, and there’s no consistency. I prefer something approved through us.”

In other business, a $250 donation from E.L. Vining and Sons, Inc. was accepted for the Parks and Recreation Department. The donation will be used towards the cost of program supplies for the Indoor Spooktacular on Oct. 26 at the Community Center.

The company has participated in this event creating a booth/display and has been able to partake in the festivities, according to provided information. They are unable to attend in person this year and would love to participate by way of donation towards the program, it stated.