Wade Hampton FD is not part of the Greer Fire Comm group, at least not on the channels listed. And it makes sense if you think about it.
They are still very much on VHF and seldom venture beyond Lee Road on the Wade Hampton Boulevard. And I had a Taylors FD truck drive by me toward downtown Greer (does Greer have a downtown?) on Poinsett Avenue at Andy's Custard Ice Cream tonight. That's very much in Greer's city limits.
I hear Taylors vehicles in the 80s (engine, rescue, brush) on Greer FD on 44385. Boiling Springs vehicles are in the 10s, and Greer is in the 40s and 50s. For instance, Engine 83 is a Taylors vehicle and Battalion 11 is the Boiling Springs armada. Tyger River (as in the Lyman area in Spartanburg County) is Engine 51. Some of this could be off slightly, but there is calling scheme to separate to avoid confusion. I've not heard Pelham-Batesville FD so far, although they may be on the Spartanburg Simulcast which I have not been following.
It was mentioned here earlier that this group is using low power for tactical. Dispatchers are reeling off as many as a dozen different vehicles from multiple fire departments for coverage around Greenville-Spartanburg Airport. It has to be nightmare to juggle all of that on their end, not to mention fire crews hanging around waiting to see if their number is called out. How in the world is that being managed on location? And on low power that dispatchers can't hear? And whose in charge of this circus on the ground?
It's clear that what has been created by the Greer fire group is a partnership designed to increase capability to protect heavy commercial development (think BMW and its suppliers) along I-85 from Pelham Road out past BMW into the Tyger River FD area. Boiling Springs would handle the south end of I-85 to Pelham Road, with Greer FD filling in the center. Taylors FD fills in the gaps of the commercial development along the boulevard, which also is growing dramatically.
And don't forget Taylors is continuing to back up Piedmont Park FD, a VHF only department in the Pebble Creek area which they divide. Taylors is no longer heard on the older VHF channels and I have no idea how they are communicating back and forth with VHF dispatch unless the new P25 radios have VHF capability. But I don't hear any communication on known frequencies.
Much to be learned about all of this, with even more change coming. At some point someone has to be asking why we don't consolidate all of this and save the taxpayers a few dollars. And clear up the lines of authority and communication. I am sure the chiefs are saying all is working Jim Dandy -- as long as they keep their jobs.
