Monday, November 07, 2005
DAN'S TRUCK / MEETING OF THE MINUTES
THERE'S FIRE UP ABOVE !
What the name of Wally Cox am I getting myself into here ?
Get this !
DAN STEVENS ( who will be getting Bob Ceroni’s job soon, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR ) was given a brand new $37,000 TRUCK that WE pay for, as I have reported before, but there is a BIG PROBLEM.
First off, this truck is not your normal truck. It’is a Fuel Hogging Monster that we pay the fuel bill on, has an 8 foot bed with CAP, 6 MAN CAB, and of course it has the 800 Mhz RADIOS mounted inside and maybe a few outside.
BUT THE TERMS FOR PUCHASING THIS MONSTER TRUCK for him was so that he would GO TO EACH CALL where a Command Center or Hazmat is needed, you know, like he works there or something. He has to CARRY EQUIPMENT in that truck and he doesn't !
He is suppose to be carrying tables and chairs in the BACK of his (our) NEW TRUCK that would be deployed, along with himself during these incidents.
There is NOTHING IN THE BACK OF HIS TRUCK and HE HASN’T SHOWED UP TO GO OUT ON CALLS !
Why did he need such a BIG CAB that SEATS SIX ? Does he need that much room for his groceries ?
I know, he sits in a DIFFERENT SEAT everyday !
What kind of CRAP is this ? More fuel for the 911 fire. I’ll have to have 911 dispatch Station 87 to put out this fire as it keeps growing bigger and bigger! And Dan Stevens is going to be taking the place of Bob Ceroni, the current Emergency Management Coordinator soon ?
I don’t know if Bob is just retiring or if he is being FORCED out like they did with Brian Jones or Mark Lupinacci (who both went on to better jobs at Allegheny County’s 911 I believe).
I do not know Dan but I know many firemen and chiefs that do not like him.
If we are going to give him a MONSTER TRUCK to drive around in, at least you would think he would show up when needed with the items he is under contract to bring. Well Hell, at least that is what this Blah-ger would think.
This whole thing is a BIG JOKE with most of the dispatchers… but I’m NOT LAUGHING.
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I owe Bob Ceroni an apology. I originally said that HE received on of those nifty BlackBerry Cell phones that we pay for. I was wrong. They didn’t think enough of him to get him one however they did get Pat, the Supervisor one instead. Oh well, sorry Bob.
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I know I’ve made a few posts over the weekend warning the First Responders and letting the general public know that our system was down at different times and locations and also that it went into extreme overload HOWEVER I was busier than a 911 Manager trying to HIDE THE TRUTH about this radio system.
The courthouse meetings that are held each month are public record and they are posted on the Westmoreland County (WC) website for all to read. Believe me, they are as BORING as Hell to read, but I read them and it pissed me off to no end.
Just to give you an idea of some of the CRAP you will find that goes on CONCERNING OUR 800 Mhz Radio System…
WHAT ?
We paid an ADDITIONAL $96,828.00 ( almost $100,00.00 ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ) to JG Contracting to relocate a tower compound several times, changing the Scottdale Site from self-supporting tower to a MONOPOLE, well you can read the rest if you didn’t.
What did the ORIGINAL PLANNERS do all day, DRINK ?
This is NOT part of any grant, and MAY EXPLAIN why you may or may not have experienced a difference in your SIGNAL STRENGHT at different locations within WC, 911 Management is MOVING your radio antenna around and in some cases moving the ACTUAL TOWER SITE !
When it says about moving the antenna from a self-supporting tower to a monopole in Scottdale tells me that it WAS on a CROWN 350 foot tower, but it is now on a Popsicle Stick somewhere in the boonies where we probably owned a piece of ground overlooking the Number 7 Trash Heap.
Actually I KNOW where it is and it ISN’T EVEN MOUNTED OUTSIDE !
What is this CRAP, mounting an 800 Mhz antenna used for SAVING LIVES inside a building ?
God Help Us !
Of course I cannot officially confirm any of this because 911 Management is SO secretive about EVERYTHING that we don’t even know how HIGH our antennas our on each of the 26 towers. You know you can have a 1,000 foot tower BUT if the antenna is mounted INSIDE the building, what good is the tower besides GUIDING MARK HOME AT NIGHT.
Actually I just told you how HIGH one of the antennas is off the ground. Just about 2 feet INSIDE the building.
I would like to see VIDEO TAPE of the work that JG CONTRACTING did ! Honestly, what could possibly cost $100,000 ? Oh damn, I forgot we are paying $3,500 just for ONE PORTABLE !
Speaking of the cost of the portables, you MUST see this NEXT clip from the WC meetings…
The SECOND item, we paid $10,000 more for any ONE 800 Mhz control station (base radio), ONE mobile radio and ONE xts-1500 el-cheapo portable with chargers (more than one ?) !!!
$10,000 for a BASE RADIO, MOBILE and a CHEAP PORTABLE ?
Where did we get the money ? From the EXCESS money left over from the Homeland Security Grant !
I WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL FIRE CHIEFS THAT MONEY COULD NOT BE TOUCHED !
These fire chiefs wanted to buy more portable radios for their first responders so that they wouldn’t have to go into a BURNING BUILDING without radios.
But NO, they couldn’t get the radios BUT RICH MATASON somehow manages to get 3 radios and it DOESN’T EVEN SAY WHERE THEY WENT !
Has anyone looked in the Back of Dan's Truck ?
Holy Cow !
The system sounds like CRAP, DEAD SPOTS all over the place, partial SYSTEM SHUT DOWN because of high radio usage when all the trees came down on Sunday 6 Nov 05, you know… the little storm we had, radios DO NOT WORK, Markle Fire Department STILL doesn’t have a WORKING BASE RADIO, Mark Brammell won’t program radios for most other counties if they don’t buy them from STALEY Communications, more DEAD SPOTS, SYSTEM CRASHES but...
WE HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY RICH ANOTHER BASE, MOBILE and PORTABLE.
I’m sure they weren’t for him personally or he WOULD HAVE ORDERED the xts-2500 or xts-3500 portable radio, NOT the cheap xts-1500 without a display screen and all those extra talk group positions.
ASK MARK WHY FAYETTE COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE OUR 800 Mhz INSTALLED YET ! - ( Hint: Has nothing to do with Fayette County. )
Who is allowing these STOOGES to get always with all of this ? We are. Damn, people… why do you think I am writing this ? It’s about time YOU start helping !
NOW HEAR THIS:
So, Motorola can’t finish their job on time. I’m crying in my Coca-Cola ! They should be PENALIZED ! That is what a contract is for, right. BUT NO, Rich Matason wanted the contract EXTENDED until August 31, 2005.
HEY 911, IT’S AFTER AUG. 31, 2005 and the SYSTEM STILL SUCKS !
It is about time OUR COUNTY HIRES an outside accounting firm and outside engineering firm to come in a SEE HOW POORLY our commissioners did with the money that they HAD and HOW POORLY STALEY Communications did with this installation AND recommendation of 800 Mhz instead of VHF or 400 Mhz UHF.
More and more I am for the FIRING of our current 911 Management. If Mr. Matason cannot control his department and Mr. Brammell can’t …. Do whatever he does then they SHOULD BE REPLACED !!! Some dispatchers tell me that Rich Matason doesn’t do ANYTHING at 911 and Mark Brammell is like a GOD up there. Either you bow to him everyday and worship his every word or your OUT. Most just shut up and smile.
I would like to be a FLY on the wall for a few days with a tinny tiny video camera.
Another thing, these 2 and 3 HOUR MANAGEMENT LUNCHES that we pay for should be banned by whoever is in charge up there ?
I get so many of your emails telling me how RIGHT I am, and I AM because of my INSIDE SOURCES and RESEARCH but I need more help.
WE Have to find out how to CHANGE the Management at 911… how to go back and find out WHY Commissioner Tom Balya pushed for this system, and FORCE the county into explaining to US, the taxpayers why they are wasting our money AND
PUTTING THE LIFES OF EACH PERSON IN WESTMORELAND CO. AT RISK, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST RESPONDERS !
Sorry the clips from the minutes turned out so poorly but that's what you get when you deal with this county ! I’m finished for now, but NO WAY IN HELL DONE.
DECODED,
K3SAM
http://800.k3sam.com – website
news@k3sam.com – tips / comments
http://www.co.westmoreland.pa.us/westmoreland/cwp/view.asp?a=1421&Q=577041&westmorelandNav= - Westmoreland County’s Minutes of their meetings, and don't yell if the link doesn't work... I tried.
( Would anyone like to CHAIR a “Call Out 911” Committee ? That’s what they used to do in the western days when you were found to be cheating, stealing, or just being stupid… you would call them out ! )
