AM1680 - 24/7 Emergency Management Broadcast Radio Station

Holden has added a significant new tool for providing public safety information to residents during emergencies and special town events – an emergency broadcast AM radio station.

Holden Emergency Management Coordinator Christopher Montiverdi announced that the Holden Emergency Management Broadcast System will be on the air continuously with public safety messages starting this week. Residents can tune in to the new radio station at AM1680. The new station is broadcasting from the Oriol Health Care building at 64 Boyden Rd.

“Oriol Health Care has been generous enough to provide space for our antenna system on their roof so that it’s high enough to broadcast a signal that can reach virtually the entire town,” stated Montiverdi. “This is especially valuable when we have community-wide emergencies such as the 2008 ice storm.”

The new emergency management radio station will broadcast key public safety information such as road closings, power outage updates, and emergency shelter locations during damaging weather events and other natural disasters. According to Montiverdi, the station will also be a valuable news resource during town-wide celebrations such as Holden Days so residents can receive information about detours and shuttle service to avoid being stuck in event-related traffic.

Montiverdi stated that the town was able to purchase the radio station with a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant made available through the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). The town used a combination of Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and Citizen Corp Program (CCP) grant funds to purchase the transmitter and antenna.