Zambuto Supports Rfd’s Call for Safety on Cell Phone Tower Issue O’Hara Seeks Vote of Support by Councillors

Councillor-at-Large Anthony Zambuto made it clear following Monday’s Council meeting that he supports the Revere Firefighters Union in its request to have a cell phone tower removed from the Central Fire Station tower on Broadway.

“I’m for its removal 100 percent,” said Zambuto. ‘Even if it’s not proven to be a health hazard, because we do not have the actual proof of that, I’m with the firefighters all the way on taking the cell phone tower down. I also support the new city ordinance for not putting a cell phone tower on any city buildings.”

Kevin O’Hara, president of the Revere Firefighters Union, was pleased to have Zambuto’s support on the Central Fire Station cell phone tower (which O’Hara said is scheduled for removal from the fire station in six months), but he was “disappointed” that the other issue of 5G cell phone antennae on telephone poles has remained in committee [Zoning Sub-Committee].

Zambuto, who chairs the Council’s Zoning Sib-Committee, took offense at a proposed call for a vote on the issue at Monday’s Council meeting.

“The issue was the little cell phone antennas that go on top of utility poles,” said Zambuto. “I held it in committee because if we voted against it, we’re going to lose in court. FCC regulations don’t allow us to vote against small cell phone antennas. I was protecting the city by not letting the issue out of committee.”

O’Hara conceded that the Council’s vote would not prohibit the installation of the antennas due to FCC regulations, but he would like the 11-member Council to conduct a vote voicing their opposition to the installation of the 5G antennas.

“By the councillors voting against the measure, it would show their support for the residents and children of the city and the safety of firefighters while battling fires,” said O’Hara.

Zambuto said he backed O’Hara’s conclusion made in remarks at the Council meeting that firefighters working on the top of ladder trucks would be affected by “harmful, non-thermal radiation” from nearby cell phone antennas located on telephone poles.

O’Hara thanked Councillors Joanne McKenna, Jessica Giannino and Patrick Keefe for their “full support” on the issue from the beginning.

“They have stayed in contact with me throughout the process and always requested information regarding the dangers of 5G cell phone towers,” said O’Hara. “We are concerned about the potential dangers of these new 5G cell phone mini-towers on poles.”a