Portable Radios- One For Each Crew Member or Do You Have to Share Them?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by LC on February 20, 2009 at 1:09pm

I issue a portable to all interior and Active members. We are a small Department in NY. 50-70 calls per year. We also have our own frequency which helps with responses.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mark Hall on February 20, 2009 at 1:24pm

We similarly equip on a per-position basis. We run on a digital trunked radio system and at $1500 - $2500 per radio, giving them out per person is not an option. Besides, in spite of some vendor's opinion to the contrary, not everyone needs a radio and not everyone who has a radio needs to talk on the thing!

One question that we are struggling with - who of you are running incidents on a simplex fireground channel (per NFPA guidelines) as opposed to always running on repeated or trunked channels? My chiefs complain about having to carry two radios when we run on the simplex channels because they still have to talk to Dispatch.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike O on February 20, 2009 at 1:25pm

We were able to do to same thing with a grant except we issued the radios to individuals since some of our trucks do not have crew cabs. This is a terrible problem however. Radios have been lost and damaged and even stolen from members. The upside is in our rural area members have been able to call in everything from wires down to MVA and EMS related issues they happen upon. Members do show up with out radios on calls therefore defeating the purpose. If we had it to do it again we would put them he the rigs.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by jeff kerr on February 20, 2009 at 1:26pm

I think that is a good idea and our company is tring to do the same. But due to decreased funding we have been unable to do that yet. Because we also needed a tanker which we go a grant for so hopefully we can do that soon.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Fire Chick 1st. Lt. on February 20, 2009 at 1:37pm

we have some on the trucks so when u get there u can get a radio, but as for each person no... i dont think everyone needs one.. most of the things u do on a fire scene u are not alone...

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Young on February 20, 2009 at 3:06pm

What do you do if your partner has the radio and falls into a hole, under a collapse, or some other situation where he or she has the radio and you can't reach it. How will you call for assistance? I'm not beating you up, but that is something to think about. I used to have a chief that thought the captains were the only ones on the fireground that needed to talk on the radio.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Young on February 20, 2009 at 3:03pm

We are fortunate at both of the departments I work at, all positions have radios assigned to each position. The proven safety of each member able to communicate a MAYDAY or other emergency is well worth the cost.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Leslie Pederson on February 20, 2009 at 3:30pm

We have a radio for every position, though our guidelines are that the officer is only one that turns his/hers on, during operations. But they are within easy reach in their pockets of their gear. We are a combination department, with a small budget, and yes, I am one of the Chief Officers, I have an old light bar and my gear had the crap beat out of it, but my peoples safety far outweighs any bragging rights I think I need. I feel that for safety and firefighter survival, each member of the team should have the ability to communicate with a portable. Otherwise, you might as well throw MayDay out the window. Write grants, stay compliant with NIMS (it always helps), and train your people on interior communications, you wont have "radio abuse". Beyond bunkers, SCBA, radios are the next most important piece of equipment for every firefighter on the job.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Young on February 21, 2009 at 2:03pm

I have a question about the other members not turning their radios on during operations. Teach proper radio dicipline. Then, in my opinion is all members on the operation have to ability to hear all of the orders given, and hear potential problems that an officer may miss. Just a though.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kim Stellhorn on February 20, 2009 at 6:13pm

That would be great to have a portable for each seat, but some departments would rather have all the new and shiny toys and fancy vehicles for their vol officers to drive and cannot even afford to keep the stuff they have working. Basically will spend their capital expenditure budget but donot spendthe money to buy the toilet paper.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pete S on February 20, 2009 at 9:17pm

with today's modern grants, there is no reason that a rig should leave the station without a radio for ewach seat on it...if this is not possible that department needs to reevaluate its ability to operate, if you cannot operate safely you should not operate...you would not go into a burning bldg without an airpack, would you?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jose L. Gonzalez on February 20, 2009 at 10:54pm

Just last year, each member of every unit was issued one radio each. All tailboards on Engines, Ladders and Trucks, including medic units, all have radios. We do run into the usual radio being "misplaced" but ,all in all, each member on shift is ensured a radio. "misplaced" radios usually occur on medic units.

▶ Reply to This

• First
• Previous
• Next
• Last