orange "man-down" emergency buttons

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CVPI4Ever

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My friend works for a security company that has Motorola radios (he couldnt give me the model off hand). They have these orange "man-down" emergency buttons that would send a signal to their dispatcher. They security chief said it is inactve as a company quoted them over $1000 to make them active. Is this true? What is involved in the process to make them active?
 

troymail

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I don't know about the costs involved but my local system has these buttons active and the are hit by accident all of the time...

I cannot recall ever hearing the button being used/hit intentionally.
 

pinellasfirefighter

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we use them in our county they are called SEMS CODE H goes straight to the dispatcher and shows what radio and unit is sending it. they are hit more on accident then used but they have been used here by our fire dept.. due to such things as a fireifghter in distress in a fire , fights when on scene ect..
 

traumacop

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I believe they work on a conventional analog ht-1250 using mdc1200. Just a little change in the programming.
 
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Rayjk110

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It DOES NOT cost $1000 to activate the buttons. Whoever told them that is out to scam someone.

It takes about 1 mimute per/radio with computer software to set it up.
 

DELCOLHFC

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Little buttons and thick gloves.......

We also have them on our Fire Dept radios (MT2000), I have never heard one used as intended (a good thing I guess) but frequently they do get activated by accident as others have posted. I do think that it would be just about impossible to push that little orange button in while wearing structural firefighting gloves, are there other such means of sending a distress call (non voice) available on other radio makes or models?
 

firescannerbob

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My XTS-3000 has a pretty big emegency button (much larger than on earlier radios). It can easily be pressed with structural gloves.
 

WayneH

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Rayjk110 said:
It DOES NOT cost $1000 to activate the buttons. Whoever told them that is out to scam someone.

It takes about 1 mimute per/radio with computer software to set it up.
To reprogram, of course not. But for the dispatcher to have a setup to receive the MDC and be able to display the ID. The price quote, no doubt, is for a full MDC dispatch setup.

-Wayne
 

iamhere300

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As posted, perhaps the control or base station does not have MDC Decode, or Emergency
decode display. 1k for a control station could be, along with reprogramming the existing radios.

Kind of hard to tell without knowing what the 1k is for, but it is real easy to jump to conclusions!
 

CVPI4Ever

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Rayjk110 said:
It DOES NOT cost $1000 to activate the buttons. Whoever told them that is out to scam someone.

It takes about 1 mimute per/radio with computer software to set it up.
Perhaps you can elaborate? What software or is it a special software?
 

RolnCode3

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I've heard one used once for its intended purpose. A foot pursuit was in progress, and another unit (on the same channel) had a vehicle pursuit start while the air was cleared. So, he pressed his emergency button, and after the first incident was stabilized, the air remained clear for the pursuit.

Seems the rest of the time, were accidentals. Ours are switched off...apparently we're not cool enough to have them. Can't afford the equipment to make them work (dispatch side) anyways.

Wouldn't it just be an RSS option? I can see the dispatch side equipment being the expenditure...but I'm not an expert like some previous posters.
 

Mstrfxit12

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CVPI4Ever said:
Perhaps you can elaborate? What software or is it a special software?

Yes it requires the programming software for the radio. That button can also be used for other uses. On my MT2000 I use mine for nuisance delete. I also concur with the opinions above that the cost to turn on the emergncy button would only be the labor cost of programming, if the radio has the feature in it, but that the command console would either need a decode module or an after market RF connected display... Chris
 

landonjensen

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i have heard that once the button has been pressed by the officer, it repeats the officers call number or sign and then it says ie. "104 Needs Help" over and over?
is this true?
 

Thayne

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On trunked systems, usually The ESN or LID # is sent; I program my conventional radios to use it for talk around, but you could use it for almost any programmable function.
 

SCPD

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Have them here in Phoenix, its hit at least 1 time a day (by accident). It automatically sends a signal to all dispatchers in the department by transmitting a very loud tone. Like others, I dont think I've ever heard an officer hit it intentionally.

-Dylan
 

jhooten

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Just to pick nits, the orange button is not a man down button. It is a manually activated emergency alarm button, if programmed for that function. In the pre-TRS days our HT1000 radios were programmed forthe orange button to revert to the designated emergency channel, send an MDC ID, and PTT/open mic for 15 seconds.

The man down function is a tilt switch in the radio which will activate the emergency function if the radio is about 60 degrees off verticle for more than a time set in the programming. It is intended to protect the operator if he/she/it is unable to push the button. They can be a bigger false alarm generator than the orange button.

The price quoted seems about right to provide and install an MDC decoder in the dispatch console that doesn't have that function.
 

Thayne

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I think it's good to pick nits;)

You did add more correct info

I hear it about once every 2 weeks when a guy pushes the button intentionally, and they saved a fireman here in Denver a few months back because his radio triggered an alarm when he passed out and didn't move.

Cops sometimes use it when a bunch of drunks or any other "mob" suddenly becomes dangerous and they are outnumbered--it always brings a pedal to the metal response from anybody who hears it. The only problem is that sometimes the Dispatchers don't know exactly where they are.
 
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