Air ambulance switching to Blackberry

[Chrome69]

I just read from a Post on Emergency response from Mark that Air Ambulance is now dumping the radios for Blackberries? Anyone hear anything further to this?

 

[exkalibur]

I heard 799 on Medcom today, so they aren't gone yet.

I bet those BB's are going to work REAL great that high up in the air. I live some 20+ stories in a hi-rise and my old blackberry got terrible service, because it was always bouncing around between cells - it was forever dropping my calls and such. So if they do switch, I would expect they'll run into similar issues.

 

[SCPD]

I just read from a Post on Emergency response from Mark that Air Ambulance is now dumping the radios for Blackberries? Anyone hear anything further to this?

The Alberta Sheriff's use Blackberries with sucess including the air support teams, it's cost more than tradtiional FM radio.

 

[Chrome69]

Maybe its the guys playing with us listeners, getting our goats...

 

[jellotor]

Or it could be that Ornge is going to do a test project with Blackberries at the same time as using radio.

 

[EJB]

I cant see them swiching to Blackberry's (how are they gonna fly the planes without their thumbs ).

Even though the amount of radio transmissions has decreased (i.e. sat phones to talk to hospitals now) you cant see them going all blackberry, i.e. remember cell coverage during the blackout?
Only 4 years ago?
Is cell coverage fool proof?

 

[mikewazowski]

I just read Mark's post over on the wxscan list and it says nothing about dumping radios for Blackberries.

It appears the Blackberries will be used for dispatch and onscene reports. Nothing about them using them in the air.

 

[Chrome69]

Yes Mike i miss read, i wonder what their going to do when their emails get delayed via server issues? I have had that happen to me a few times where emails maybe delayed up to 10 minutes? Black berry would be a good idea for a back up in case their in a bad area for radio use.

 

[nova1010]

I just read Mark's post over on the wxscan list and it says nothing about dumping radios for Blackberries.

It appears the Blackberries will be used for dispatch and onscene reports. Nothing about them using them in the air.

Heres a link for anyone wanting to read it who has access to the group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Emergency_Response_Net/message/1889 and for anyone that doesnt have access heres what was said.

Air ambulance is now on blackberry for dispatch, on scene and updates.

All you'll hear on 413.6875 is "wheels up for the scene call in lindsay" or
"wheels up for the scene call" and dispatch will say "the details are in you're
rim".

They still contact the local cacc in the area on 150.100 though for local
updates when they get close to the scene.


Two birds were up today and they were chatting about how well the blackberrys
work and how " I guess we put the news reporters out of business...or at least
they won't be going to our calls anymore".

 

[Forts]

Somehow I think if a chopper is required at a scene, might *might* just hear about it thru other channels

 

[nec208]

Even though the amount of radio transmissions has decreased (i.e. sat phones to talk to hospitals now) you cant see them going all blackberry, i.e. remember cell coverage during the blackout?

I still hear hospital patch calls in Peel So they are NOT all gone to cell phone in peel for the hospital patch .

But how does the hospitals radios link up with the disptach radios or cell phones? Like how can you patch a radio and cell phone?

The medics will have to have a cellphone and so is the disptach .I guess the hospitals can hear calls disptach if they switch to that talkgroup.Like CVH hearing calls in Peel North.

 

[mikewazowski]

I still hear hospital patch calls in Peel So they are NOT all gone to cell phone in peel for the hospital patch .

You need to read the thread in it's entirety before replying.

We are talking about the Air Ambulance not Land Ambulances.

 

[nec208]

It was EJB that believes Land Ambulances are using Sat Phones .


And it is Chrome69 that believes Air Ambulance will use Blackberries and not the radio.

 

[mikewazowski]

No, EJB never said that land ambulances are using satphones.

Chrome69 did think that the Air Ambulance was abandoning radios for Blackberries but as we've already determined (many posts before your last one), that's not true.

 

[Chrome69]

actually i have not heard much on the 413 band, have they used it lately? Anyone hear them...

 

[exkalibur]

I heard them just today saying they were 5 minutes out from Sick Kids.

 

[Chrome69]

funny i was just reading it and i heard them talk about Orangeville..

 

[yorkphotog]

As others have said..

If it requires the chopper, granted you'll hear about it elsewhere.

 

[Chrome69]

As others have said..

If it requires the chopper, granted you'll hear about it elsewhere.

What?

 

[yorkphotog]

Well, if there's say, a bad accident that requires the air ambulance, granted you'll hear about that incident from fire, police, EMS, etc. Just saying that if the air ambulance does use BlackBerry's, we'll still know where they're headed.