Med Channel

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DisasterGuy

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Yes, 1 call and 2 med channels. They are coordinated by Talbot County on behalf of MIEMSS.

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ThePhotoGuy

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Any idea if Kent, Queen Anne, Talbot, or Caroline (when they come on first). will use the 700 mhz talkgroups for med channels? Once in a while I will see the med talkgroups on FiRST active on Kent site but it doesn't seem that they use them full-time.
 

DisasterGuy

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Can't speak for them other than to confirm that there are 700 talkgroups for that reason.

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ocguard

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Med channels are still available with excellent mobile coverage state-wide, and according to a reliable contact with knowledge of MIEMSS operation, that's not going to change any time soon. It does, however, seem as though more and more jurisdictions are taking advantage of their trunked systems for EMS communications. I'm sure eventually the FIRST system will have a state-wide EMS talk group plan as well. It would only make sense.
 

maus92

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What is the current equipment setup for the state Med channel radio? Does the state still provide a mobile and portable radio for each ambulance in the state? Using the 700 system on the shore (and when areas come online with the new system) seems like a no brainer.
 

boatbod

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On our ambulances (Oxford Sta 20) we have two completely separate radio systems plus a portable in each unit. The main radio is relatively new and capable of both 700/800 with programming for all the area trunking systems while the second radio is reserved strictly for MED consults. I've not spent much time looking at it, but I have always assumed it was an 800 Mhz Motorola dedicated to the MED-A, MED-B channels available through the Eastern Shore Consortium system. Maybe I'll take a closer look next time I'm at the station :)

Whatever the technology, I do believe you'd want at least two separate installed radios. You always want to keep the main unit operating on the main dispatch channel while the second radio can be used by the EMTs or Medics for their consults.
 

DisasterGuy

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EMS entities but their own rafios however MIEMSS had a grant during Narrow banding to replace wide band only radios. If I recall they were spec for Kenwood. Each Med Channel site consists of three Harris Mastr III stations that are voted at EMRC. Don't expect to see UHF Med channels go away anytime soon.

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boatbod

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Found out a couple days ago that the MIEMSS UHF med channels are indeed patched to FiRST so providers will be able to consult with whichever radio is handy at the time.
 

SCPD

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On our ambulances (Oxford Sta 20) we have two completely separate radio systems plus a portable in each unit. The main radio is relatively new and capable of both 700/800 with programming for all the area trunking systems while the second radio is reserved strictly for MED consults. I've not spent much time looking at it, but I have always assumed it was an 800 Mhz Motorola dedicated to the MED-A, MED-B channels available through the Eastern Shore Consortium system. Maybe I'll take a closer look next time I'm at the station :)

Whatever the technology, I do believe you'd want at least two separate installed radios. You always want to keep the main unit operating on the main dispatch channel while the second radio can be used by the EMTs or Medics for their consults.
From everything I seen in rigs across the country up front is the main radio while in rear has the med channels radio ambulance to hospital.
 

ocguard

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Found out a couple days ago that the MIEMSS UHF med channels are indeed patched to FiRST so providers will be able to consult with whichever radio is handy at the time.

Not patched. The UHF med channels aren't patched to the TRS med talk groups. It's simply that both are available depending on provider preference/availability of equipment. If you call in on UHF, EMRC connects the UHF med channel to the hospital's remote. If you call in on a TRS, EMRC patches the TRS talk group to the hospital's remote.

Can one make it more (unnecessarily) complex? Wow...

What's complex about it?! It's been pretty much the same (barring the NFM switch) for decades. Certain channels are available in certain regions, the PLs also vary by region to prevent co-channel issues.
 

Dispatcher308

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Can one make it more (unnecessarily) complex? Wow...

What is so complicated?

There is nothing complicated about the system Med 1-8 and Call's 1 and 2 on different PL Tones so as to not cause interference with other regions. And as Matt Said certain channels are only available in certain regions. Easy Peasy!

Very simple, compared to building a trunked system codeplug.
 

maus92

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OK, way to pile on guys. :) I was referring to the radio template. From a user's standpoint, all I want to know is what Med channel I need to be on - all the other extraneous info is superfluous to me. I know that in operation, it's pretty simple. So do current radios actually use the three digit channel number? What equipment is used currently?

Which leads to another question: How often to ground providers need to change tone codes / med channels during transport? Are inter-regional transports that common?
 

boatbod

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OK, way to pile on guys. :) I was referring to the radio template. From a user's standpoint, all I want to know is what Med channel I need to be on - all the other extraneous info is superfluous to me. I know that in operation, it's pretty simple. So do current radios actually use the three digit channel number? What equipment is used currently?

Which leads to another question: How often to ground providers need to change tone codes / med channels during transport? Are inter-regional transports that common?

No simple answer unfortunately.

MIEMSS UHF radios are programmed for MEDCALL, MED-A, MED-B, etc.
Current 800 Mhz trunking are programmed with the same nomenclature as MIEMSS.
Upcoming 700 Mhz trunking are to be programmed with the new naming convention 7R4-CALL, 7R4-MED1, 7R4-MED2. (7 = 700Mhz, R4 = region 4, "-" then Channel Name)
 
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ocguard

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OK, way to pile on guys. :) I was referring to the radio template. From a user's standpoint, all I want to know is what Med channel I need to be on - all the other extraneous info is superfluous to me. I know that in operation, it's pretty simple. So do current radios actually use the three digit channel number? What equipment is used currently?

Which leads to another question: How often to ground providers need to change tone codes / med channels during transport? Are inter-regional transports that common?

Per the MIEMSS communication standard, UHF radio sets should show the three-digit channel number and some abbreviated version of the alphanumeric description. So basically everything listed under the "Mobile Channel Name" column of the channel plan. I would think by now, the word "NEW" could be omitted since we're a few years post NFM transition.

Generally speaking, there should be very little need for medical control calls during inter-regional, inter-facility transports, and if they are needed, it wouldn't be a long and continuous thing (if this were necessary, it would likely be done by phone). Most long-distance transfers are in one of two categories: extremely sub-acute patient where almost no provider intervention is needed, or critical-care/specialty-care, where the providers are going to be consulting with their agency's own medical control physician by phone. And if a radio call were begun in one region, and were to pass into another region, a mobile radio would have no trouble staying connected to the region's tower where the call originated. Providers who do work on units that COULD need to access UHF in various part of the state should be familiar with, or have access to the communications plan map, and be familiar with what call channel to originate on. From their, the EMRC operator will be able to direct them to the appropriate channel/PL for the region. Same applies to 911 providers who may end up, for example, running someone by ground to Baltimore from the Eastern Shore.

No simple answer unfortunately.

MIEMSS UHF radios are programmed for MEDCALL, MED-A, MED-B, etc.
Current 800 Mhz trunking are programmed with the same nomenclature as MIEMSS.
Upcoming 700 Mhz trunking are to be programmed with the new naming convention 7R4-CALL, 7R4-MED1, 7R4-MED2. (7 = 700Mhz, R4 = region 4, "-" then Channel Name)

MEDCALL, MED-A, and MED-B are UMESC system talk group names. Every trunked system with EMRC talk groups has some variation of nomenclature for them, but are typically similar. If your UHF radio is programmed this way, it does not coincide with MIEMSS' standard channel naming plan.

The "7R4-XXX" nomenclature is how MDFIRST is being set up, and is only being created because UMESC counties are adopting MDFIRST as their primary radio system, and will, therefore, need TRS access to EMRC. Whether this same naming plan will carry on state-wide if EMRC talk groups are created for all regions is really an unknown.
 

maus92

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Thanks for the info - does the provider need to select the proper tone code, or is that done when selecting the appropriate channel number?

Side note: when I attended the control board meeting last month, there was extensive discussion about system funding. At one point it was noted that significant funding for FiRST is supplied through MIEMSS's budget, yet they receive no benefit (yet.) In essence, MIEMSS is supporting two statewide systems concurrently (well, not really since some regions are not complete.) Why do they retain the UHF system on the Eastern Shore when FiRST is operational in that region? Would they not save some money by cannibalizing redundant equipment to use in regions where the UHF system is still active?
 

DisasterGuy

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In some areas the UHF system provides better coverage than FiRST. Additionally, there are many other moving parts as that would require commercial ambulances to purchase $5k+ radios instead of $400 radios for every ambulance.

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INDY72

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It also called an backup plan if something goes SHTF with the TRS systems. You still keep that UHF system and can fall back on it.
 
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