Gila Bend FD

[KB7MIB]

Is Gila Bend FD still using their 155.0550-153.9650 repeater? Their WQEC941 license expired in 2015, per the RRDB. I haven't checked the ULS to see if they're licensed for anything else.

John
Peoria

 

[Ravenfalls]

Possible for admin?
With their own TG on RWC & 1st Net PTT. They have better options than VHF. The VHF for Buckeye & Gila Been were removed many years ago from the fire lineup. When the VHF channels were standardized to simplex as to what shows today.

 

[KB7MIB]

Gila Bend FD has a TG on the RWC? It's not listed in the RRDB.
Or do they use the PFDRDC K9 TG?
Do they use the PFDRDC A9 or A13 VHF-High channel for fire & hazmat incidents?

John
Peoria

 

[Ravenfalls]

Enc E Decks

 

[KB7MIB]

Why are they encrypting their calls? With very few specific exceptions (VIP visits, SWAT standby), I don't understand an FD using encryption.

John
Peoria

 

[Ravenfalls]

E Decks have a choice by Dept

Look @ Blythe, Yuma & Yuma County
LA Paz County.

Along with many other FD across country.

As local and distant departments visit eachother this part of discussions as to what each does & why. Both FD & PD.

Alot of agencies are streamed which doesn't help!

Rumor, that Riverside County Fire department is moving fully to their local county system. Their CMD is already on state & county ENC. VHF is now a backup.

All I heard, was country fire dispatch planned to move to a system long long ago. Now I'm hearing a full move & all TG will be ENC. A FD near Hemet already moved, not sure if they fully ENC or not?

Definitely nothing new for FD.

 

[KB7MIB]

Yea it sucks that DPS and ADOT, AZDFFM, AZG&F, and federal wildland fire and maybe federal conservation law enforcement (BLM, USFWS) are about the only public safety monitorable in La Paz and Yuma counties.

Fire/Rescue/EMS should not be encrypted outside of a very few selective occasions.

John
Peoria

 

[n0doz]

Why are they encrypting their calls? With very few specific exceptions (VIP visits, SWAT standby), I don't understand an FD using encryption.

John
Peoria

I believe it's because they don't want HIPAA-protected stuff out in the clear.

 

[KB7MIB]

Although there is a specific exemption in the HIPPA rules for radio communications, that's what cell phones are for, or the encrypted medic-to-hospital TG's.
But you don't give names out, or other personally identifiable information, in the first place. Even on the old UHF EMSCOMM channels. Go watch episodes of, "Emergency!". It was always gender, age, and medical complaint, followed by vitals, even in the late 60's and early 70's, when paramedic programs first started.

John
Peoria

 

[KB7MIB]

It appears that Gila Bend FD got relicensed in 2016 per the ULS. They're on 153.9950-158.8800 now. WQEI870.

If/when it can be confirmed, a submission can be made to update the database.

John
Peoria

 

[avdrummerboy]

Although there is a specific exemption in the HIPPA rules for radio communications, that's what cell phones are for, or the encrypted medic-to-hospital TG's.
But you don't give names out, or other personally identifiable information, in the first place. Even on the old UHF EMSCOMM channels. Go watch episodes of, "Emergency!". It was always gender, age, and medical complaint, followed by vitals, even in the late 60's and early 70's, when paramedic programs first started.

John
Peoria

The rule is more about who is involved. For example, as an EMT I can listen into the hospital channel and hear other units call in. Even if that channel is encrypted- which nationwide we are seeing a lot of in EMS- if someone puts out HIPPA protected information on that cannel and I listen, that in itself is a violation as I am not directly involved in that patients care. So encrypted or not, Protected Health Information protected by HIPPA cannot be given out over radio channels.

Law enforcement gets away with what they give over the air because it is considered sensitive but unclassified type information; meaning that anyone who has a right to know- even if they have no need to know- can listen in to it. The public has always been a strange variable in their mix as it pertains to what information was put out over the air.