Receive emergency call

[BabaDude77]

Just came across a first for me. While listening to the CT CLMRN state P2 system CSP Troop F dispatch a red banner came across the top of the screen and it said receive emergency call, the unit seemed to stay locked on that TG for a peroid of time then reset its self to normal TG scan. Was this a man down activation if so dispatch didn’t question it ? Is this a feature of this pager( I have only had the pager for about a month) and it’s never happened before? Just wondering TIA

 

[RaleighGuy]

I have seen it but very rarely, and if I remember correctly the dispatcher did check status of the radio user.

 

[BabaDude77]

Gotcha thanks for the response, its pretty cool to see that as a feature

 

[Reconrider]

Gotcha thanks for the response, its pretty cool to see that as a feature

Is this something that you enabled, or was it done by default?

 

[APX8000]

Its an emergency call feature from a button press. Same thing that appears across a subscriber like my APXs.

 

[BabaDude77]

Nothing I enabled in the PPS I’m assuming the pager gets the info from the CC across the network and just put it out if you have the talkgroup enabled

 

[Reconrider]

Its an emergency call feature from a button press. Same thing that appears across a subscriber like my APXs.

Nothing I enabled in the PPS I’m assuming the pager gets the info from the CC across the network and just put it out if you have the talkgroup enabled

I'm new to the G5 pager.
Which option do I have to enable for it to do that?

 

[LilTeddyP]

I'm new to the G5 pager.
Which option do I have to enable for it to do that?

If the radio user (LEO/EMS/FD) presses the man down (emergency) button, it sends that alert. The radio needs to be reset (turned off and back on) to reset the message. Nothing you do. The buttons get bumped frequently. I’ve heard of some pager locking up after an alert, in which case you just turn your pager off and back on.

 

[APX8000]

Its not a feature in PPS. Its a system feature that Unication built into their decoding parameters.

 

[west-pac]

Its not a feature in PPS. Its a system feature that Unication built into their decoding parameters.

That's an odd feature for a pager. For those who actually use it as a pager, they're not going to be looking at their screen, plus what is the purpose of the notification?... you can't call that officer from a pager; and if you have a radio to call them on, then your radio would've received the alert as well.

I've seen Emergency notifications from the statewide P25 system on Unitrunker; and my personal DMR radio will alert when the local county DMR system get an alert from one of their radios.

I just don't understand the purpose of getting that alert on a pager.

 

[chrismol1]

Just a situational alert to all those monitoring. I think its a good thing. Someone somewhere pressed the emergency button and anyone involved can be alerted. A check of the radio ID number can alert those involved to the identity of the person with the radio requesting the emergency, whether EMS or FD in trouble somewhere, whether on scene or whatever it gets the ball rolling. Those on scene can intervene faster than a dispatcher trying to contact the radio or advise command staff to check who initiated it, especially on an active scene or what have you. With the few seconds of EM activation and hot mic monitoring the background everyone monitoring can get an idea of what the problem is

 

[Giddyuptd]

The EM button is depressed for a set duration programmed by the system admin ymmv on timer to reset the signal so the console clears. Just pulling battery will get on a dispatchers bad side having to clear it themself on console.

If the radio user (LEO/EMS/FD) presses the man down (emergency) button, it sends that alert. The radio needs to be reset (turned off and back on) to reset the message. Nothing you do. The buttons get bumped frequently. I’ve heard of some pager locking up after an alert, in which case you just turn your pager off and back on.

 

[ten13]

A check of the radio ID number can alert those involved to the identity of the person with the radio requesting the emergency, whether EMS or FD in trouble somewhere,

That's the problem with those "man down" buttons: you can press it until the cows come home, but no one knows where you are.

I think that was another "bill of goods" sold by the radio manufacturers. It may have been a decent idea for, say, a security guard operation where the officer is more or less in one place, but if you're traveling around like a cop, and then have to deal with someone, the last thing you want to do is start reaching around trying to find a little red button to push, a button which you may not have had any reason to use since Day-1, only to find out the Dispatcher is calling you on the radio to find out where you are anyway.

And if you're in that bad of shape and can't transmit on the radio, chances are you're not in such good shape to start looking for the little red button, either.

Most of the time when it's reported that a "man down" button has been activated, the reply from the unit is, "Disregard...accidental."

 

[krokus]

When the emergency mode is triggered, on Motorola P25 systems, the selected TG gets locked to the repeater pair. That repeater is not returned to the available pool until the mode is cleared. Plus that user gets a one time preempt over other traffic, on their first transmission.

As these pagers are intended for professional use, knowing that a unit is having an emergency could be critical information. Since most activations are accidental, there could be a desensitization to the alerts.

 

[LilTeddyP]

The EM button is depressed for a set duration programmed by the system admin ymmv on timer to reset the signal so the console clears. Just pulling battery will get on a dispatchers bad side having to clear it themself on console.

My local dispatchers tell the unit to reset their radio when they do it. Super right on ymmv. Just all depends on how your center operates.

 

[jeepsandradios]

That's the problem with those "man down" buttons: you can press it until the cows come home, but no one knows where you are.

I think that was another "bill of goods" sold by the radio manufacturers. It may have been a decent idea for, say, a security guard operation where the officer is more or less in one place, but if you're traveling around like a cop, and then have to deal with someone, the last thing you want to do is start reaching around trying to find a little red button to push, a button which you may not have had any reason to use since Day-1, only to find out the Dispatcher is calling you on the radio to find out where you are anyway.

And if you're in that bad of shape and can't transmit on the radio, chances are you're not in such good shape to start looking for the little red button, either.

Most of the time when it's reported that a "man down" button has been activated, the reply from the unit is, "Disregard...accidental."

Well all depends on how the button and system is setup. On the TLMR system that has AVL the dispatcher gets coordinates when an emergency is hit. If I am looking at our map for SAR it will show the location of the radio on the map. Again all depends on the system and use case. As a past Fire Chief and SAR coordinator I definitely think the EMERG message on the pager to be a good thing. I may not have a radio turned on but if one of my members has an emergency I would want to know.

Also if it does NOT send GPS coordinates and the unit (Fire EMS LAW) is on the scene of an incident they know where that unit is. If we are working a structure fire and a guy hits his emergency button we know he is on site and a good IC will know roughly where that unit is. EMS and Law may be simpler.

Just another view. Not saying Emergency buttons dont get hit on accident as it does but if its needed thats why its there.

 

[mdsxfire]

deleted

 

[mdsxfire]

That's the problem with those "man down" buttons: you can press it until the cows come home, but no one knows where you are.

I think that was another "bill of goods" sold by the radio manufacturers. It may have been a decent idea for, say, a security guard operation where the officer is more or less in one place, but if you're traveling around like a cop, and then have to deal with someone, the last thing you want to do is start reaching around trying to find a little red button to push, a button which you may not have had any reason to use since Day-1, only to find out the Dispatcher is calling you on the radio to find out where you are anyway.

And if you're in that bad of shape and can't transmit on the radio, chances are you're not in such good shape to start looking for the little red button, either.

Most of the time when it's reported that a "man down" button has been activated, the reply from the unit is, "Disregard...accidental."

for most law enforcement a location has been called out whether they are making a motor vehicle stop, checking on something suspicious, talking to a citizen etc if the button is pushed the dispatcher will usually asked something about the units status update, fire personnel are usually in the general area of a call and if a specific radio hits the button command or the OIC of that specific unit should have a general idea of where to start looking

 

[BabaDude77]

On another note it happened again today and must have been reset right away because the pager did not lock onto the talkgroup as long. But it was still the same talkgroup from the other day.