We in public safety..... particullarily where I work ---> are suffering from budget cuts - equipment shortages, manpower shortages - communications problems. I understand.
Organizational leaders want to save a dime here and a penny here, but expect miracles when a disaster or emergency happens, and criticize Public Safety members if something "Did not go right", a person was hurt or killed, or property was lost. The lay person gets thier education in Public Safety from watching the old TV series "Chips", "Police Story", "Emergency" or a past show..... "Third Watch".
We in Public Safety are not a television series. The lives and the dangers are real. The risk of Haz-Mat exposure, being overcome by noxious fumes and gasses, being ran over while working the highway emergency, inside a fire with limited visability due to thick smoke and poisionous fumes, walking the woods at night on the search and rescue, suffering from an explosion. The dangers we face are notr only real...but more numerous than I just mentioned. Hindered radio / two way communication does not help solve our problems.....it adds to our communications problem significantly...sometimes five and ten fold.
I would believe that the Fire Department would know best where the radio tower should go. If you can't communicate, more than likely it would be hard to manuver inside the "Fire Ground". The people whom use the radio system, and know its faults and weaknesses, I would believe would know where to put the radio tower.
As I have stated before, I know what some departments are going through that are "Highlighted" on this website.
My agency suffers with lacking equipment, decreased budget / finances, old vehicles ( a 1970's fire engine as a rescue truck ) and low manpower ( we lost 4 members permanently.....about 6 years ago - and we would have trouble dealing with a really good fire / serious emergency / Mass Casuality Incident - and we currently do not have enough personnel "On Shift" for the "Two In - Two Out rule." )
Radio communciations is very important, and vital to completing the "Mission(s)" in Public Safety as quickly and as organized possible.....without injuring Public Safety members.....or others. Radio communications is essentially......the difference between life and death in some instances.
An agency needs to have a primary radio system and a backup radio system and repeater...including antennas, in case the primary radio repeater(s) is damaged from one of the following = Weather problems - mechanical problems - electrical problems...ect .
While I am mentioning this. People whom abuse Public Safety radio communications, by unlawfully - maliciously - attempting to cause a panic and or disruption.....by using their radio frequency, or by making.....or causing to be made... a false "9-1-1" or emergency telephone ( and cell phone ) call.....should have to suffer the penalitys.
They should be incarcerated, and make financial restitution + perform 250 hours of community service. I recommend this punishment for EACH count, individual event / incident / fake - false call / fabricated call ( arson - fake injury )
Fake EMS and Fire Calls Community Service :
For those that like to falsely report, by being malicious and trying to disrupt an organization / community and like to report false EMS calls, or cause them to be made :
EMS = 80 hours of EMS "Familiarization" in Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support Medicine ( Ex = Peds - Geriatriacs - Medical
Emergencys - Trauma Emergencys - Cardiac - Pharmacology - A&P ) This includes successful completion of practical.....hands on, as
well as written tests ; just like us whom intially went through had to do.
40 Hours of supervised work in a hospital Emergency Room, dealing with emergency patients. This 40 hours is 40 hours of actual
patient work, not 40 hours of just sitting in an "E.R".
60 Hours of riding on an Emergency ( "9-1-1" ) Ambulance during emergencys and working supervised with
patients with in legal limits.
40 Hours of Station Work ( Cleaning - Painting - Building repair - Washing the Ambulance )
30 Hours of assisting with public education and community outreach.
For those that like to fake or report false "Fire" calls, or cause false fire calls to be made :
Fire = 80 hours of familirization of the Fire Service ( Ex = Fire Fighting - First Responder - Haz Mat -
Car accidents - Search and Rescue - Confined Space ops - Ropes ) With successful completion of written and practical..... hands on
testing...just like us whom went through initially had to do.
60 Hours of riding a Fire Engine, or Rescue truck on real emergencys, and working under supervision within legal
limits.
50 Hours of "In Station" Training ( Testing Fire Hose - Cleaning SCBA - Refilling SCBA -
Servicing Fire Equipment - Doing Fire system suppression checks and inspections locally )
30 hours of presenting Public Education / Fire Awareness / Fire Safety, and detailing the punishment and consequences for falsely
using "9-1-1". This is actually doing 30 hours of presentation - no travel to and from - and equipment setup / take down is counted
towards the time.
30 hours of Fire Station duty ( Cleaning the fire trucks - cleaning the station - moping - washing
walls - mowing the lawn - general repair of building and painting )
FF - Medic !!!