Politics & Government

Towns, Schools Share Cost of Lightning Detection System

A shared service between River Edge and New Milford that will promote public safety and save taxpayers money.

New lightning detection systems are being installed on the borough and school fields of both River Edge and New Milford. Lightning detection systems are equipped with alarms that give warning to the arrival of lightning allowing fields to be cleared before danger strikes. The idea was initially presented to the River Edge Mayor and Council by Recreation Director Bobbi Conway on behalf of the Recreation Commission.

"Over the past 30 years, an average of 55 people have been killed annually by lightning," Mayor Sandy Moscaritolo said. "It was my idea to explore whether a single system could be a shared service between our school districts in both River Edge and New Milford. All four entities signed on to my proposal."

The Strike Guard Lightning Warning System will be purchased jointly by the municipalities of River Edge and New Milford, along with their Boards of Education. The system can keep track of lightning between clouds and hitting the ground up to 20 miles away. 

According to Moscaritolo, the cost of the transmitter is approximately $26,000 which will be shared by all participants. The cost of the equipment at each remote location will be paid by the individual entity owning the property. 

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River Edge is in the process of installing a central station transmitter at Fire Co. 1. The system will be hooked up to the Office of Emergency Management and the Police Department. According to Moscaritolo, the system was designed with the capacity to cover all the outdoor recreation areas in both Boroughs.   

"We are finalizing an inter-local agreement between the Borough of River Edge, the Borough of New Milford, the River Edge Board of Education and the New Milford Board of Education," Moscaritolo said.   

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Moscaritolo said that the system has been designed so that each outdoor recreation field will be equipped with a audible siren and a strobe. Each remote location will be sent a signal from the central transmitter when it detects lightning within a certain distance of not less than 5 miles. The activation of the siren and lights will give the public advance notice to get off the fields and find shelter. 

Additionally, signs will be installed at each field and the Borough will monitor the system for public compliance. 

"If we find that the system is being ignored, the governing body can adopt an ordinance to include fines to enforce compliance," Moscaritolo said.     

In talking about the River Edge-New Milford lightning detection system, Moscaritolo stressed, "This is a good example of how municipalities and school districts can work cooperatively to share services and equipment to both promote public safety as well as save taxpayer money."

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