WCDES New Radio System Survey

[x635 4,066]

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To all fire and EMS officers and response personnel in Westchester:

 

Below is a link to an important electronic radio questionnaire that is being utilized to capture existing system feedback and requirement for the future planning on a new communications system.

 

It is imperative that radio system users participate in this questionnaire to capture as must feedback as possible.

 

Please review the attached memo from DES Commissioner John M. Cullen.  Included is a PDF copy of the survey for your review prior to completing the online survey tool.

 

Westchester County is in the developmental stages of replacing the County’s mission critical radio systems that presently serve fire, EMS, county police, transportation and others.  In order to design and build a system that will meet the current and future needs of the county emergency response agencies we are requesting your assistance. 

 

An online questionnaire was designed to capture information and collect feedback on current system(s) performance and future requirements to address long term communication system needs.

 

The questionnaire results will be collected to provide an overall representation of the current state of the existing communication systems in Westchester County and will provide direction for the content of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the future system replacement.

 

We thank you in advance for your time and effort in completing this time-sensitive questionnaire. The online questionnaire will be available from February 25, 2016 until March 21, 2016.  It is imperative that participating agencies share their thoughts and opinions prior to the March 21, 2016 deadline.

 

The online questionnaire can be accessed at the website listed below.

 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Westchester_County_RadioSurvey

 

If you have any difficulty with the survey or have any other concerns please email the Communications System Committee at radiosystemsurvey@westchestergov.com

 

The importance of your participation in this data collection process cannot be overstated. Your opinions and feedback will be collected and assist in guiding the future of our mission critical radio system.

 

Thank you again, we look forward to working with our critical service partners in developing a reliable and efficient state-of-the-art communications system.

 

 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Westchester_County_RadioSurvey

[Avon Rob 40]

Many years ago there was a committee from the Fire Advisory Board that started such a survey, Anyone know what happened? This was around 2003-2004 for a time reference. Thanks!

[FF402 133]

On ‎3‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 8:32 PM, Avon Rob said:

Many years ago there was a committee from the Fire Advisory Board that started such a survey, Anyone know what happened? This was around 2003-2004 for a time reference. Thanks!

 

Is the Fire Advisory Board still active?

[Morningjoe 162]

Regardless of what this survey comes out with, Westchester should abandon the UHF Fire ground radio system which is line of sight and unmonitored , and adopt one which allows the dispatchers to monitor all fire ground radio traffic. NIOSH report after NIOSH report lists that Dispatchers being able to monitor fire ground transmissions in the event of a mayday is imperative to firefighter safety. All departments should reject any proposals without this important feature included.

[Bnechis 3,961]

1 hour ago, Morningjoe said:

Regardless of what this survey comes out with, Westchester should abandon the UHF Fire ground radio system which is line of sight and unmonitored , and adopt one which allows the dispatchers to monitor all fire ground radio traffic. NIOSH report after NIOSH report lists that Dispatchers being able to monitor fire ground transmissions in the event of a mayday is imperative to firefighter safety. All departments should reject any proposals without this important feature included.

This would only be of use if dispatchers were allowed to make decisions.

[AFS1970 504]

 

This would only be of use if dispatchers were allowed to make decisions.

This will only work if you train and keep training your dispatchers. This is something that most agencies are uninterested in. There are many theories but they all revolved around funding and a general disrespect for dispatching as a profession. Hearing a MAYDAY and doing anything else other than relaying that message to the IC requires not only a well developed SOP but also an understanding of what a MAYDAY is and when & why it is used. Then and only then would I feel comfortable making any decision.

 

 

[Bnechis 3,961]

 

This will only work if you train and keep training your dispatchers. This is something that most agencies are uninterested in. There are many theories but they all revolved around funding and a general disrespect for dispatching as a profession. Hearing a MAYDAY and doing anything else other than relaying that message to the IC requires not only a well developed SOP but also an understanding of what a MAYDAY is and when & why it is used. Then and only then would I feel comfortable making any decision.

 

 

You can have all the training in the world, if the policy is read the screen and advise only you will rarely have decision making 

[Morningjoe 162]

Obviously, intercounty interoperatbility is another high item on the list.

Westchester, putnam, rockland, and possibily orange should get together like MD and VA did and get one system that works across the board. Its 2016. This little empire crap needs to stop

[res6cue 67]

 

Regardless of what this survey comes out with, Westchester should abandon the UHF Fire ground radio system which is line of sight and unmonitored , and adopt one which allows the dispatchers to monitor all fire ground radio traffic.

 

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to "abandon" UHF fireground. In fact, that is one of the few things the surrounding counties got right so far...Westchester, Rockland, Orange fire depts all operate on UHF fireground, making interops easy.

 

44-Control monitors all UHF fireground in Rockland by way of receivers at all 12 trunked system sites. They "vote" the strongest signal so that the clearest transmission is always heard on the consoles in the radio room. There is no reason that Westchester couldn't do the same, assuming they ever get this new trunked system built out.

 

If you're advocating for some sort of fireground system that goes through repeaters or a trunked system, vs analog simplex line-of-sight...then I'm afraid you're going down the wrong path. K.I.S.S. when it comes to fireground comms, do not unnecessarily complicate things or depend on equipment at fixed remote sites. Nothing is safer and more reliable than two radios communicating directly line-of-sight, period.

 

 

 

Obviously, intercounty interoperatbility is another high item on the list.

Westchester, putnam, rockland, and possibily orange should get together like MD and VA did and get one system that works across the board. Its 2016. This little empire crap needs to stop

 

You're never going to have "one system" for multiple counties like that. The best we can hope for is that Westchester and Orange both get their acts together and finally build out their 700 MHz systems. Obviously Rockland is already ahead of the pack, having operated on the 700 MHz system for three years already. Time for the others to get on board so that the systems can be interconnected via ISSI. That will solve quite a few of these "interoperability" issues.