Tuesday, January 17, 2006
one short of a full basket
Sometimes I believe this world has gone nuts ( more than normal ) and forgot to take me with it !
Before getting to the NUTTY NEWZ just a reminder that this is the 17th of the month ! That means that TODAY we draw for our winner of this months TIPS CONTEST - FREE CD !
If you sent me an email with a comment or tip in the last month then you have a chance to win ! Good Luck !!
Also I did some updating to a few of my web site pages including the TALK GROUP page. Check ‘em Out when you get a chance.
Now to the Nutty Newz !
In speaking to and emailing with many many people that use our 800 Mhz public safety radio system including Police, EMS, and Fire Chiefs, they have all at one point or another ask me WHY I haven’t spoken to the other two commissioners in Westmoreland County about this 800 Mhz system, and why I continue to pick on just Tom Balya, instead of all three commissioners.
Good Question.
With all of my conversations with PEMA, Senator Bob Regula’s office and a few insiders at the 911 center they all indicate that Tom Balya is the Chairman of the 911 Committee and he ultimately has the final say. So with that in mind, he is THE MAN
I wouldn’t even have to write about him if he would only talk to me and discuss all the problems this 800 Mega Hurts Cyst-Em has and HOW HE PLANS ON FIXING THEM, but HE doesn’t, so I DO.
However just for the sake of saying that I tried, I called Commissioner Phil Light at home last night and we spoke for about 10 minutes. Commissioner Light stated that “the system is working fine” and “I’ve had no complaints (about this system)” !
Further, he said that “I’ve been at all of the Fire Chief’s meetings and no one has said anything to me about it (the radio system) not working” and “NO, I’M NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO ANY OF YOUR AUDIO CLIPS BECAUSE I DON’T HAVE TO” and “my son is a Lieutenant in a fire department and he loves the system”.
He also stated the following which disturbs me. “I carry a radio and I have no problems with mine at all”.
Why does he need a radio ? Is he a first responder ? Does that mean all of the commissioners have radios ?
I’ve known all along that Commissioner Balya has a radio, which is also a WASTE but I guess now that would almost confirm that all three commissioners have TAKEN A RADIO away from a fire fighter so that they can carry one and look even more important.
Finally he stated that he will “talk to Matason and see if he likes the new system”.
FOR PETE SAKES, THAT’S LIKE ASKING SANTA CLAUS IF HE LIKES CHRISTMAS !
I can only offer my opinion here and unless others agree then I guess it isn’t a shared opinion.
Commissioner Light believes that 800 Mhz is a good frequency range for this county without knowing anything about radio wave propagation. IMO, it appears as if Commissioner Light also a self-appointed Radio Engineer like Commissioner Balya seems to be.
Commissioner Light states that everyone loves this new system because no one has complained directly to him. I mentioned all of the emails that I receive daily complaining about this system and he basically wrote those off saying “why would anyone complain to you”.
So my message to everyone who has emailed me detailing system problems… Commissioner Light is calling you a liar.
Commissioner Light states that he goes to all of the Fire Chief’s meetings. I cannot comment on that because I don’t know… is there any Fire Chiefs out there that would like to send me an email and let me know how true that is ? news@k3sam.com
And I was extremely disappointed when he flatly refused to listen to any of the audio clips on my website. These are actual audio clips showing how BAD our system actually is !
He says he cares about the people that use the emergency communications radio system so you would think he would care enough to listen to the audio clips.
To quote a Famous American, “that is Soitenly Special, Soitenly Stoogey… Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk”.
I called a FIRE CHIEF last night after my conversation with Commissioner Light and he basically thought that all the commissioners knew of the 800 Mhz PROBLEMS already, especially the DEAD SPOTS.
This was HIS thoughts… “Commissioner Light is not going to say anything BAD about this system because in the long run he voted for it. To say that there is problems would be to say that he (Commissioner Light) made a bad decision.”
This is the same with Commissioner Balya, especially Balya who chairs the committee. Confirming problems would be like confirming he had made a critically fatal choice in selecting a radio system.
Another thing that seems to bother most people after I disclosed it in this Blah-g is that the Commissioners did NOT do a topographical radio study prior to ordering this 800 Mhz system ( remember, 800 Hurts ). The first thing they would have found out is that signals will not travel well in this terrain AND about 60 tower sites would be needed to achieve a 90% coverage area.
Westmoreland Department of Public Safety is now claiming 95% coverage with only 26 tower sites. That is a LIE.
We are now at 26 tower sites as I mentioned, far shy of 60 and WE ARE OUT OF MONEY. From what I am hearing, Westmoreland County will only be able to afford “perhaps” another 2 tower sites in the year 2006. Those two new sites will be in the Ligonier / Seward area. What I forgot to ask was HOW MANY NEW VEHICLES WE WILL BE BUYING. I’m sure there are a few in the works. Oh, I forgot about that new Hippy Van they want to buy to compliment the Fat Mobile.
I don’t want this to be an extra long Blah-g as today is not a particularly good day for this Blah-ger… so I just want to review quickly the following:
THIS RADIO SYSTEM IS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS and FIRST RESPONDERS ONLY !
Those that should have radios include: POLICE, EMS, FIRE and HAZMAT PERSONNEL and the 911 Coordinator.
Those that SHOULD NOT have radios include: PARK MAINTENANCE, COURTHOUSE MAINTENANCE, TOW TRUCKS, 911 SUPERVISORS, 911 DIRECTORS, WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENTS, DOMESTIC RELATIONS, COUNTY ROAD CREWS, STALEY EMPLOYEES, JUVENILE AND ADULT PROBATION and the
COMMISSIONERS !
County detectives, the Coroner’s office and the Sheriff’s Department would be agencies that would fall on the line as they are NOT first responders however do serve a role in LAW ENFORCEMENT.
The 911 Director and Assn’t Director do not need a radio as they are NOT First Responders and they carry Blackberry Cell Phones (redundant communications).
REMEMBER FOLKS, WE still have a PERFECTLY GOOD WORKING VHF REPEATER SYSTEM that we PAY STALEY COMMUNICATIONS TO MAINTAIN and it’s RARELY USED. NON-FIRST-RESPONDERS should be on that system and not taking away expensive radios from our First Responders.
Don’t forget about those 50 extra $2,500 dollar radios we have sitting in the Fat Mobile (Mobile Command Center).
That’s $125,000 dollars just sitting there folks !
Then there is the question of the Mobile Command Center itself… the $600,000 base priced DOG that we keep in a garage until our next MAJOR EMERGENCY EVENT… Geee, Arnie quit golfing and there’s no parades for awhile…
I KNOW, we do have A REAL EMERGENCY in Westmoreland County Right Now !!! The Seniors are having difficulties in finding transportation to and from the mall. We could put the Fat Mobile into IMMEDIATE USE and give them FREE RIDES to the malls and back-and-forth to the Senior Centers !
See, at least someone is thinking ! During the trip to the Mall we could let our fine seniors play with those radios too, make it a fun trip for all.
I can hear them now "Hello", "What", "Pardon Me", "Please Repeat", "Who", "Did you say the mall or ball ?", "What" ?
Maybe playing with the radios would be a bad idea... they might think their hearing is bad !
Decoded,
K3SAM
http://800.k3sam.com – website with lots of new audio clips that Commissioner Light refuses to listen to !
news@k3sam.com – tips / comments / your inside news !!
My Question for today.
If the Three Stooges were alive today would they have voted to install an 800 Mega Hurts Radio System in Westmoreland County ? - Ops, never mind.
