Cambria adds security to thwart copper thefts

EBENSBURG Would-be copper thieves, be warned.

Anyone trying to steal copper wiring from any of the 17 towers that make up Cambria Countys 911 communications system will be caught on camera.

A $230,000 grant sought by the countys department of emergency services has allowed for installation of cameras at the towers with a direct line to screens at the dispatch center in Ebensburg.

Weve had so many copper thefts. They steal the ground lines and anything that is copper, county chief clerk Steve Ettien said. Its costing us thousands of dollars.

Not only are the thefts expensive, but they also affect the 911 system, potentially impacting the safety of everyone in the county, Ettien said.

The grant was obtained through the federal Department of Homeland Security and was sufficient to cover all of the costs involved in providing the security cameras and the links to the center, the commissioners said Thursday in announcing the project.

As soon as there is motion inside the fence, the cameras turn on and capture the images, President Commissioner Douglas Lengenfelder said. It sends an alarm to the 911 center, and the operator there has the ability to watch what is going on at the tower site.

Robbin Melnyk, deputy director of emergency services and county 911 coordinator, was credited with landing the grant.

Not only did the grant pay for multiple cameras at the towers, but there was funding to improve exterior security outside the county human services building where the 911 center is, Melnyk said.

The technology is state of the art, Ettien said.

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Cambria adds security to thwart copper thefts