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Lack of communication
So, we have twin engines. Until a few months ago, E2 was the reserve, did mutual aid transfers, assists with other dept.'s for brush incidents, etc. Recently we started rotating the two on a monthly basis as first out engine. Here's the issue, E2 has, I think, one portable radio in the cab for the officer. There is no base charger to hold radios for the 4 interior positions. I asked the chief about it, and he said they're working on getting radios for E2.
1)Is it just me, or is sending attack crews into a live structure with no means of communications really, really dangerous? (and dangerous in an obvious, preventable kind of way)
2)another FF and I had a debate, he believes there would be too much radio traffic and only 1 person per team should have a radio. I asked what if that member goes through the floor, now he's unconscious and you're seperated from him, and neither can call mayday.
Thoughts on both points. My two cents is every single interior guy needs a portable radio, and it's blantantly dangerous to not have portable radios on the truck.
1)Is it just me, or is sending attack crews into a live structure with no means of communications really, really dangerous? (and dangerous in an obvious, preventable kind of way)
2)another FF and I had a debate, he believes there would be too much radio traffic and only 1 person per team should have a radio. I asked what if that member goes through the floor, now he's unconscious and you're seperated from him, and neither can call mayday.
Thoughts on both points. My two cents is every single interior guy needs a portable radio, and it's blantantly dangerous to not have portable radios on the truck.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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Every interior crew has an officer as part of that crew. The officer is assigned a radio and SCBA interface. There is a spare radio in each apparatus charged and ready to go. All SCBA have amplifiers for voice amplification with other crew members. I guess if each member had a radio it would be good but we are not issuing a radio to each member. Officers only.
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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on
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On our primary engine we have enough radios for everyone on the crew plus everyone is issued a radio when they join the dept. and after they complete the required training to be able to respond on calls. On the rest of the trucks we don't have any portables. I agree that it would be a good idea for everyone on the inside to have a radio but you also have to look at your budget and how the powers-to-be think about the issue.
Stay safe!!!
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Permalink Reply by ashfire on
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Vol members in my company (Except the chiefs) had to buy their own portable radios to have a radio on the fireground. Other volunteer companies bought radios for their members. The career crew have to use radios that rotate around the shifts. All the radios are provided by the county. The thing is our county has been a hold out on buying the new radios to meet the FCC changes and work with the fire services and other services around us so we all can commuicate together.
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Permalink Reply by Andrew Dalgarno on
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I would prefer that all members have a radio. Definitely the officers.
I realize that budgets sometimes dictate that purchases need to be spread out. Our radio supply was dwindling due to malfunctioning radios, and we are trying to get new ones, but Municipal Council isn't going to blow the whole budget at once. "Buy X Number per year" is what we are told.
Andrew
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That's exactly what happens to us.
"Radio 701en-route to the station."
"701"
"Radio 719"
"719"
"719 en-route to (address) for a (type of call)
"719"
"Radio Engine 71 en-route"
"Engine 71"
"Radio 717 is arriving on scene"
"717?"
Our rule is only 2 pov's go en-route on the radio. Sometimes we get someone go "on-scene" that never even went en-route. And sometimes we get someone who went en-route and never told dispatch they were "on scene". It can be a huge pain in the a-- and it has been brought up many times to the members but alot of them use the excuse of "Well I didn't hear so and so on the radio, that's why I went en-route.
I guess it's a catch 22. Just try to stay safe bro!!!
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Permalink Reply by blair4630 on
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Again, I'm not talking about having radios for every member, I'm talking about having enough radios on the trucks so that we aren't going into a fire with absolutely no radio contact between the attack crew and the outside.
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I agree with you 100% on that. I do believe that everyone inside should have communications with the outside.
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Permalink Reply by Dustin J. Millis on
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First off, yeah; every FF on the fire scene should have a portable radio. No matter if your interior attack, RIT, doing truck company ops... It doesn't matter, you need to have a radio.
We do not keep portable radios on the trucks themselves. There is a shelf close to the gear racks that has every ff's radio mounted to it. When we get a call, you go in, gear up and grab your radio then get on the truck. It doesn't matter what type of call, everybody takes a radio.
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That's a good idea Dustin.
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Permalink Reply by Michael C. Harrison on
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Sounds like your Chief may have jumped the gun with rotating the engines until they were set up the same (or as close to the same as possible)
1) yes....not only dangerous...but idiotic. But you did say that E2 has a portable radio, so you will/can have communication of the officer stays with his crew (granted....more radios may be ideal, you might just have to work with what you have till you get things resolved)
2) too much radio traffic can be taken care of by officers holding members accountable for unnecessary radio traffic and discipline among members.
I work in a dept where every member has a portable radio, and I volunteer where each piece has a portable for the officer.....with group cohesion I do not see where it is "necessary" for everyone to have a radio, ideal maybe....necessary, no
But thats just my opinion
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I would have to agree with Michael on this one. Not really a necessity. But it is nice to have.
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Permalink Reply by Chief Dino on
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We have a similar situation where everybody goes in route to either the station or scene ( we allow pov on scene) Dispatch doesn't acknowledge until the first unit leaves the station or the first officer arrives on scene. we find it's a good tool to determine if mutual aid will be required.
TCSS
Shawn
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