Wednesday, September 14, 2005

 

You are seeing this FIRST on the BLAH-G. Please do not tell 911 Management about this as they may change the date.

DISTRICT 6 POLICE will be switching over to 800 Mhz this Thursday, September the 15th 2005 at NOON !

DISTRICT 6 POLICE consist of the following departments:

Scottdale
Mount Pleasant
Rostraver
North Belle Vernon
West Newton
Sutersville


Talkgroups associated with District 6 Police:

76 - DISTRICT 6 POLICE DISPATCH
77 - DISTRICT 6 POLICE TAC 2
78 - DISTRICT 6 POLICE TAC 3
79 - DISTRICT 6 POLICE TAC 4
80 - DISTRICT 6 POLICE TAC 5
81 - DISTRICT 6 POLICE Administration


WARNING:

With all of the problems that 911 has been having with this Multi-Million Dollar Monkey Mess, if you know any of the Police Chiefs in those areas... PLEASE have them read my Blah-g before Thursday or have them E-mail me. I would be happy to call or email with them and let them know the problems they will be facing soon. news@k3sam.com

They will soon be entering the TWILIGHT ZONE with everyone else... (taking a moment to pray).



In another item that I was NOT going to bring up YET however since it was pointed out in my first Blah-g this morning... 911 IS TESTING the 800 Mhz SIREN ACTIVATION NOW.

It is only being tested at ONE fire station.

A Firefighter from Harrison City Station 87 has been emailing me with some information on that. For what it's worth, that is also the Fire Station where someone BIG AT 911 works... so I wonder if that had anything to do with STATION 87 getting this newer equipment before others... (damn, thinking out loud again I guess)


So far it has been hit and miss from what I understand. As I find out more information I will pass it on.

REMEMBER: I am not here to MAKE FOOLS of anyone, they are doing a good enough job of that themselves.


The Booger Blah-ger is COLLECTING INFO, Checking it Twice when possible, THEN letting WESTMORELAND COUNTY KNOW WHATS GOING ON.


It is because of YOU, the readers (Firefighters, Fire Chiefs, Policemen, Police Chiefs, Constables, EMT'S and Paramedics, Dispatchers, Directors, Court House Employees, Supervisors, Radio Maintenance, Ex-Dispatchers and Employees, and their families) that I have AND can share this information. Please keep it coming... news@k3sam.com

DECODED,
K3SAM

http://800.k3sam.com - website and guide
news@k3sam.com - news / tips / comments
www.ByTellingTheTruthYouWillFindThatNothingCanComeBackAndHauntYouPlusItsGoodForYourBloodPressure.com - and I doubt if that link will work however what a nice thought !

 

ANONYMOUS SPEAKS / READ THE PS



ISN’T THAT SPECIAL !


Yesterday’s Blah-g must have opened a Can of Worms as emails began to flow in left and North ! Wow and Thanks ! Not a Negative Email in the lot and EVERYONE SWORE, I think !

I’m so damn proud of each and every one of you. Before I serve the Meat, the Desert real quick is that NEWLY CREATED AUDIO FILES were posted on my site. Hope you enjoy. Now the Meat !

Ok so it is apparent that everyone is pissed at Westmoreland County 911's Mis-Management along with the BLAH-GER so please get out a pen and piece of paper (or a roll of toilet paper – somehow seems more appropriate) and begin writing down your thoughts… I would like to have a letter writing day soon and flood the County Commissioners AND the Greensburg Tribune Review with letters !

You can always use this BLAH-G as a reference as EVERYTHING written here is true as I know it or as dispatchers, fire and police chiefs, firemen and police officers, EMT’s, radio Techinians and others have passed along. Most facts have been double checked for accuracy when possible.

Just like the BlackBerry issue. The first email came, then another and then someone in the Court House called me to verified.

That reminds me, did you know that Westmoreland County Department of Emergency Management (911) Does NOT have a PAID or UNPAID radio advisor or technician ON THEIR STAFF ! So when this is all said and done, someone please remind me to APPLY FOR THAT POSITION.

I can see it now. Work from home on a fixed salary of over $80,000 plus PERKS and medical, go in when I want, carry a BlackBerry, Drive a TAX PAYER PAID Company Car, Get at least 6 weeks paid vacation with holidays off or triple time and a half, have my own office and coffee mug, carry my own Super Duper Laptop Computer around.. and hey… that’s just for starts.

He he, first off I would decline most of that crap and just make sure that the equipment is working properly. Have to make sure the COUNTY GETS WHAT THEY ARE PAYING FOR, not like now. Next I would let each DISPATCHER beat the crap out of me at least once, you know.. to get it out of their systems and then get my butt to work (what's left of it).

I’m getting off the subject as this is going to be a short BLAH-G as I ran out of ink in my keyboard yesterday.

Out of all of the emails I received I got one from “Anonymous” which I found to be extremely interesting.

"Anonymous" was basically sticking up for the BASE STATION RADIOS and ANTENNA SYSTEMS at each FIRE STATION. The reason is because at some point in time “Anonymous” was thinking that we might be going to a “Rip and Run” type operation.

Rip and Run refers to this: When a Fire Station is first dispatched, a Paper Copy of the Dispatch along with a copy of the Map from the CAD system could be transmitted to that Fire Station and Printed Out on a printer for the First Fireman to Rip Off and take with them. This way they would have a HARD COPY of that call along with a current MAP for Directions, Street Names, Cross Streets… Maybe Road Conditions, and all of that good stuff.

“Anonymous” also pointed out that at some point they were hoping to replace the Tones on 33.70 Mhz with a siren activation system over 800 Mhz and the Base Radio would be Needed for that. Also it is easier for the first one into the station as they can just grab the BASE RADIO to acknowledge the call.

EXCELLENT POINTS !! And thanks for bringing that up.

My thoughts are that WC 911 never ever thought of ANY of those points. They just wanted radios and did so WITHOUT PLANNING, however if they DID think of and intend on using the Fire Department Base Radios for those purposes then Where is the Printer for the “rip and run” ?? Like buying a Door and hoping to have a CAR later ?! (just add water)

It is hard for me to believe they ordered one half of the system, or would even use that part of the money to only BUY HALF, a receiver / transmitter but no printer. I'm in no way poking fun at "Anonymous", just the system.

The other points are that it would be wonderful if 911 could SET OFF THE SIRENS from 800, it is so much work for the dispatchers to do one thing on VHF Low Band then Handle the incident on 800 Mhz BUT (from what I understand) NO EQUIPMENT IS YET MADE to do this… remote siren activation that is.

HELL, they don’t make a PAGER YET for this system !! Will they ever ?


The other point about the base radio being there for the first fireman to acknowledge the call with 911 is questionable. See, I’m not a fireman and my thinking was that OVER HALF of the fire companies acknowledge right now from their Engines or Trucks and their BASE RADIO IS HARDLY EVER USED (factual, not theory, I can see it on my computer screen everytime a Fire Company acknowledges).

Sure the base is a luxury and something to think about HOWEVER getting those portable radios on the side of EACH firefighter is first and foremost !

Even if the Base Radio were needed to set off the sirens and “could” support “rip and run” right now, AN OUTSIDE ANTENNA would NOT be needed with this system as our coverage IS suppose to be 95% according to the LAST Department of Public Safety Newsletter and the crap they feed the Department of Homeland Security.

We all know that it is not 95% coverage, more like 70-72% general coverage and it may be as low as 49-50% out where Mrs. Cowgrass lives, you know, that place where there will NEVER be a fire and the radios will never be used !

My guess was the outside antenna at each fire station cost over $300 (complete), perhaps even $700 because it is Motorola. That would be an extra SAVINGS of around $63,000.00 DOLLARS, or enough to purchase 26 NEW XTS-2500 radios if the outside antennas were cut from the contract. Too late now, but they could have just slapped on a cheap rubber ducky (aflack) antenna on the back of the Base Radio.

GOD, I’ve NEVER HEARD OF RADIOS COSTING THIS MUCH. For that price they had better be able to WIPE MY ASK !

With my electronic background I am here to tell you that EVERYTHING MENTIONED above CAN BE DONE. Pagers, Rip and Run, Siren Activation on 800, all of those are possible. If “Anonymous” has any electronic background, send me another email and we can work on this, then SELL THE IDEA TO MOTOROLA ON HOW TO DO IT !!

For right now though, isn’t it more important just to get out enough radios so each Fire (and EMS.. Police) Department has enough of them for their Chief, Assistant Chiefs, Lieutenants, Captains.. all of their line officers.

Anyone entering a Fire Grounds should have a RADIO AT THEIR SIDE.

That is first and foremost.

Next there is the Police Departments. Although each department was given a few radios there should be enough for the CHIEF, EACH OFFICER, the DETECTIVES, and everyone else at that Department that WEARS A GUN AND BADGE to wear. Again, the basics.

IMO, WESTMORELAND COUNTY MANAGEMENT WOULD RATHER SEE EACH 911 MANAGER (Rich, Mark, Dan, Bill, etc), EACH SUPERVISOR, 50 BACK UP PORTABLES SITTING IN THE MOBILE COMMAND CENTER GATHERING DUST, THE PARK AND COURTHOUSE MAINTENACE PEOPLE, AND THE ROAD CREWS each get their own Radio before the Police and Firemen get the PROPER minimum required radios.

SHAME SHAME SHAME ON THE COUNTY !!



But a word to “Anonymous”, THANK YOU for THINKING ! Nice to know others use their brains too.

Please keep emails like that one coming as they are appreciated.

Short note, the next drawing for the Tip / Comment of the Month is coming up in 3 days where the winner wins a CD packed full of Westmoreland County 911 Audio Clips! If you wish to have your name or “made up name” in the hat for a chance to win you better hurry. Scotty J. was last months winner and he was given his CD last week.

If you use an anonymous name I will find a way to get you your CD if you want it.

UNTIL the next BLAH-G, TAKE CARE and remember…
if an open letter were to be released by the Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety admitting how the system is flawed, admit it CRASHES more times than I even realized, admit that 800 Mhz was not the proper frequency spectrum for our communications system, admit to this huge cover-up… give their Motorola XTS-2500 radios to the Police or Fire Departments where they belong, release those 50 portable radios sitting in the Command Center and distribute them to the police and fire where they belong, take back those radios from the park maintenance (not to be confused with PARK POLICE), county maintenance, road crew maintenance and give them to the police and fire where they belong, the Supervisors do NOT need to take radios home with them every night, take them ALL back and give them to the police and fire AND medics where they belong… Then and almost then I would stop writing this Blah-g.

By the way, I’m not THAT bad of a writer. I did NOT need to say “give them to the police and fire where they belong” all those times BUT I DID need to say “give them to the police and fire where they belong”… if you know what I mean !

Sometimes you have to say things more than once to Management.. 10-9 !

DECODED,
K3SAM


http://800.k3sam.comyour guide, no charge
http://www.k3sam.com/800/AudioClips.html - direct link to the audio clips by request
news@k3sam.comtips/comments/leftover parts/silver and gold/cash/first born/etc…
www.YouBetterWatchOutYouBetterNotCryYouBetterTellTheTruthImTellingYouWhyTheBOOGERBLAHGERSHereToStay.comnot a bad name but again I doubt it if that link works… NOT PROGRAMMED RIGHT !!

PS: If 800 Mhz is so great then why are people GOING BACK TO VHF. Here is an article that was printed in the GRAND FORK NEWS and written by Susanne Nadeau, Herald Staff Writer.


Posted on Tue, Aug. 30, 2005

GRAND FORKS:
Hitting a higher frequency

Law enforcement officials receive money for new radios to match other area agencies
By Susanne Nadeau
Herald Staff Writer

Law enforcement agencies in Grand Forks are ready to go high frequency.

That's because both the Grand Forks County Sheriff's Office and the Grand Forks Police Department now have the funds in place to improve their radio communications systems.

The two offices applied jointly for funding from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program in June, according to Lt. Grant Schiller of the Grand Forks Police Department.

He said the funding, $74,748, will be used to purchase VHF (very high frequency) digital radios for both departments.

The VHF radios will give officers the ability to communicate with other law enforcement agencies, a feat that is impossible for the radios Grand Forks officers carry now.

Grand Forks is an "island," Schiller said, without the ability to communicate with other agencies when called to a scene outside the city.

"Our current system is on 800 megahertz. These are great for going through buildings or in a city setting, but they don't have the range or the compatibility needed in a rural setting," Schiller said.

Most other agencies in the region already have VHF systems, he said.

The Police Department will get 75 percent of the grant, equaling about $56,061, while the county will use the remaining 25 percent of the grant, or about $18,687.

The city will purchase 10 110-watt VHF radios for installation in vehicles and will purchase four 50-watt VHF portable radios, Schiller said. The price for the radios ranges from $3,343 to $4,318, he said.

Grand Forks is one of six North Dakota communities receiving funding through the grant program, for a total of about $1.13 million.

The funding was announced Monday by Sens. Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan and Rep. Earl Pomeroy, all D-N.D.

The program provides training, equipment and personnel for law enforcement, prosecution and court programs, according to the delegation.

Other North Dakota communities that will receive portions of the crime prevention grant are Bismarck, $864,335; Fargo, $141,716; Jamestown, $18,941; Devils Lake, $17,249; and Dickinson, $11,500.
= = = = =

Blah-ger Note: The only mistake I can see is there isn't a 50 Watt Portable Made. What the writer meant I'm sure was 5 Watt Portable. Just look at their specs, look at their costs. WOW ! Nice.

I also do not see any swearing in that article, NO WHERE IS MOTOROLA MENTIONED !!!
k3sam - the Blah-ger


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