NJICS Municipal Migration Discussion - Statewide

Analogrules

Active Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
1,948
Let's post all future Essex County discussions here from now on. Any other municipalities planning on switching over?
 

Markscan

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 9, 2004
Messages
679
Location
New Jersey
Verona is awaiting cost estimates to make the jump . Sometime in early 2016.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

ansky

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2005
Messages
1,255
Location
NJ
I would love for Verona to make the move. Their current TRS is terrible. I can barely pick it up from 2 miles away.

There was some talk last year about South Orange moving to NJICS, but I don't believe anything ever came of that.
 

jaymatt1978

Member
Joined
May 18, 2003
Messages
2,173
Location
Cape May,NJ
You should have let the moderators handle this, now there's an extremely high risk o[f cross posting
__________________
 

Analogrules

Active Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
1,948
Only to those who are too blind to see this thread. But, yes, moderators should have these sub-divided threads marked as Sticky's, so they stay toward the top. Organization is needed!! 3 sub-divided threads to organize thread discussions is no big deal.
 

ansky

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2005
Messages
1,255
Location
NJ
Verona is awaiting cost estimates to make the jump . Sometime in early 2016.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

If they don't even have cost estimates yet I doubt they will be making any moves in "early" 2016. They would then need to get the budget approved, purchase radios, and test the radios. By the time all that happens I would say summer at the earliest.
 

ansky

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2005
Messages
1,255
Location
NJ
I heard the top brass of South Orange PD testing a while back..they "hated" the way it sounded... they were very against any more to this system. (it sounded perfect to me) ...

I read that they did not want to give up their VHF frequencies. I'm not sure why they would have to give them up by switching to NJICS, but that is what the article implied. They sound fine on the current frequencies so I don't blame them for not wanting to switch. Verona on the other hand has a terrible TRS. From what I hear there are dead spots throughout town, and the system is so weak it can't be heard very far outside of town.
 

richee2000

Communications Professional
Joined
Sep 29, 2014
Messages
2,017
Location
Sea Bright NJ, Livingston NJ, Basking Ridge NJ
its not all about only better clarity..its about interoperability...and state wide coverage if needed. In NJ, there are too many "chiefs" of too many little towns that are unwilling to give up "power" to any county or state agency/system..for fear of giving up their crowned power.

look at most of the country...they have large county systems with professional dispatch centers... no, here its just about every town on its own. , with some exceptions
 

ansky

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2005
Messages
1,255
Location
NJ
Another point to make about Verona is they are currently on an EDACS system which we all know is EOL next year. That could be another factor in them moving to NJICS. West Orange and Essex County also have EDACS systems, so I wonder if they could follow.
 

Markscan

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 9, 2004
Messages
679
Location
New Jersey
Verona had multiple issues with its IT department. With the election of a new council this past May, things are dramatically different. They have outsourced most of their IT functions and the PD finally has equipment that actually works . We tested NJICS radios several months ago, and all public safety departments and the DPW are hoping to make the switch. Verona seems to be unique in that every volunteer firefighter and emt is issued their own personal radio. That seems to be the holdup. The cost is quite high to duplicate what we have now. Also up in the air is what to do with the present EDACS. There are other town services like schools and crossing guards. Hopefully we will get a decision soon.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ansky

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2005
Messages
1,255
Location
NJ
Verona had multiple issues with its IT department. With the election of a new council this past May, things are dramatically different. They have outsourced most of their IT functions and the PD finally has equipment that actually works . We tested NJICS radios several months ago, and all public safety departments and the DPW are hoping to make the switch. Verona seems to be unique in that every volunteer firefighter and emt is issued their own personal radio. That seems to be the holdup. The cost is quite high to duplicate what we have now. Also up in the air is what to do with the present EDACS. There are other town services like schools and crossing guards. Hopefully we will get a decision soon.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you know why they issue individual radios to each FD member. I have volunteered for 2 different departments and have never seen that. We always used pagers. What does Verona use the 33.78 low band tone outs for? And does a town as small as Verona really need 8 FD talkgroups?
 

W2SJW

Senior Member
Database Admin
Joined
Nov 22, 2001
Messages
3,264
Location
Northwest NJ
East Millstone FAS in Franklin Twp (Somerset County) issues an HT to every member. Sure, it's not that normal, but I guess when you've got grant money to spend!
 

Markscan

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 9, 2004
Messages
679
Location
New Jersey
I don't know what the justification was for everyone getting their own radio, that was done when they bought the system in the late 90's. Now that they make pagers that work on trunked systems, things may change. 33.780 is used because they have a handful of pagers they give to youth members until they get their own radio. I agree that 8 talkgroups is crazy. They only ever use dispatch 99% of the time. They are requesting 2 talkgroups on NJICS, if they switch. Time will tell.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Markscan

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 9, 2004
Messages
679
Location
New Jersey
Here's the latest update on Verona. The police have been approved for the full switchover. They are getting 2 talkgroups and as far as I know, they will be in the clear. Of course that is always subject to change.
The fire department and the rescue squad will also move . However the cost of equipping every member with a radio is far too high and also unnecessary. So the fire officers will all get their own radios and each apparatus will be equipped with 4 or 5 radios for use on the scene. The rescue squad will do basically the same , except each ambulance will get 1 portable.
Fire and rescue will all get pagers for all of their members, and we also have a text message system and now e-dispatchs up and running.
I have no idea what the plans are for the rest of the departments that are radio equipped.
I don't know yet what the plan is for the EDACS system. They may keep it running for the non public safety units.
This is all in the works, but who knows how long it will take. As I get more information, I'll let you know.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Top