Columbus, OH - New School Radio Will Help Reach First Responders Fast

[Thunderbolt]

COLUMBUS, Ohio — It's being called the fire alarm for police. The Multi-Agency Radio Communication System or MARCS is used by law enforcement throughout the state.

New School Radio Will Help Reach First Responders Fast - WCMH: News, Weather, and Sports for Columbus, Ohio

 

[fdscan]

Interesting system!

Does it send the emergency notification out right on the local PD channel or do they have a dedicated channel?

 

[4006]

So they programmed a MARCS radio with the emergency button active and put it in the principal's office? Great. Now every time 10 year old Johnny is "uncontrollable" or is "sexually harassing" Sally by looking at her, a school staffer will simply be able to hit the orange button to summon help.

I see this ending badly.

 

[szron]

I can see this being abused especially considering how school administrators are but I think it's a good idea overall and it has potential.

 

[ElroyJetson]

I have some experience with schools that have ALL been issued a portable radio for direct communications to the county public safety system.

NOBODY knows how to use the radios. It's a miracle if any administrator knows how to turn it on.
If they do know how to turn it on, they don't know what channel to be on. If they got this far,
the radio either has a dead battery due to it running down and not being recharged, or, worse,
the radio never leaves the charger and the battery has a memory measured in seconds.
And, sometimes, the battery is so old that it has leaked and corroded the battery contacts on both
the battery and the radio, too, requiring that the radio be repaired.

I have little confidence in the capacity of "typical" school staff to use such a radio properly in the event of an emergency. I swear, half of them think it's a CB radio. No, I'm not kidding.

Ladies and gentlemen, the education of your children is in the hands of people who can't run a portable radio in an emergency. Do consider private schooling.

 

[wbowery]

According to the news report, "more than 1,100 districts have jumped on board." This is surprising, since there are only 612 school districts in Ohio. The Ohio School Facilities Commission, which was created to oversee funding of new school building projects, must be doling them out to private "districts" as well. Of course, it could be that the news report was in error.

To address a few of Elroy's concerns, school superintendents in Putnam County are using their MARCS radios to discuss school delays and closings, since many share transportation for special needs kids. Our local school administrators will know how to use the MARCS radios.

During our active shooter training last year, the staff used MARCS radios for various scenarios. These were supplied by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. While our teaching staff will not be getting MARCS radios, they will get radios of some sort - probably FRS/GMRS. Using the MARCS radios during training will be helpful for the staff in the future - especially those with no radio background.

 

[SCPD]

Actually several NM schools started this and I see more following it. It has become a success and drills and excessive training have shown it is good and no problems. Too many negative comments on principal turning around hitting a em or txing over a kid acting up. There is special training and exercises the staff and persons must go through to make this happen much the articles are leaving out for obvious reasons. Overall good idea.

 

[SCPD]

One must remember this a tool that weighs allot responsibility and the principals are well aware of the serious aspects of proper battery charging and use of the radios. There is training to explain and require accountability.