About 40 local emergency management agencies in Illinois are receiving federal funds to help them switch to narrowband radio equipment.

The grants totaling more than $400,000 were announced Tuesday by the Illinois Terrorism Task Force. The federal homeland security grants will help local agencies comply with Federal Communications Commission requirements.

Agencies must convert to narrowband equipment by the end of the year.

The move is meant to ease congestion and result in increased channel availability for public safety systems. If public safety agencies do not make the move to narrowband channels they may face a loss of communications capabilities. FCC rules will not protect wideband systems from harmful interference.