PRC firefighters want modern radio system

PRC firefighters want modern radio system - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

Pearl River County VFD wanting on the MSWIN system.

Looks like MSWIN would be a good option for them. A good example of the cost benefits for just having to buy everyone new MSWIN radios in lieu of having to buy new radios AND stand up all new repeaters too.

Not to mention PRC LEA is already on the MSWIN. With the MOU's in place, all they have to do is get the funding (grants etc...) and get the radios, train on them, and go to work.

We have been trying to get on the MSWIN system here in the Simpson County Fire Services for some time---the problem is is that the LEO's and agencies apply for grants or find the funding for it they fail to mention or include the volunteer fire depts..We must be able to communicate with other agencies especially those within our own county for goodness sakes; sometimes seconds and minutes DO matter but for some reason the powers to be fail to remember this. If the Fd's aren't included then just what the heck is interoperability?

Be Safe

Be

Pearl River SO was one of the original "test dummy" agencies, along with Wiggins and George County. (though Lucedale apparently chose to discontinue using it.)
Then came Perry County's VHF interconnect...etc...

MississippiPI said:

We have been trying to get on the MSWIN system here in the Simpson County Fire Services for some time---the problem is is that the LEO's and agencies apply for grants or find the funding for it they fail to mention or include the volunteer fire depts..We must be able to communicate with other agencies especially those within our own county for goodness sakes; sometimes seconds and minutes DO matter but for some reason the powers to be fail to remember this. If the Fd's aren't included then just what the heck is interoperability?

Be Safe

Be

Click to expand...

Simpson SO and a couple of the LEA's went MSWIN due to the tornadoes and lightning damage to one of the LTR TRS's sites. The situation helped sweeten the pot for advancement of the MSWIN in the second region of the build out. Fire was not much on the LTR, and still is on VHF conventional as far as I know. Only 2 of the over 6 FD's ever made the move onto the LTR. Now if my data is right, Simpson SO, and two of three PD's are using the LTR, and SO is only one on the MSWIN. One of the PD's dropped off the LTR and now has its own DMR conventional system. Some of it is politics no doubt.

Simpson County has always had ...interesting political views... that keep things ...interesting... shall we say. Interop in that county will happen when everyone gets on the same page in the same book in the same century. It would probably save them money in the long run to get everyone on the MSWIN, and drop the LTR system, as well as the now very old VHF conventional repeaters (with the exception of one or two FD's that have newer systems.)

I have heard a number of people being concerned about the future of MSWIN and the free ride that users enjoy right now might be in question for the future. The political stability at the state level for funding of MSWIN might show it's ugly head in the near future. If the state doesn't get the funding to continue at the level it has with the MSWIN system, the only other alternative is to start charging each user a fee to use the MSWIN system.

If I was an agency that was looking to jump on the MSWIN band wagon for a new radio system in the future, you might want to do some serious homework to see what the future might bring. Until the state legislation provides the MSWIN funding for the next year or two, I would walk cautiously.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket until the future is known to be solidly supported.

Another fun fact... Elections this year... So we will all be watching developments closely.

Any agency going to a regional (or in particular statewide) system needs to make the assumption that they will see user fees (generally from $15-30/month) per radio. In some cases it will never happen but in many is will and failure to consider those potential costs could cripple some agencies. That doesn't make these systems bad options, just something to consider when weighing costs to build/maintain one's own system vs joining a larger system.


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