New Rochelle FD AFG Grant

[SteveOFD 176]

Congrats to the New Rochelle FD on being awarded $352,236 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant round 32 (9/24/10) from the Operations and Safety program for the purchase of Equipment.

Edited September 25, 2010 by SteveOFD

[efdcapt115 1,511]

You KNOW Barry had a lot to do with this. Congrats BNechis and the NRFD! That's one whopper of a grant. Now maybe they'll give 2306 a new vehicle?

[Bnechis 3,961]

You KNOW Barry had a lot to do with this. Congrats BNechis and the NRFD! That's one whopper of a grant. Now maybe they'll give 2306 a new vehicle?

Thanks George. Nice car is that yours or just an average car in the Keys?

The Grant is not for New Rochelle. New Rochelle Sponsored it. It is for the Westchester Career Fire Chiefs. It will be used to purchase Mobile Data Terminials and additional radios for 10 departments.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Thanks George. Nice car is that yours or just an average car in the Keys?

The Grant is not for New Rochelle. New Rochelle Sponsored it. It is for the Westchester Career Fire Chiefs. It will be used to purchase Mobile Data Terminials and additional radios for 10 departments.

EXCELLENT purpose Captain.

(that ain't my car, here in the Keys, it's my house)

[61MACKBR1 222]

OUTSTANDING JOB BARRY! Sharing of Government Grant Funds across several Westcheter Fire Districts is truly the way to go. Shared Resources will prove to be the cornerstone of things to come.

Thanks George. Nice car is that yours or just an average car in the Keys?

The Grant is not for New Rochelle. New Rochelle Sponsored it. It is for the Westchester Career Fire Chiefs. It will be used to purchase Mobile Data Terminials and additional radios for 10 departments.

[PHIL78 129]

Im sorry but it is very difficult to be excited about this.Someone needs to inform the Dept of Homeland Security about what is really needed in New Rochelle and throughout Westchester MANPOWER!

[Bnechis 3,961]

Im sorry but it is very difficult to be excited about this.Someone needs to inform the Dept of Homeland Security about what is really needed in New Rochelle and throughout Westchester MANPOWER!

Someone has for New Rochelle. Throughout Westchester some have others have not, this is because many communities do not think that sending 1 or 2 FF's on a rig is a problem.

[Remember585 815]

Someone has for New Rochelle. Throughout Westchester some have others have not, this is because many communities do not think that sending 1 or 2 FF's on a rig is a problem.

That's because when there's a major event, more often then not, plenty of help (see: Mutual Aid) usually comes. And nobody truly notices what it says on our coats or our rigs. Joe Public is generally content with the status quo, and they only start the finger pointing when one of us is killed, multiple firefighters are injured and/or one of us actually makes a point about the lack of manpower.

It's the flash effect - people only see a piece of the big picture at major incidents because they're so consumed with adrenaline, that it all goes by in a flash and they miss the big picture. It's the same thing when someone says a fire engine went "flying by at 80" even though we all know that isn't realistic.

Congrats on the grant. How will the MDTs work, and will they be integrated with our current CAD?

Edited September 25, 2010 by Remember585

[Bnechis 3,961]

How will the MDTs work, and will they be integrated with our current CAD?

Initially as a stand alone unit: Current configuration includes detailed GIS mapping of response district along with mutual aid mapping. Also covers GPS and CIDS is included. This plus a few other items such as Hazmat info is how NRFD's is currently set up.

Those departments that want to can expand upon this (as we plan to in the next 3 months). It has taken us more than 3 years to resolve the ability to reliably transmit two way data. As of last weeks testing we are at 98% coverage. With that we will be adding AVL and the plan is to connect that to the CAD. That will allow closest available unit to be seen by the CAD. It will also allow command to see who is coming and from whice direction. Once we are up and running the other depts will have to determine if they want that.

[SteveOFD 176]

Also covers GPS and CIDS is included. This plus a few other items such as Hazmat info is how NRFD's is currently set up.

Those departments that want to can expand upon this (as we plan to in the next 3 months). It has taken us more than 3 years to resolve the ability to reliably transmit two way data. As of last weeks testing we are at 98% coverage. With that we will be adding AVL and the plan is to connect that to the CAD. That will allow closest available unit to be seen by the CAD. It will also allow command to see who is coming and from whice direction. Once we are up and running the other depts will have to determine if they want that.

Cap,

I don't know if you had heard, and I don't know if this could be of any help to you, but the BeeLine buses are in the process of implementing what appears to be an AVL system. Last week I attended the DES's Hybrid Bus course and after class I spoke with the BeeLine representative about the radios on the buses. In addition to the trunked radio, they have a separate radio with what appeared to be a GPS screen. The rep stated that it would be GPS. He said about five buses have it operational for testing. What the capabilities of the system are he did not seem to know, he was there mainly to discuss the features of the bus, not necessarily the radios. The infrastructure for this system seems to be up and running with FCC licenses WQHN967 & WQHN968 transmitting data on 477.5875MHz & 478.6875MHz. Might be worth looking into to see if it could enhance what you have already started.