Communications and Interoperability
The communications and interoperability resource page is designed to help firefighters keep up with the latest communications gear and best practices in mutual-aid and interoperability.
The Charlotte SouthPark fire report highlights improvements in several areas, including the hiring of more inspectors and enhanced firefighter survival training
How to minimize scheduling strains and mission misalignment between the department’s shift-workers and administrative workforce
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said false claims about withholding aid are demoralizing to relief workers
The city’s 911 call-handling system again called into question
An ambulance was dispatched immediately but police and fire dispatch was 30 minutes late for the woman who drove into a pond
Calls to that area are routed through two dispatch centers
As it weighs the merits of regional dispatch, the town is halting plans to allow the sheriff’s department to take over dispatch
The new radios will offer more channels and better communication quality
At least one fake call reported an explosion on an elevated train
Leaders are looking for ways to improve response time and coverage
The city will be working to plan a system of communication between law enforcement and first responders
Because of Twitter’s popularity, the fire service may allow civilians to “tweet” instead of calling
Continuing focus on recruitment, retention and leadership will be critical for the volunteer fire and EMS service in 2013
There were no shortage of product advances in 2012, yet several stood out among the rest
Counties will be helping depts. transition to a new narrowband system
The $216,000 in federal grant money will go to the purchase of radios
Future public safety communications will use those ubiquitous cell phone towers, but will operate on channels that can’t be clogged with traffic by regular cellular users in an emergency
SwitchplusIP LTE Pico-Cell Cellular Interface Unit may be cooler than the C-OTM unit, and that’s saying a lot
Neighbors reported not being able to hear fire alarms when the blaze broke out
A Public Saftey Building telephone failure left responders without a vital telephone service
Jovan Belcher’s mother can be heard begging for an ambulance
Victims begged 911 operators for help
Gone are the static-filled shortwave-like radios and crystal-powered scanners; key the mic today and the entire world listens
The two Atlanta police officers searching for a missing child were killed in a crash earlier in Nov.
After a funding spat, the Jefferson Parish firefighters will no longer use the parish’s backup radio network
Charges that duplicate calls had responders unable to respond to real emergencies
Since 2001, the program has dropped hoax calls from 1 per day to 1 per month
The reported agreement to link dispatch systems still sees crews logging slower response times
Dedicated broadband for emergency responders is still years away, but there is technology available to boost your communication
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