Mo. Man Spots Radio on Street, Radios in his Discovery

Aug. 8, 2013
He was driving when he spotted the yellow radio belonging to St. Joseph Engine 8 in the middle of the road.

Aug. 07--An observant citizen rescued a St. Joseph Fire Department radio after he found it in the middle of Woodbine Road late Wednesday morning.

Chuck Conant was driving on the 700 block of South Woodbine Road when he saw an unusual site. The lifelong St. Joseph resident saw a yellow hand-held radio in the middle of the street before he quickly turned around to retrieve it.

"I know enough about radios to know how to push the button," Mr. Conant joked.

So, Mr. Conant pushed the button and radioed to the Buchanan County Communications Center about his discovery shortly after 11:30 a.m. "I didn't know whose it was or where it belonged, so I just figured I'd let them know I found it," he said.

Waiting in the parking lot of neighboring businesses, he looked over the radio to discover it belonged to the Fire Department. Within a matter of minutes, Engine 8 met Mr. Conant and retrieved the equipment.

"I'd say (losing a radio) happens about once a year, but we usually lose them in houses when we are moving around or on medical calls helping to lift someone," said Fire Prevention Chief Kenny Cordonnier. "We are very thankful and relieved to get it back, because those radios are expensive."

The discovery of the dropped radio came one day after voters approved a half-cent sales tax to increase salaries in the Police, Fire and Health departments and purchase equipment for public safety.

Battalion Chief Russell Moore said fire crews stopped to visit with individuals when Engine 8 was out in the district. As a firefighter visited with the individuals, the captain and another firefighter sat on the back of the truck when the captain unclipped his radio from his uniform.

"When the driver asked if everyone was ready to go, the captain accidentally left his radio on the back of the truck," Mr. Moore said. "He didn't know that they had lost it until the guy (Mr. Conant) got on the radio."

Mr. Moore estimated the hand-held device to be worth roughly $5,000.

"He feels pretty embarrassed but we are all thankful to get it back," Mr. Moore.

Kristin Hoppa can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @SJNPHoppa.

Copyright 2013 - St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.

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