Parma Ohio FD

[Daleb49]

It looks like Parma FD will be moving off of their current system per the Parma Ohio Facebook page.

Parma Fire Department
22 hrs ·
Chief Mike Lasky is proud to announce that the City of Parma Fire Department has successfully applied for, and has subsequently been awarded, nearly two million dollars of federal grant funding. The funding is through the Assistance to Firefighters and SAFER grant programs administered through FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security.
These funds will allow the department to hire eight firefighters, provide for new firefighter protection and safety programs as well as the purchase of new, state of the art, radio equipment. The radio equipment application was completed as a cooperative partnership with the cities of Parma, Brooklyn Heights, Seven Hills and Broadview Heights.
Chief Lasky extends his personal appreciation to the department grant personnel team of Capt. David Higginbotham, Lieutenant Andrew Miller and Firefighter John Conroy as well Mayor Tim DeGeeter, the members of the Parma City Council and administrative staff as well as our National Congressional and Senate officials.
Bringing these funds back to the City of Parma is a testament to the leadership of Chief Lasky and the entire city administration and our collective goal to provide the best fire and prehospital service to our community.
Funding will provide a much needed boost to the safety initiatives through the community.

 

[budevans]

I wonder as to what kind of new radio equipment is being purchased? Are they upgrading or replacing P25, or are they getting First Net gear?

 

[Daleb49]

Good questions Bud.
Also whats the time line on this?
Time will tell.

 

[wa8pyr]

I wonder as to what kind of new radio equipment is being purchased? Are they upgrading or replacing P25, or are they getting First Net gear?

My guess would be new equipment to upgrade their use of the existing Parma system and improve interoperability. Parma owns their P25 system and you don't step away from a major investment like that, especially one with a likely lifespan of another 15-20 years.

Moving to FirstNet is highly unlikely; it's not ready for mission-critical voice, and doing so would complicate interoperability even more than it already is.

 

[DAMAGECONTROL142]

If anything they might go phase 2

 

[kf8yk]

News article says they are purchasing 128 'FirstNet compliant' radios

Parma Fire Department receives three grants

I suspect they are buying Harris XL-185P/M or XL-200P P25/LTE radios that would complement the previously purchased Harris BeOn & FirstNet ISSI gateway.

 

[Bill28227]

What is First-Net? Is it scannable? Is it in use anywhere now?

 

[riccom]

Parma's system, when i was staying in Cleveland, has alot of dead spots, and first net would not be a good option, i would hope the state system would be good or the Cleveland system (i am impressed how that system is good and clean it is).

 

[riccom]

What is First-Net? Is it scannable? Is it in use anywhere now?

no, it is based off cell phone service!

 

[kf8yk]

What is First-Net?

FirstNet

Is it scannable?

No

Is it in use anywhere now?

It's available everywhere AT&T Wireless is available. The phone & data service is used by many agencies, the mission critical push to talk voice service is still in development.

 

[Daleb49]

Per a Fireman in front of my house they are staying on the current system and are just getting new radios.

 

[PanJurekMrJerry]

My guess would be new equipment to upgrade their use of the existing Parma system and improve interoperability. Parma owns their P25 system and you don't step away from a major investment like that, especially one with a likely lifespan of another 15-20 years.

Moving to FirstNet is highly unlikely; it's not ready for mission-critical voice, and doing so would complicate interoperability even more than it already is.

What is First Net?

 

[budevans]

For those interested, the following are links to several articles regarding Parma's implementation of FirstNet.

Parma Fire Department connects to nationwide first responder communications platform

In the event of a wide-scale emergency, Parma first responders are one step closer to avoiding cellular outages, as well as being able to communicate with nationwide.

www.cleveland.com

https://www.harris.com/sites/default/files/l3harris-parma-firstnet-case-study.pdf

Episode 22: FirstNet ‘invaluable’ to Parma (Ohio) Fire Comms Coordinator | First Responder Network Authority

The Parma Fire Department in Ohio relies on FirstNet for interoperable communications and greater situational awareness through advanced tools, such as biometric monitors.

www.firstnet.gov

 

[DAMAGECONTROL142]

Sounds like they are adding to there original system as back up
And extend there capabilities .
T.J. Martin: I think the replacement – full replacement – of a land mobile radio will be very difficult. Parma owns its own system, so we have our own radio communications system, 800 megahertz system that’s ours, that we own. Obviously we’d like more capabilities with it. Which, as I’ve said before, that FirstNet will not only enhance the back-up, it’s going to provide a greater coverage area, in my estimation, to our LMRs.

 

[PanJurekMrJerry]

Does anybody have the frequencies for First Net?

 

[budevans]

Does anybody have the frequencies for First Net?

If you read the articles in my post above, you'll have your answer.

Or, you can go to this URL: FirstNet - For public safety, by public safety | FirstNet.com

 

[PanJurekMrJerry]

If you read the articles in my post above, you'll have your answer.

Or, you can go to this URL: FirstNet - For public safety, by public safety | FirstNet.com

So this is another cell phone network sort of like the ICOM Push To Talk network?

 

[wa8pyr]

So this is another cell phone network sort of like the ICOM Push To Talk network?

As is explained in the links given in other posts, FirstNet is a public safety-only system piggybacked on the AT&T cellular system; it cannot be monitored.

It uses a separate system core (controller) which hosts public safety only, and public safety has priority over all other users. If the network starts running low on capacity, "civilian" users will be cut off to preserve capacity for public safety.