Niagara County TRS

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ak716

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So, I started to update the Wiki page with the UID's off the radios I've been able to identify (im only putting up stuff from the fire side), feel free to add any if any of you have them. I opened up the endless project of trying to compile the list, who knows, maybe someone already did it or has more to add.

Secondly, I started noticing some additional TG's which have not been submitted. Not sure if they are super/sub patch TG's, I didn't catch them, but DSD is showing any hits on them, just added, and recently too (TG 217, 226, 318, and a slew of them in the 600's

Third, I noticed that as displayed in the DB, the Law Enforcement TG's are defiantly not what the dispatchers and officers refer to them (ie - NCSO Dispatch is LE Primary, NCSO Secondary Dispatch is LE Secondary, NCSO Data is LE Data, NCSO Ops 1 is LE Ops 1, NCSO Ops 2 is LE Ops 2), so, speak now or forever hold your peace before I submit the edit/change. Not to be nit picky, but it is what the officers and dispatchers are calling them, and probably officially titled as so probably should have them labeled that way....
 

APX_Radio

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318 is not a valid TG on the system. You are also correct in your last paragraph about the naming conventions.
 

ZapBugs

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Niagara County is replacing all FD portable radios. So those radio IDs will be changing.
They are collecting the current radios because "if they break, they cannot be fixed" (stupid excuse - they are all still usable)
Planned for now, but delayed.
 

APX_Radio

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Niagara County is replacing all FD portable radios. So those radio IDs will be changing.
They are collecting the current radios because "if they break, they cannot be fixed" (stupid excuse - they are all still usable)
Planned for now, but delayed.

how is it a stupid excuse? Agencies aren’t being forced to buy new radios out of their budget. The county was able to fund these with a grant. The radios that may still work are end of life and out of support. They are long overdue for a replacement.
 

ZapBugs

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Why is it stupid? You mean the excuse that they cannot leave them in service because they cannot be repaired ???
There are not enough radios to go around presently.
Why throw out the old ones? Why not use them? If they break, and they cannot be repaired, only then would they throw them out.
But for now, they are functional and highly useful as is.
 

APX_Radio

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Why is it stupid? You mean the excuse that they cannot leave them in service because they cannot be repaired ???
There are not enough radios to go around presently.
Why throw out the old ones? Why not use them? If they break, and they cannot be repaired, only then would they throw them out.
But for now, they are functional and highly useful as is.
There aren’t enough radios to go around? Do you have inside knowledge or something?

Last I heard, the new radios were replacing the old and the counts were based on riding positions. Not sure which department you’re with but the cabs of your trucks have more than one seat and pack I am sure. I’m also sure your Chief would appreciate you complaining about new free (to your agency) radios.

“Highly functional”? The fire radio fleet is mostly 10+ (Some even close to 20) years old and was tuned once in 2014 when the radios were flashed for trunking prior to the TRS switch. They haven’t been touched since. You can’t tell me these radios are as reliable as they were out of the box 10+ years ago.

What is your agency going to do when one of these old radios break and it can’t be repaired? Run with one less guy on the truck? You cannot depend on these older radios.
 

APX_Radio

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It appears radio distribution and collection has begun. Seeing some new IDs on the system already.
 

ZapBugs

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Here are some simple approx numbers to illustrate the issue...
Two fire trucks respond to a fire. There are 12 "old" radios that have been taken away and 12 "new" radios are there for use. But there are 20 volunteers at the call. Therefor 8 people do not have a radio.
That's unsafe.

However... If the county left the old radios there, those 8 people could have the pick of the 12 old ones. Now everybody is safe.

In the future, if one of those old 12 radios break, then you can throw it out. At that future date, those 8 people have their pick from 11 radios.
Still safe.

Let's say half of the old radios break, then those 8 firefighters would still have 6 radios to use. Still much safer.

By collecting the old radios, you immediately 100% guarantee that there are not enough radios to go around.

I'd rather put a radio in every firefighter's hands. The new stuff can be used for internal crews where you might want the best reliability. The old stuff is used for less critical stuff.
 

APX_Radio

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Here are some simple approx numbers to illustrate the issue...
Two fire trucks respond to a fire. There are 12 "old" radios that have been taken away and 12 "new" radios are there for use. But there are 20 volunteers at the call. Therefor 8 people do not have a radio.
That's unsafe.

However... If the county left the old radios there, those 8 people could have the pick of the 12 old ones. Now everybody is safe.

In the future, if one of those old 12 radios break, then you can throw it out. At that future date, those 8 people have their pick from 11 radios.
Still safe.

Let's say half of the old radios break, then those 8 firefighters would still have 6 radios to use. Still much safer.

By collecting the old radios, you immediately 100% guarantee that there are not enough radios to go around.

I'd rather put a radio in every firefighter's hands. The new stuff can be used for internal crews where you might want the best reliability. The old stuff is used for less critical stuff.
If I recall, the radios were distributed under the guidelines of the grant. There is one radio per air pack plus a portable for the driver. If you’re performing interior operations, you should have a pack and a new radio readily available to use.

Most trucks aren’t leaving full anyways so the extra guys at the scene should have a pack and radio to use as well. The topic of more empty seats than volunteers will be saved for another time...

Agencies who had more than their allotted radio count got to keep their old radios for their officers, fire police, spare chief’s portables, etc. The county did not do an “operation repo” on all of the old radios. There are plenty of radios to go around, old and new. If your agency needs more, tell me here or PM me your agency name and I’ll pass the word on to the proper folks.
 

ZapBugs

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We were told a flat NO. Have to turn every one in.
If things are happening to other agencies that are different, then that is a whole new topic.

There are many instances where exterior, fire police, etc are operating by the shout as loud ad possible method.

Do you have the new talk group ID information?
 

ZapBugs

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i think LFD tac is 113 not positive tho
City of Lockport Fire TAC is 113
City of North Tonawanda Fire TAC is 114
There is a tiny bit of activity on 112, 115, 116, 119. Probably testing. Might become active in the future
 

ak716

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Anyone else notice that just about every night, County Law 4 is a patch of Niagara Falls PD Dispatch? Is that there to stay? It seems like an every night thing since the summer time. Anyone have insight on that? I've only seen one subscriber actually affiliate to that TG so far since that began too.
 

ECFD

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Anyone else notice that just about every night, County Law 4 is a patch of Niagara Falls PD Dispatch? Is that there to stay? It seems like an every night thing since the summer time. Anyone have insight on that? I've only seen one subscriber actually affiliate to that TG so far since that began too.

It seems to be patched 24/7. Not sure if it's there to stay, but I certainly hope so. I've been told by a few FFs in NC that NFFD has a patch as well but that it's only ever used during gorge rescues.
 
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