Orange Beach making radio improvements

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - Lieutenant Craig Stephenson is using the current radios at Orange Beach Fire Department, but he says those radios need an upgrade.
The signal can not penetrate some of the concrete walls used at many of the city's signature condominiums.

"It's so thick, we can't communicate outside. If we have a medical call and we need extra help, a lot of times we can't get radio contact," said Stephenson.

The concrete walls aren't the only problem. Stephenson says some of the condos here are so tall that when firefighters go up, they sometimes lose communication from the ground.

So if that's the problem.
A grill is part of the solution, because the department will hold their annual barbecue fundraiser next week. The funds raised will go towards buying new radios.

"This system is going to take care of any firefighter down, anything like that. We'll be able to take care of business that way," added Stephenson.

Stephenson says getting new technology is another way to help protect paradise.