More followup to Lawrence Mass gas explosions

[zerg901]

Communications hampered during Merrimack Valley gas line disaster, report says

during gas line disaster - radios programmed wrongly - etc

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September 2018 Merrimack Valley Natural Gas Explosion AAR.pdf | Mass.gov

after action report - maybe mema wrote this - comms problems briefly mentioned

 

[zerg901]

possible solutions

move all 'dispatcher to dispatcher' channels to State TRS - that could easily free up all BAPERN, MetroFire, county mutual aid channels, etc for use as tactical and command channels

move all "IC to dispatcher' channels to satellite phones or cellphones

program all federal and local interops channels into all radios - and use as simplex tac channels - this could be another cheap solution to freeing up channels for onscene tactical use

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note - this thread has been here at Radio Ref since Dec 5 2019 without any comments - NTSB Report on Lawrence Gas Explosions - major radio issues

 

[Firefox10]

WOW, and who's paying for that?

The problem simple. RADIOS WERE PROGRAMMED WRONG! As in funeral for DPW worker in Lawrence, everyone was on N/W Bapern. Well, no one could talk with one another. Programmed wrong!...... As well as territorial disputes. Methuen on P25, other depts on analog, and yes NO ONE could take to Lawrence cause they are encrypted, through their radio guy on ALL Bapern channels.

Gas problem same thing. NO ONE at console in Lawrence could figure out how to go to N/W Bapern for hours.

State should take it over. NOT TRS, but all the programming and have certified dispatchers.

 

[potala1369]

WOW, and who's paying for that?

The problem simple. RADIOS WERE PROGRAMMED WRONG! As in funeral for DPW worker in Lawrence, everyone was on N/W Bapern. Well, no one could talk with one another. Programmed wrong!...... As well as territorial disputes. Methuen on P25, other depts on analog, and yes NO ONE could take to Lawrence cause they are encrypted, through their radio guy on ALL Bapern channels.

Gas problem same thing. NO ONE at console in Lawrence could figure out how to go to N/W Bapern for hours.

State should take it over. NOT TRS, but all the programming and have certified dispatchers.

The new radio system that Lawrence went on a week before Christmas in 2018 is not what was advertised in the bid documents. The proposed system was supposed to be a trunked 800 meg system but instead all the LPD got was another channel in the 460 meg range. Both channels went encrypted. The drug channel, located in the 450 meg range was already encrypted. The city saved about $150K on the budget. The change in the bid documents were never 'officially' approved. Some city officials said "Just do it!" and it was done. I have a very good idea as to who ordered the change and I know why the change was ordered. Some city officials were getting mad that a local newspaper was beating the PD to 'crime scenes'.

 

[zerg901]

Wrong programming is just the tip of the iceberg.

Putting 1 800T portable or control station at each dispatch point would be an insignificant cost. Many of the radios may already be sitting in unused caches.

 

[Firefox10]

(sarcastic) You should apply for the radio communication manager for LPD/LFD. Dont forget ALL Lawrence communications MUST be encrypted!

 

[zerg901]

If you look thru some of the NTSB reports, you will see that negative comments about local public safety services are rare. Even though the NTSB does write up a paragraph or two about local emergency response in each report, it is usually very bland. To see the NTSB cite 9/11 when mentioning the Lawrence radio problems seems to be quite unusual.

Perhaps there are lessons to be learned here.
1. Testing is needed on a regular basis.
2. Real world scenarios have to be contemplated.
3. Adequate staffing is needed in the communications systems planning departments.
4. The public needs to pay attention to public safety issues.
yadda yadda yadda