Today I was stuck in traffic behind a Memphis Fire Dept car that had a strange antenna on it. Besides the silver coiled antenna mounted on the trunk, it had a black, thick antenna mounted on the roof behind the red lights. It was about 2 to 2 1/4 feet long with a silver base. I looked for any unusual markings on the car like Battalion Chief, etc., but saw nothing that would distinguish it from other MFD cars. Anybody have any ideas what it could be for. Possibly a laptop?
Memphis Fire Dept. car antenna
- Thread starter tncpa
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Only the units (ambulances) have laptops for MDT/AVLs. Was it possibly an older model XM antenna? I'm not sure what it may be be for. The standard issue for cars are one mobile radio, that's all. So, it may be something he (or she) had installed. I'll check around.
Memphis Fire Dept. car
It appeared to me that it was drill mounted--not magnetic mounted. That would make me think that whatever radio it supported was permanently installed in the car. Just curious because I had never seen it before and wondered what is was for. Thanks for the reply.
It appeared to me that it was drill mounted--not magnetic mounted. That would make me think that whatever radio it supported was permanently installed in the car. Just curious because I had never seen it before and wondered what is was for. Thanks for the reply.
It just hit me. The Division Chief at the Airport (Radio #108) has a second radio in his car for air traffic control so he can talk to the tower or whoever else he needs to talk to on air frequencies. It's mounted on the roof just behind his light bar. That's probably who you saw.
memphislawenforcer
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Didn't they have several first responder type EMTs or paramedics that used to ride around in a red car? Did they do away with them? Did they have mobile data terminals? I really don't know I just remember sometihing about them trying it to cut down in unit runs.
We do have three EMS Supervisor positions. They ride around in red cars, but they don't have MDTs. They are kind of in charge of paperwork, etc. Soon to be officer level. (Lieutenants, Batallion Chiefs, etc.)
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