Fairfax County Zone 49-Hospital Comms

[N4VKF]

I finally got around to getting the Zone 49 talkgroups into my Unication Pager. Listening to see if there is increased traffic due to COVID-19. I have noticed however the only user recently observed are Loudoun County units conversing with Reston ER on 49E. Anyone have any input as to other traffic you observe on these zone 49 talkgroups? Are these also simulcast or patched from VHF or other trunk systems?

 

[BoxAlarm187]

Most EMS agencies across the US are seeing their run volume decrease dramatically...25%-40% less than usual in some cases. FDNY and other select cities, of course, are the exceptions.

 

[Mr_Boh]

I finally got around to getting the Zone 49 talkgroups into my Unication Pager. Listening to see if there is increased traffic due to COVID-19. I have noticed however the only user recently observed are Loudoun County units conversing with Reston ER on 49E. Anyone have any input as to other traffic you observe on these zone 49 talkgroups? Are these also simulcast or patched from VHF or other trunk systems?

It's hospital consult channels. Most of the NCR has them in a similar zone. The county where they hospital is located it hosts it on their trunked system. The reason you hear Loudoun on there is what they see as "69"-something in their radio is a talkgroup on the Fairfax system for the hospital (like how Fairfax has talkgroups on the Montgomery system that are in "4" series zones in the radio). It's been a while, but I believe the 49 zone (and Loudoun's 69 for that matter) has the regional hospital coordination channels.

 

[N4VKF]

Ok yeah the RHCC channels are activated separatly when they declare an MCI or oher hospital emergency. I am guessing that the zone 49 and 69 channels are pretty much the same but I don't usally ever hear fairfax units use them. I guess more medics like using a cellphone. My own county has started to use their channels more but those are connected with HEAR 155.340

 

[BoxAlarm187]

We've been using cell phones for hospital contacts down here in the Richmond area for 15+ years. Are we unique in that aspect?

 

[Randy_Vick]

We've been using cell phones for hospital contacts down here in the Richmond area for 15+ years. Are we unique in that aspect?

The Regional Healthcare Coordinating Center (RHCC) communications concept is outside of individual agency - hospital communication, particularly as in patient care reports. Its intent is founded in interhospital communication during "disaster" events.

 

[BoxAlarm187]

The Regional Healthcare Coordinating Center (RHCC) communications concept is outside of individual agency - hospital communication, particularly as in patient care reports. Its intent is founded in interhospital communication during "disaster" events.

Oh, absolutely, I've been there when the RRHCC has made their inter-facility radio checks, etc. I was under the impression that the OP was talking about agency-to-ER patient reports on the locality's trunked radio system, not the use of the RHCC channels.

 

[Randy_Vick]

Oh, absolutely, I've been there when the RRHCC has made their inter-facility radio checks, etc. I was under the impression that the OP was talking about agency-to-ER patient reports on the locality's trunked radio system, not the use of the RHCC channels.

I suspect the OP was talking about that, but the thread evolved in other comments. Not every healthcare region's radio communication plan is the same. I believe the NoVA region uses the region's trunked radio system(s). Other regions have their own radio systems with varying degrees of complexity and/or intraoperability.

 

[BoxAlarm187]

Other regions have their own radio systems with varying degrees of complexity and/or intraoperability.

Understood. I suppose my comment was more of a "conversation starter" - the more I talk to folks from across the Commonwealth, it seems like our abundant use of cell phone patient reports here IS somewhat unique compared to other areas.

 

[Randy_Vick]

Understood. I suppose my comment was more of a "conversation starter" - the more I talk to folks from across the Commonwealth, it seems like our abundant use of cell phone patient reports here IS somewhat unique compared to other areas.

I believe the municipality's trunked system is most common in Tidewater, with "outlying" agencies still using HEAR.

 

[LeSueurC]

I believe the municipality's trunked system is most common in Tidewater, with "outlying" agencies still using HEAR.

I know for a fact most agencies around Norfolk have Sentara Norfolk General TG on the Norfolk P25 system, I’ve heard Suffolk, NNFD, HFR hell even Dare MedFlight come up on the TG

 

[N4VKF]

Sounds like more hospital transport activity in this zone. 49B- Fairfax ER is active tonight.

 

[N4VKF]

1199

4af

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FCFD 49G

49G Inova Emergency Room - Fairfax City

Hospital

Tonight Fairfax Medic 410 called Alexandria hospital on this talkgroup. I believe they may have been on the wrong talkgroup. I never hear anyone calling the freestanding er in fairfax.

 

[N4VKF]

So there is a zone 49-2 with other hospital talkgroups. More sleuthing is needed.

 

[N4VKF]

Finally heard communications with Fair Oaks yesterday. I was begining to think they were closed. As far as 49-2 zone the talkgroups would be on the jurisdictions the hospital is located in.

 

[N4VKF]

I've noticed that users on a system will sometimes have different IDs show up on a different system with shared code plugs. My examples are the medevac in Prince William county yesterday and a Fairfax Medic giving a hospital report to Alexandria Hospital tonight. When Aircare 1 responded their radio showed a Fairfax System ID. After they were lifting off they keyed up like they were giving an incident report with a completely different radio id. A Radio ID that I did not recognize. When Fairfax Medic 410B arrived on the scene in Alexandria for a medical emergency they had a Fairfax System ID. When they were giving a hospital report they had an Alexandria System radio id. I guess the radio in the patient treatment area was supplied by Alexandria and not Fairfax. I thought code plugs were shared. Fairfax Medic 410B should have access to 2 November.