By Carl Lindquist
The York Dispatch
YORK, Pa. — Emergency responders from York and Cumberland counties should be able to communicate with each other using their own 911 radios by the end of next week.
York and Cumberland counties both use new digital 911 radio systems, but they work on different bandwidths.
A patch to be deployed by the end of next week should bridge the gap between the systems and allow firefighters who cross county lines to communicate with each other using the same portable radios they use on their own system, said Eric Bistline, executive director of York County Emergency Services.
The radio patch should help in situations like a fire last week in Newberry Township.
Firefighters from York County were unable to communicate directly with counterparts from Cumberland County who arrived to help battle a blaze that destroyed two mobile homes.
The problem caused no injuries.
In place: Patches already exist between York and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania State Police and Cumberland County, Md., Bistline said.
York County is also working on patches with other adjacent counties, although work was pushed back because of different, unrelated delays with the 911 radio system.
Bistline said the patches have limitations. Responding firefighters have to be within the range of their home 911 system to use their own radios to communicate with responders from other counties, he said.
Otherwise, they’ll have to communicate using the other county’s equipment.
Cumberland County has already tested the patch with York, and it appears to be working, said Doug Glass, the county’s deputy director for public safety communications.
Initiative: Problems communicating with York County firefighters prompted the Upper Allen Township (Cumberland County) Fire Co. to spend $26,000 on portable radios for York County’s system, said Chief Jim Salter.
The department decided to purchase the equipment after a fire in Carroll Township a few months ago where they were unable to communicate with York County firefighters.
With or without the patch, he said, the purchase was a good idea because the department’s firefighters sometimes travel outside the range of Cumberland County’s 911 radio system.
He said problem between York and Cumberland counties is not unique, but it’s not acceptable, either. He said emergency responders should be able to communicate with their counterparts regardless of where they go.
Otherwise, firefighters’ lives could be put in jeopardy.
“It is a life safety issue, for sure,” he said. “It’s something not to be dealt with lightly. We hope people understand where we’re coming from.”
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