SteveOFD

Another one of my peeves - flashing high beams of the headlight system. Everyone hates it when an oncoming driver does not dim the high beams when approaching you at night. The flashing high beams on our apparatus are doing the same thing, blinding oncoming drivers coming at us. Just what you need when responding to an emergency, an oncoming driver who is not in complete control of his vehicle because he has been blinded by our lights!

If all your settings are correct as stated in previous posts, is the scanner in in open(seach ID) or closed(scan ID) mode? If it is in closed mode it will only receive TG's that are programmed in, whereas in open mode it will receive everything on the system.

Saw another WPPD Charger that does not have a car number. It is labeled "South Car", even on the plate. It has the license plate "scanner cameras" on the roof like the NYSP thread mentioned last month.

Heard testing of the PHFD apparatus this afternoon, and 60 Control was calling E190/R43. With the new rig in service will it be redesignated R43?

From JohnForceRacing.com: JOHN FORCE AIRLIFTED TO HOSPITAL - TOP END CRASH WITH K. BERNSTEIN JOHN FORCE INJURY UPDATE AND PROGNOSIS DALLAS --- Doctors updated John Force’s family and team following a thorough evaluation of his multiple injuries and the prognosis for a full recovery is very good. Force sustained a broken left ankle and severe abrasion on his right knee. Force’s left wrist also was dislocated and broken and he sustained some severe abrasions and slight fractures on a number of fingers on his right hand. Throughout all procedures Force was alert and responsive. CAT scans performed came back negative and showed no damage other than the injuries to his legs and hands. Surgeons will begin cleaning a number of his injuries tonight and possibly setting his fractures if the swelling is at an acceptable level. The 14-time POWERade world champion suffered his injuries in a second round crash with racing legend Kenny Bernstein at the 22nd annual O’Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 22nd annual O’REILLY NHRA FALL NATIONALS SEPT. 23, 2007 ENNIS, Texas – Fourteen-time NHRA POWERade Series Funny Car world champion John Force was transported to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas via medical helicopter after a second-round accident that involved his Castrol GTX High-Mileage Ford Mustang and Kenny Bernstein’s Monster Energy Drink/Lucas Oil Dodge Charger. Force sustained two broken legs and injuries to his hand, according to NHRA EMS official Dwight Shewchuk. Bernstein was uninjured. The accident is under review by both NHRA officials and the teams involved.

If the 1550 is a Motorola, check out the Batlabs Forum. This site has all the info you would ever need about Motorola radios.

StreamLight hands down! I have the PolyStinger, use it for work (installing Fire & Security Systems). Have the charger in the truck so it recharges every night. Gets about an hour an a half use per charge. On a pre-wire (new construction) dropped it from the attic to the Front Door Foyer (concrete floor) approximately twenty feet. Picked it up and it still worked. I try not to abuse it, but work takes its toll. I have sent it in for repair several times (mostly for the switch cover wearing out, ripped) including once where the case cracked. Everytime they repaired/replaced it AT NO CHARGE. StreamLight=Lifetime Warranty. Can't beat that.

No the sequence is not correct. Base channel is just a frequency in the settings, it may not be a frequency used in the system. For all out there, here are the frequencies to input. North Zone - 470.3250, 470.3500, 470.3750, 470.5250, 470.5500, 470.5750 South Zone - 470.0750, 470.1000, 476.0750, 476.1125, 476.2125, 476.2375 I prefer to put each zone and it's frequencies and settings on separate banks. Then follow the instructions above. Is your Pro94 the original version, or the Pro94A or B version? Found this information at RadioReference.com. If it is the original, it will not track conventional freq's (i.e. FG's or 46.26) and the trunked system at the same time.

EMS-buff For the North Zone settings: 470.0 Base 12.5 Spacing 380 Offset For the South Zone settings: 469.525 Base1 475.75 Base2 12.5 Spacing1 12.5 Spacing2 380 Offset1 500 Offset2 If you have the North Zone working, go manually to the bank with the freq's for the South Zone and repeat the procedure again. You will have to enter both settings for this Zone whereas the North Zone only needed one.

I have the Pro2055 also. It sounds like you have a problem with the Base/Spacing/Offset settings. The North Zone only needs one set of settings, while the South Zone needs two. Manually select any channel with a system frequency in the bank you have set for either zone. Then press Trunk, then press Func, then 2. When the B in Base is blinking enter 470.0 (for North Zone), then press Ent., then Ent. again. When the O in Offset is blinking enter 380 (for North Zone), then Ent., then Ent. When the S in Step is flashing press the up or down arrows to get to 12.5 (for both Zones)( to get to 12.5 you may have to search to find it but believe me it is there). Then press Ent., and Ent. again then Scan or Manual. Repeat this process for the other bank you have the other Zone's frequencies in. For the South Zone you will have to program both sets of South Zone settings (do not reenter North Zone settings for the South Zone or vice versa). This should get you up and running.

For those of us who's agencies have not trained us on the new radios yet there is a link for the PowerPoint presentation at the Westchester DES website. Came across this site from a thread at RadioReference.com.

Before there were mobile cascade systems, they were the ones you brought your air bottles to to get them refilled. The business was located next door to TarrytownFD Washington Engine on Kaldenberg Place.

Do you have any talkgroups programmed in? If not program some in or change to "open mode" where you will hear all talkgroups on the system. This may help also Easier to read Pro97/2055 Owners Manual.

You got it right Seems that the 50xxx talkgroups are the BeeLine Buses. Sounds like their radios have a Bank labeled LLT (probably Liberty Lines Transit). Have heard TG's 50032, 50416, 50448, 50480. Also heard talk of LLT Spec1,LLT Spec2,LLT Spec3, LLT Suprevisor1.

Just read on Firehouse.com that the Village of Pelham FD was awarded an AFG for vehicle acquisition in the amount of $261,250. See link at Firehouse.com AFG awards. Congratulations and best wishes.

You only need to receive one Control Channel to listen to the System. This System is "technically" two separate systems that work together. They are separate in that each Zone has its own frequencies. They work together in that the Talkgroups (old terminolgy "channels") will work on either Zone. See the informational links I posted in post #24 above to help clarify.

For the North Zone use the settings from my post #28 above. I am receiving with no problem from the North Zone. tbendick has some settings posted in post #25 for the South Zone. I can't confirm these but we have been working on these the last couple of days.

Did you set the bank for Motorola type II UHF? If not follow the instructions in your owners manual page 41. Link to Uniden 898t Owners Manual

Revision for Base/Spacing/Offset settings: North Zone Base 470.0, Spacing 12.5, Offset 380 Sunday afternoon I am tracking 60 Control testing with various units with these settings. Post any results with these settings.

CAUSE FOR ALARM Documents with this series You can read these documents online (in PDF files) to learn more about firefighter safety and the warnings that were raised: The inspector general's report on the CDC's firefighter fatality investigation program "Performance guidelines" for CDC fire protection engineer Eric Schmidt, from Dawn Castillo on Feb. 14, 2000 Eric Schmidt's termination letter at the CDC, from Dawn Castillo on June 9, 2000 Eric Schmidt's letter to the CDC's NIOSH director, Linda Rosenstock, on Oct. 2, 2000, warning about PASS devices and other firefighter gear CDC memo on hiring of Eric Schmidt and his qualifications, Feb. 22, 1999 Eric Schmidt's "fully successful" mid-year performance review, Feb. 7, 2000 The investigative manual for the CDC's Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program A warning on PASS devices from the National Fire Protection Association, Dec. 5, 2005 The new standard on PASS devices from the NFPA And follow this link to watch excerpts of the interview with Eric Schmidt, a timeline, photos of the 15 firefighters who died, and more. By Bill Dedman Investigative reporter MSNBC Updated: 7:19 a.m. ET Sept. 7, 2007 Bill Dedman Investigative reporter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Federal investigators should respond quickly when a firefighter is killed on the job, should spread the word promptly about equipment safety issues and may need increased legal authority to compel fire departments and unions to cooperate with investigations, according to a report this week by a federal inspector general. The report was prompted by an MSNBC.com investigation, which revealed in February that 15 firefighters have died since 1998 in fires where a motion sensor called a PASS alarm, or Personal Alert Safety System, either didn't sound or was so quiet that rescuers couldn't find a downed firefighter quickly. Nine of those deaths came after managers at the Centers for Disease Control blocked an investigation by their own fire safety engineer into possible failures of firefighting equipment. Documents showed that the engineer was told by his manager in 2000 to "minimize your fact gathering during investigations." The inspector general did not contradict any of MSNBC.com's findings: The CDC usually takes more than a month to send investigators to the scene of a fatality; doesn't investigate if the firefighters union or fire department refuses to cooperate; has cut back on the number of firefighter deaths it looks into, and destroys information that could help identify patterns of problems with safety equipment, training or tactics. These problems are caused by a lack of resources and oversight, not by any wrongdoing or desire to cover up problems, said the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Daniel R. Levinson. The report was requested by U.S. Sen. John Kerry, who said he will seek greater funding for the fire safety program — and stronger congressional oversight. "I thank the inspector general for conducting a thorough investigation," the Massachusetts Democrat told MSNBC.com. "The IG found not a lack of willpower, but a lack of resources. It’s obvious that Congress needs to provide more funding to investigate firefighter deaths and clearly define what it expects from the CDC. "I intend to work with my colleagues over the coming months to improve oversight of the CDC’s investigative process so that the grieving families of fallen firefighters can have no doubt that the government is doing everything it can to give them closure, and to learn from tragedy so we can prevent other families from suffering the same loss in the future." Firefighter deaths on the job continue to occur about 100 times per year in the U.S., about half from trauma and half from heart attacks and other causes. They have been investigated since 1998 by a team in Morgantown, W.Va., working for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which is part of the CDC, a unit of Health and Human Services. The inspector general identified four "opportunities for improvement" in the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation Program: The CDC should have specific guidelines for performance. The inspector general reported that the CDC has "limited resources and lacks specific directions regarding how the program must be administered. As such, there are no standards to hold the organization accountable for how the funds are used or with which to measure the success of the program." The CDC should investigate more quickly. MSNBC.com found by studying the CDC's database of cases that the CDC routinely takes a month — and sometimes as long as nine months — to visit the scene. The inspector general said the CDC "should explore possible ways to initiate investigations closer to the date of the actual fatality. By delaying the investigation, memories of those at the scene may not be as fresh or complete, and in some investigations, the fire site itself has been altered or destroyed by the time NIOSH investigators arrive." The CDC should consider seeking increased authority from Congress. The inspector general said individuals are not required to cooperate or to be interviewed by the CDC, causing the CDC to seek "an atmosphere of collegiality," not naming names of individuals or manufacturers in its reports. The CDC should publicize its recommendations more quickly, particularly "when there are potential equipment safety concerns." CDC spokesman Fred Blosser said Thursday that the agency welcomes the inspector general's report. "We will review the findings and recommendations closely, and will respond appropriately," he said. "One hallmark of the program has been the engagement of our partners and stakeholders to seek data and feedback to guide future direction of the program. We all take seriously our shared mission of preventing fatalities and injuries among firefighters." The problem with PASS devices finally came to public attention in 2005, when the CDC took action, five years after the engineer had been told to minimize his investigation. The CDC called in March 2005 for testing of the alarms, citing five firefighter deaths from 2001 through 2004 in which PASS devices did not sound or were too quiet to be heard. By looking at the agency's own reports, MSNBC.com found 10 other deaths in six fires from 1998 through 2002, all with PASS devices not heard. The inspector general's report does not address the question of why the CDC did not raise questions sooner about the PASS alarms, except to note that in some cases the PASS alarms appeared to be too damaged by fire to be tested. It says the CDC "included examinations of PASS devices in its investigations, sent those devices for testing when warranted, and when evidence was sufficient, called attention to potential problems with PASS devices." When PASS alarms were tested in 2005 in a lab at the National Institute of Standards and Technologies, a problem was found immediately: The volume of the alarm diminished substantially at temperatures as low as 300 degrees Fahrenheit — the sort of heat that firefighters routinely encounter before entering a room with a fire. The heat problem is believed to affect all models. In addition, some manufacturers have had problems with water seeping into the devices. Tougher tests for heat and water are called for in new standards from the National Fire Protection Association, issued this February. CONTINUED: An investigator fired -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | 2 | Next > Faster response to firefighter deaths is urged -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Responding to Kerry's original request, the inspector general focused on the CDC's instructions to fire safety engineer Eric R. Schmidt to "minimize your fact gathering" in investigating the 1999 deaths of three firefighters in Iowa. The inspector general confirmed that Schmidt received this instruction, but concluded that it merely reflected "a difference of opinion" between Schmidt and his supervisor, Dawn Castillo, over the investigative model to follow. CDC uses a public health approach, focusing more on research questions, not a traditional investigative approach that law enforcement might use, the inspector general explained. The inspector general's report quotes unnamed CDC managers as saying that Schmidt never raised the issue of PASS devices while he worked there. He disagrees. His personnel file, provided to MSNBC.com by the CDC, shows that Schmidt was chastised by Castillo in a "performance guidance" memo on Feb. 14, 2000, for taking too long to write the report on the Iowa fire. CDC Dawn Castillo, manager of the CDC's fire safety program -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Castillo cited as a negative his "persistence in gathering complete autopsy reports," his desire to measure the burned area of a fire hose, and a delay in waiting for the tape recordings of dispatch communications. PASS devices are not mentioned, but Schmidt told MSNBC.com that one reason he told his managers he wanted to listen to the dispatch tapes was to determine whether the PASS alarms could be heard. Schmidt was fired by Castillo in June 2000, at the end of his probationary period, for "marginal" performance. Castillo wrote in Schmidt's termination letter that he had not corrected the issues raised in her earlier memo, was not a good team player, and spent time gathering information "of questionable utility and necessity." The inspector general said that he concluded that "Mr. Schmidt's termination was not related to his desire to investigate PASS devices." MSNBC.com Eric R. Schmidt, former fire protection engineer for the CDC. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Schmidt said on Thursday that he had raised the issue of PASS devices several times, as well as other equipment issues, and that his firing didn't result from a mere difference of opinion. "The inspector general doesn't mention that our written procedures said that we should document the personal protective equipment," Schmidt said. "When your supervisor gives you written direction not to follow the procedures, it puts investigators in a Catch-22. If you keep doing it, it's insubordination. If you don't document it, then they say, 'He didn't tell us about it.'" The inspector general acknowledges, in a footnote, that Schmidt raised the PASS issue later, in a letter to the director of NIOSH in October 2002 after he was fired. Schmidt's letter said, "This is but only one example where the managers of this program in Morgantown repeatedly instruct staff to omit critical facts because of ‘potential liability to the program.’ These managers have shown little, if any regard, for the fact that fire fighters will continue to actually suffer injuries and death in part because NIOSH fails to document critical aspects of these incidents." Castillo told MSNBC.com in February that CDC managers didn't follow up on Schmidt's letter "because there was nothing substantive to act upon." Schmidt said the inspector general's report "is further proof that the program shouldn't be run by the CDC. We did nothing wrong, they're saying, but they're saying we've learned from our mistakes. Maybe we need to find another model." / U.S. Fire Administration The decline in firefighter line-of-duty deaths in the U.S. has stalled. The number of deaths has leveled off at about 100. This chart does not include 343 firefighter deaths on Sept. 11, 2001. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- He was the agency's first fire safety engineer, and it hasn't employed another. Castillo remains in charge of the firefighter program. Two managers under her have left the agency since the MSNBC.com report in February; one retired and the other moved to another government job, the CDC said. Newer models of PASS alarms able to withstand higher temperatures are now coming on the market, although most of the nation's firefighters continue to rely on the older models to bring help if they are trapped or knocked unconscious in a fire. Click for the special report "Cause for Alarm": Main page with all stories in the series © 2007 MSNBC Interactive Original story link at MSNBC.com

See page 19 of NFPA Firefighter Fatalities in the U.S. 2006 Report for a chart of the percentages of FF fatalities for last year. It states that 20% of last years LODD's were from responding/returning to incidents.

No such thing as a stupid question in my book, if you don't know, ask. For a better understanding of what a trunked radio system is see RadioReference Wiki Trunking and Wikipedia Trunked Radio and APCO Trunking article. f19, when prompted, it is a Motorola System UHF type II system, additional information on the system, including frequencies, talkgroups and base spacing and offset info, can be found at RadioReference.com - Westchester Fire/EMS System.

I have not heard anything yet either. My thought, and I may be wrong, is that they have not turned the output repeaters on yet. The Emergency Buttons, and all other radios in the field, transmit to 60 Control on the input frequency and 60 will talk out on the output frequency. This could be why they hear the Buttons but we hear nothing.

Twice in the last two days I have heard 60 Control call two units that their Emergency Button had been activated. Sounds like at least part of the System is operational.

Now that the new Trunked System will be coming online I still have some concerns about the radio communications in the County. It is my understanding that the Trunked System will be for the initial response to the incident (i.e. response from Quarters to arrival at the incident), and communications to 60 Control. Thereon communications will be on the assigned Fireground channels. The above scenario (in my opinion) would if implemented, facilitate interoperability between all Westchester County Fire & EMS agencies. I am not looking to step on toes or say everyone needs to be on the County System but my concern arises from agencies using their own "private" radio systems. Among Westchester FD's, 7 FD's have had there own systems for quite some time. Within the last 5 years, 6 more FD's have moved to thier own systems. Two more FD's respond on 46.26Mhz, but move to their own freq. when on scene. This totals to 15 FD's using their own frequency at the incident. The concern I have is that if the crap hits the fan and Mutual Aid is brought in, will the responding MA FD's be able to communicate with the host FD. It is my understanding that the career FD's down county have each other's freq's programmed in each other's radios to facilitate this interoperability. The scenario that concerns me the most is if one of these "private" freq. FD's needs MA and they need a FASTeam to rescue one of their own. The downed FF('s) would be stuck inside with his/her radio on his/her FD's "private" channel with no means of communicating with the incoming FASTeam. As we all know it is difficult to change channels inside with full gear on. This is not to mention that the rest of the host FD's members would not be listening to or assisting the FAST, if needed, because they would still be on their "private" freq. My question is what formal/informal policies or procedures does your FD have to facilitate communications of the operation you are working at? Think outside the box. Will you be able to communicate with FD's that will be responding from a distance (i.e. Hackley School fire)?