When first responders are dealing with an emergency, their ability to communicate with one another is a critical part of preserving public safety. That’s a key reason that Gastonia leaders are so ecstatic about an upgrade being made to the two-way radios that the city’s police and fire departments depend on every day. This month, the city is completing its acquisition of 433 new radio units at a cost of $1.5 million. Sixty percent of the tab will be footed by the city through its regular budget. But the other 40 percent, which equates to $600,000, will be paid for with funds provided by the Gastonia Alcoholic Beverage Control System. The investment marks the latest in a long line of contributions the local ABC board has made to benefit the public good. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue from ABC sales in Gastonia has been put toward everything from public safety expenditures to parks and recreation projects.