Does anyone have any additional information about this article. Parma claims that they are the first in the State of Ohio to build an Interoperable Radio System. Does anyone know what type of System this is ?
Jason
Parma takes lead in developing areawide emergency communication system
Saturday, February 23, 2008Michael SangiacomoPlain Dealer Reporter
Parma is the first city in Ohio to begin working toward an areawide emergency communication system that would serve police, fire, rescue and other emergency services.
It's called "interoperability," and the idea has been kicking around since the early 1980s when the National Association of Police Chiefs recommended it.
"After 9/11, it became apparent that cities have a hard time communicating with one another during emergencies," Mayor Dean DiPiero said. "We need to make our radio systems able to talk to one another. It just makes sense."
It would cost Parma about $1 million to buy the new radios and set up the backbone of the system, on which other communities could then build. City Council is expected to vote on the system by mid-March.
Under the current system, a department or agency is assigned dedicated radio frequencies, but they cannot use others' frequencies for day-to-day operations. In some cases, agencies may allow another to use their assigned radio channel, but this usually is for temporary emergency communications. There also is a subset of radio channels that can be shared and used by multiple agencies such as the statewide intercity police channels.
In Northeast Ohio, police and fire departments use a diverse set of frequency bands and incompatible systems, according to a 2005 Ohio Department of Public Safety review. Nearly a third of Ohio counties, 28 out of 88, do not have a common frequency band among all law enforcement and safety agencies, the report said.
"You can roam all over the country with your cell phone," said police Sgt. Robert Gerbic. "You should at least be able to do that with emergency radios."
Parma would operate under a set of national interoperability guidelines for police and emergency services, Gerbic said.
There have been times, Gerbic said, when he could see a policeman from a neighboring community standing 30 yards away, but reaching him over the radio was cumbersome and time-consuming.
"I have to call my dispatcher, who calls his dispatcher, and relays the messages back and forth," he said. "What we propose is setting up a way where I can contact him directly."
Gerbic said it would cost $120 million for every police, fire and EMS department in the state to install the system, including new radios and towers.
He looks with envy at the state of Florida.
"Florida is way ahead of us," Gerbic said. "A policeman in Key West can talk directly to his counterpart in Gainesville. Think of the advantages in the event of high-speed chase through different communities or a large-scale disaster."
Gary Holland, director of the Department of Justice Affairs, which oversees county emergency management, said Parma is heading down the right path.
"The technology that Parma is adopting will enhance communication between local, state and federal jurisdictions," he said. "We're all swimming in the same direction."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
msangiacomo@plaind.com, 216-999-4890
Jason
Parma takes lead in developing areawide emergency communication system
Saturday, February 23, 2008Michael SangiacomoPlain Dealer Reporter
Parma is the first city in Ohio to begin working toward an areawide emergency communication system that would serve police, fire, rescue and other emergency services.
It's called "interoperability," and the idea has been kicking around since the early 1980s when the National Association of Police Chiefs recommended it.
"After 9/11, it became apparent that cities have a hard time communicating with one another during emergencies," Mayor Dean DiPiero said. "We need to make our radio systems able to talk to one another. It just makes sense."
It would cost Parma about $1 million to buy the new radios and set up the backbone of the system, on which other communities could then build. City Council is expected to vote on the system by mid-March.
Under the current system, a department or agency is assigned dedicated radio frequencies, but they cannot use others' frequencies for day-to-day operations. In some cases, agencies may allow another to use their assigned radio channel, but this usually is for temporary emergency communications. There also is a subset of radio channels that can be shared and used by multiple agencies such as the statewide intercity police channels.
In Northeast Ohio, police and fire departments use a diverse set of frequency bands and incompatible systems, according to a 2005 Ohio Department of Public Safety review. Nearly a third of Ohio counties, 28 out of 88, do not have a common frequency band among all law enforcement and safety agencies, the report said.
"You can roam all over the country with your cell phone," said police Sgt. Robert Gerbic. "You should at least be able to do that with emergency radios."
Parma would operate under a set of national interoperability guidelines for police and emergency services, Gerbic said.
There have been times, Gerbic said, when he could see a policeman from a neighboring community standing 30 yards away, but reaching him over the radio was cumbersome and time-consuming.
"I have to call my dispatcher, who calls his dispatcher, and relays the messages back and forth," he said. "What we propose is setting up a way where I can contact him directly."
Gerbic said it would cost $120 million for every police, fire and EMS department in the state to install the system, including new radios and towers.
He looks with envy at the state of Florida.
"Florida is way ahead of us," Gerbic said. "A policeman in Key West can talk directly to his counterpart in Gainesville. Think of the advantages in the event of high-speed chase through different communities or a large-scale disaster."
Gary Holland, director of the Department of Justice Affairs, which oversees county emergency management, said Parma is heading down the right path.
"The technology that Parma is adopting will enhance communication between local, state and federal jurisdictions," he said. "We're all swimming in the same direction."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
msangiacomo@plaind.com, 216-999-4890
