Back in October, I sent an e-mail to Richmond Fire/EMS asking about radio coordination for the National Folk Festival. I finally got a response today from Capt. Jeff Currie. Here's what he wrote (two e-mails):
Mr. Schoenberger,
Sorry for the delay, but I was just forwarded this e-mail for a response. We had an excellent radio communication set up for the festival. The communication center was operated by our Police Department with a Fire Department representative in the Comm. Center. The radios were provided by the Fire Department from our cache of extra radios. The Police and Fire department operate on the 800 radio system and radios were provided to Festival officials and our EMS authority. All radio communications between Fire, Police, EMS and Festival officials was instantaneous (lost/separated children, EMS needs, etc...). Our Fire department is an EMS non-transport agency. EMS for the festival was provided by Fire personnel (walking and stationery teams and bike teams) and Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) with a bike team and posted ambulances for transport, if needed. Thank you for your interest.
Captain Jeff Currie
ESU Division
Richmond Fire and Emergency Services
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Mr. Schoenberger,
We used our City wide talk-around channel to communicate with all the agencies working the Festival. One channel was sufficient to handle all emergency traffic. I think the Festival officials used secondary radios for housekeeping issues, not related to our operation. We do us a regional trunking 800 radio system. The City of Richmond, Chesterfield County, Henrico County and Hanover County use the same system.
Captain Currie
ESU Division
Richmond Fire and Emergency Services
So, I'm wondering about this "Citywide talkaround" channel. There's nothing listed in the database for it. Anyone know what it is?
Thanks,
Dave
Mr. Schoenberger,
Sorry for the delay, but I was just forwarded this e-mail for a response. We had an excellent radio communication set up for the festival. The communication center was operated by our Police Department with a Fire Department representative in the Comm. Center. The radios were provided by the Fire Department from our cache of extra radios. The Police and Fire department operate on the 800 radio system and radios were provided to Festival officials and our EMS authority. All radio communications between Fire, Police, EMS and Festival officials was instantaneous (lost/separated children, EMS needs, etc...). Our Fire department is an EMS non-transport agency. EMS for the festival was provided by Fire personnel (walking and stationery teams and bike teams) and Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) with a bike team and posted ambulances for transport, if needed. Thank you for your interest.
Captain Jeff Currie
ESU Division
Richmond Fire and Emergency Services
---------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Schoenberger,
We used our City wide talk-around channel to communicate with all the agencies working the Festival. One channel was sufficient to handle all emergency traffic. I think the Festival officials used secondary radios for housekeeping issues, not related to our operation. We do us a regional trunking 800 radio system. The City of Richmond, Chesterfield County, Henrico County and Hanover County use the same system.
Captain Currie
ESU Division
Richmond Fire and Emergency Services
So, I'm wondering about this "Citywide talkaround" channel. There's nothing listed in the database for it. Anyone know what it is?
Thanks,
Dave