Cross County looking to upgrade to AWIN

[bubbaearle]

City seeking grant to replace storm sirens, upgrade emergency communications | Wynne Progress

WYNNE — The City of Wynne will seek grant funding from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to replace all storm sirens in the city. “They’ve really kind of become outdated. We’ve had some problems since I’ve been office that we’ve had addressed and had repairs done on that system. But...

thewynneprogress.com

They already have TGID 20001 for SO / OEM.

My guess is they will use that for county-wide law - SO / Wynne PD / Cherry Valley PD and add talk groups for Wynne FD and a specific group for OEM. It's also possible they'll add an EMS TGID since Southern Ambulance & Crittenden EMS already have AWIN radios to communicate with TraumaCom.

The existing SO DMR may stay around for talk around, license expires 2031.

I hope that when new TGID's are assigned they keep it in series with the existing 20001 they already have as opposed to new TGID's winding up in the 53xxx randomness seen lately with new TGID's.

 

[Redleg13B]

City seeking grant to replace storm sirens, upgrade emergency communications | Wynne Progress

WYNNE — The City of Wynne will seek grant funding from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to replace all storm sirens in the city. “They’ve really kind of become outdated. We’ve had some problems since I’ve been office that we’ve had addressed and had repairs done on that system. But...

thewynneprogress.com

They already have TGID 20001 for SO / OEM.

My guess is they will use that for county-wide law - SO / Wynne PD / Cherry Valley PD and add talk groups for Wynne FD and a specific group for OEM. It's also possible they'll add an EMS TGID since Southern Ambulance & Crittenden EMS already have AWIN radios to communicate with TraumaCom.

The existing SO DMR may stay around for talk around, license expires 2031.

I hope that when new TGID's are assigned they keep it in series with the existing 20001 they already have as opposed to new TGID's winding up in the 53xxx randomness seen lately with new TGID's.

Same sad issue many of these smaller agencies are having - money. AWIN is a superior system in every respect but finding the money to outfit everyone with the necessary hardware at the local level has been an issue statewide. Look at how long it took West Memphis to migrate away from their DMR system to AWIN. They just completed the transition in March. If it hadn't been for DeWayne Rose (West Memphis OEM Director) going to the City Council with a well-prepared presentation and securing the money for it, they'd probably still be using that old system.

I've never heard anything on Cross County's OEM TG at all. I feel like they probably only have one or two radios so they can talk on MAC TGs when they need to. The current DMR system is being used for every law enforcement agency in the county.

Wynne FD is plagued with communuications issues because they're using an old analog VHF repeater system. I thought that maybe they'd at least give them the unused second slot on the county DMR system, but I guress they don't even have the money to swap their radios over to digital. They provide mutual aid to Parkin and cannot talk to dispatch once they get that far out.

Southern and CEMS are using LTE-based communication for dispatch in Cross County.

 

[bubbaearle]

I've heard them on AWIN occasionally in the past. Less so now they have DMR.

I think the tornado in 23 is the driving factor to upgrade countywide. I heard the Wynne mayor on the radio the other morning and she sounded as if they'd upgrade one way or another. I think their repeater on Baptist Youth Camp Rd got zapped by lightning so that cost to repair may be another push to get the QC to drum up funding. Better to buy into proven state operated infrastructure than maintaining your own on the county's dime.

I think the current sheriff is more apt to push for funding than the last one in office....never really impressed with him. West has all the deputies running radar and they are more visible on patrol than in the past.

They'll have good coverage with Fair Oaks, Shell Lake towers on either side of the county.

I can't see Parking buying in and fully outfitting their equipment. Cherry Valley is more likely to get onboard tho.

 

[Redleg13B]

I live south of Wynne and watched that tornado move into town from my yard. I agree that it is probably the driving factor behind the push to upgrade. Mayor Hobbs got a lot of flak in the wake of that tornado. I personally don't feel like most of it was warranted. To me, it seemed more of a case of people who don't understand how things work looking for someone to be mad at. I'm glad that she's acknowledged the deficiencies with the current system and stated a plan to address them. I also agree with your assessment that Sheriff West is more likely than not to join the push to upgrade.

I'm on the south edge of the county and can easily hear the AWIN sites in Fair Oaks, Shell Lake, and Forrest City (Site No. 8) with a discone. That Forrest City site is LOUD at my house.

Parkin's city government has so many ongoing internal issues, I doubt they're even thinking about public safety radios.

 

[bubbaearle]

I grew up in Parking, hurts my soul to drive thru there everyday & see how it's wasted away since I graduated highschool in 89. I live in White Co. now but still work in Memphis.

I watched the tornado in 06 from the intersection of Hwy 1 & Fitzgerald Crossing Rd....headed south just in time right before it ripped thru there. Amazing to see such destructive power so close. I lived off Martin Dr near the nursing home at that time....the doll houses on Sequoia.

My neighbors across from me filmed the video. I had heard on the scanner that the path was gunna bring it between the old IGA and the hospital. I decided to bug out to the south, no point waiting on it to tear up my house & vehicle. I sat on the road right behind the tracks that goes back behind the trailer park. When the tornado made it to the cell tower I jumped back on Hwy 1 and went south towards Colt. Almost across its path, almost blew my van over. I outran it but coming back into town was completely surreal. Phone poles cut off waist high, shattered, what was left of houses strewn across the fields.

 

[Redleg13B]

Parkin is looking pretty rough, I agree. So is Earle but that new mayor of theirs is trying to turn it around. I live down Fitzgerald Crossing, toward 284. I also work in Memphis and drive past your old street on my way home every day (I prefer to take 64B, cross over on Killough, come down Martin to Falls, and head south - I don't like the interstate, so I take 64).

That poor guy that has the big shop in his back yard on the southeast corner of Fitzgerald Crossing and Highway 1 has rebuilt that thing three times now because tornadoes keep coming through there and destroying it.

They must be paying you good to drive from White County to Memphis!

 

[bubbaearle]

Parkin is looking pretty rough, I agree. So is Earle but that new mayor of theirs is trying to turn it around. I live down Fitzgerald Crossing, toward 284. I also work in Memphis and drive past your old street on my way home every day (I prefer to take 64B, cross over on Killough, come down Martin to Falls, and head south - I don't like the interstate, so I take 64).

That poor guy that has the big shop in his back yard on the southeast corner of Fitzgerald Crossing and Highway 1 has rebuilt that thing three times now because tornadoes keep coming through there and destroying it.

They must be paying you good to drive from White County to Memphis!

I've been making that drive for 8 years, since July 2017.

I've been working on President's Island 30 years.... 8 more to go before I can retire...maybe.
Good pay & benefits...enough to support a scanner habit & pay the bills.

Watch that speed coming thru Parkin!! LOL

My old van I used to have many moons ago

 

[bubbaearle]

Update to the previous article....

Cross County seeking grant to expand emergency communications with AWIN radios | Wynne Progress

WYNNE — The Cross County Quorum Court previously approved the purchase of AWIN radios to improve emergency communications countywide. Cross County Judge Lynn Blake said that has now been delayed while the county pursues grant funding for that purchase. Justices approved a resolution during their...

thewynneprogress.com

Looks as if this may help every municipality to fully participate as long as they pony up their 20% match.