Hotlines

[iowa9015]

Modern consoles don't behave like that, the tones can be simultaneously sent over multiple resources (by one person), and those resources can be multi-selected by the dispatcher and he or she can transmit the message over all of them at the same time. Derby and Ansonia are a perfect example, with the amount of mutual aid they do together, it doesn't make sense to dispatch one, and then the other to the same incident when one person could do both at the same time.
It also doesn't make sense that whenever there is a fire in the valley, every single responding department stays on their own channel and establishes their own incident command no matter where the fire is or who the actual incident commander is. "Unified command?" whats that?

Then hit the patch so everyone could hear each other. Of course this was on an old Centrcom console. We tended to get creative. We used to do it between Derby and Ansonia Fire for calls at Griffin Hospital since it was a dual response.

Patching them together for a BOX or multi-department response would be very interesting

 

[nhfdcadet]

Patching them together for a BOX or multi-department response would be very interesting

OR imagine this, what if every single fire department wasn't on their own channel and they shared a simulcast radio system that covered multiple towns, then you have a couple of break-out channels for larger incidents. What a novel concept that is...

 

[N1SQB]

Modern consoles don't behave like that, the tones can be simultaneously sent over multiple resources (by one person), and those resources can be multi-selected by the dispatcher and he or she can transmit the message over all of them at the same time. Derby and Ansonia are a perfect example, with the amount of mutual aid they do together, it doesn't make sense to dispatch one, and then the other to the same incident when one person could do both at the same time.
It also doesn't make sense that whenever there is a fire in the valley, every single responding department stays on their own channel and establishes their own incident command no matter where the fire is or who the actual incident commander is. "Unified command?" whats that?

That’s true. If we have a fire in Derby, they get toned out directly, then if they call for MA, then Ansonia gets toned out separately. Now, on our west side ( Ansonia ) we no longer have apparatus to respond. So Derby rigs get dispatched automatically to the same call, but separately on their channel AFTER Ansonia is dispatched. It’s strange.

Manny

 

[nhfdcadet]

That’s true. If we have a fire in Derby, they get toned out directly, then if they call for MA, then Ansonia gets toned out separately. Now, on our west side ( Ansonia ) we no longer have apparatus to respond. So Derby rigs get dispatched automatically to the same call, but separately on their channel AFTER Ansonia is dispatched. It’s strange.

Manny

Doesn't happen that way all the time though 😉

 

[N1SQB]

Doesn't happen that way all the time though 😉

True. There’s certainly a better way to do things. Valley is funky that way.

Ansonia FD is looking to go P25 at some point soon. That’s just gonna add a monkey wrench to everything.

 

[izzyj4]

That’s true. If we have a fire in Derby, they get toned out directly, then if they call for MA, then Ansonia gets toned out separately. Now, on our west side ( Ansonia ) we no longer have apparatus to respond. So Derby rigs get dispatched automatically to the same call, but separately on their channel AFTER Ansonia is dispatched. It’s strange.

Manny

Ansonia was always a single tone out for all the stations, the engines were just assigned to certain alarms. The apparatus not being stationed on the west side right now is not the reason for mutual aid. Its for manpower and additional apparatus on a working fire or large scale incident. A lot of the volunteer departments, and also for some career small departments (ask me about where I work and the fire I commanded), are having issues with having enough personnel on scene to effectively operate at an incident. The Ansonia firehouses on Main Street and Platt Street are still closer to the west side than the single firehouse on Oliva Street in Derby.

Rule of Thumb: Always dispatch the city's / town's department fire department to the incident in their town first.

As for apparatus reduction, department consolidation, NFPA standards, etc, that is a topic for another thread and day.

And our radio system upgrade isn't going to put a damper on things. We're finally catching up to the rest of the area departments with new equipment. Rumor has it we will be UHF with the current VHF dispatch and a certain state system tied into it. I'll know more once the work starts. The area departments already have newer radios that can handle P25, we were still operating with raduio equipment that is 20 -25 years old.

 

[N1SQB]

Ansonia was always a single tone out for all the stations, the engines were just assigned to certain alarms. The apparatus not being stationed on the west side right now is not the reason for mutual aid. Its for manpower and additional apparatus on a working fire or large scale incident. A lot of the volunteer departments, and also for some career small departments (ask me about where I work and the fire I commanded), are having issues with having enough personnel on scene to effectively operate at an incident. The Ansonia firehouses on Main Street and Platt Street are still closer to the west side than the single firehouse on Oliva Street in Derby.

Rule of Thumb: Always dispatch the city's / town's department fire department to the incident in their town first.

As for apparatus reduction, department consolidation, NFPA standards, etc, that is a topic for another thread and day.

And our radio system upgrade isn't going to put a damper on things. We're finally catching up to the rest of the area departments with new equipment. Rumor has it we will be UHF with the current VHF dispatch and a certain state system tied into it. I'll know more once the work starts. The area departments already have newer radios that can handle P25, we were still operating with raduio equipment that is 20 -25 years old.

I am well aware of all that you mentioned. I was just commenting on the dispatch side of the conversation. The rest of the stuff that you mentioned, I was already aware of. This whole valley needs a serious communications upgrade. As I remember, Engine 1 had a CDM mobile in use along with HT750 portables. Outdated equipment by today's standards. The lack of manpower thing is a subject all on it's own for another time.

Manny

Manny

 

[nhfdcadet]

I am well aware of all that you mentioned. I was just commenting on the dispatch side of the conversation. The rest of the stuff that you mentioned, I was already aware of. This whole valley needs a serious communications upgrade. As I remember, Engine 1 had a CDM mobile in use along with HT750 portables. Outdated equipment by today's standards. The lack of manpower thing is a subject all on it's own for another time.

Manny

Manny

Switching to digital shouldn't affect dispatch at all realistically, if anything it would improve reception hopefully.
It would have been even wiser to get together with Derby and Seymour and just done a shared system between all three towns, there really isn't any reason for each one to be on their own separate channel.

 

[Bearded_Schnauzer]

Switching to digital shouldn't affect dispatch at all realistically, if anything it would improve reception hopefully.
It would have been even wiser to get together with Derby and Seymour and just done a shared system between all three towns, there really isn't any reason for each one to be on their own separate channel.

Or just go on CLMRN

 

[nhfdcadet]

Or just go on CLMRN

Agreed, that's even easier!

 

[digitalBill]

now if only someone could identify and deal with the guy who keeps belching on FAPERN

 

[N1SQB]

Or just go on CLMRN

Agreed. With the coverage the CLMRN can provide, communication and interop between towns would be excellent. Why they don’t go that route in the valley is beyond me.

 

[izzyj4]

Agreed. With the coverage the CLMRN can provide, communication and interop between towns would be excellent. Why they don’t go that route in the valley is beyond me.

I think its the cost, getting all the services in each town on the same page and also the fact a lot of members are allowed to have their own portable radios as long as they meet the standards (department, FCC, ect.). Not sure how that is going to be once Ansonia goes over to our new system. I have had conversations where it has been mentioned we will have a tie into the CLMRN system and have talkgroups tied to our channels. Again this is all unconfirmed.

Also we can communicated between each town. Chiefs have dual band portables and mobiles, trucks have UHF & VHF-high. Derby, Shelton, Orange, ARMS and the new AFD systems will be on UHF. Seymour, Bethany, Beacon Falls, Oxford & Naugatuck FD in the north are remaining on VHF-High for the foreseeable future. I'm assuming there will be tie ins to the state's system eventually as well.

I know the chief has the state issued CLMRN interops potable in his vehicle as well.

I am well aware of all that you mentioned. I was just commenting on the dispatch side of the conversation. The rest of the stuff that you mentioned, I was already aware of. This whole valley needs a serious communications upgrade. As I remember, Engine 1 had a CDM mobile in use along with HT750 portables. Outdated equipment by today's standards. The lack of manpower thing is a subject all on it's own for another time.

Manny

Manny

We have the CMD 1250 mobiles (VHF-High & UHF) and HT1250s for portables and yes very outdated for today's standards. But when we got them 20+ years ago they were state-of-the-art. We have been at trying to update the radio system for over 5 years and its always came down to one issue, money of course!. Its definitely a long time coming as you know first hand being a member before. Hard to get parts for them and its time to update.

 

[izzyj4]

ANYWAY, back to the Hotline question. I haven't been around much to listen into it, but is the WARN hotline on 460.3000 DPL 203.5 still pretty active in the Waterbury area?

 

[nhfdcadet]

ANYWAY, back to the Hotline question. I haven't been around much to listen into it, but is the WARN hotline on 460.3000 DPL 203.5 still pretty active in the Waterbury area?

I don't think I have ever heard any traffic on it

 

[MarkB513]

On the rearrest occasion I hear it used, but it's been a while. Seems like it tends to serve as a backup to the towns regular systems, rather than a TAC or hotline. I remember when Wolcott was converting to Digital, they were operating their daily operations on the WARN in the process.

 

[seagravebuff60]

now if only someone could identify and deal with the guy who keeps belching on FAPERN

What's the fun in that?

 

[CentracomGold]

Our consoles have "patch"(es) to North West Pub Safety, & SW C-Med.... We also have a "Patch" to New Haven PD "CS-2" (Nobody ever answers this since its inception) as well as to Branford PD which is covered by another Troop. We have the R1 hotline (for Shelton), the R2 hotline & the R3 hotline (The Southington portion of 691) as well as my neighboring Troops main channels in addition to some SW, ERV, MTA & R2 TG's

 

[nhfdcadet]

Our consoles have "patch"(es) to North West Pub Safety, & SW C-Med.... We also have a "Patch" to New Haven PD "CS-2" (Nobody ever answers this since its inception) as well as to Branford PD which is covered by another Troop. We have the R1 hotline (for Shelton), the R2 hotline & the R3 hotline (The Southington portion of 691) as well as my neighboring Troops main channels in addition to some SW, ERV, MTA & R2 TG's

NW has a similar setup, with resources for L, A, I, SW, LCD, just to name a few.
LCD has similar with resources from their area.
It's great what a connection into the state core can offer as far as interoperability goes.

 

[licpl8man]

now if only someone could identify and deal with the guy who keeps belching on FAPERN

You mean “The Phantom”? lol that’s what my buddy who dispatches for Fairfield and Westport calls him. They haven’t been able to track whoever’s been doing that