Sep 17, 2007 by SUSAN WOLF
pilot@thereddingpilot.comA new cross band radio system aimed at allowing first responders across the state to communicate in emergency situations won’t help Redding any time soon.
Police Chief Douglas Fuchs explained the cross band radio system operates on an 800 MHz frequency. It is a radio system that has been set aside for law enforcement, state and local.
“It is an open channel statewide that can be accessed anytime, but one needs an 800 radio to access it,” said Chief Fuchs. Redding operates in the 150s, he said, adding that “virtually every town around us operates on either a 100 or a 400 frequency spectrum. Radios are spectrum specific.”
According to Chief Fuchs, Redding, Newtown and Easton operate on the 150 frequency. The towns’ police have cross-programmed their radios, so with a flip of a channel, the police can communicate with each other.
The chief said Bethel, Weston, Wilton and Danbury operate on a 450 frequency. The local police department’s supervisor’s vehicle has a 450 radio in it, and Chief Fuchs has a portable radio so he can communicate with these towns.
“Until you get to the I-95 corridor, there aren’t many towns that operate in the 800 spectrum in this area,” Chief Fuchs said. He added that police departments operate on one of four band widths, and the cross band radio system “does nothing to bring the band widths together.”
To take advantage of the new cross band radio system, the chief said his department would have to install another radio into each police cruiser. The cruisers now have a police and a fire radio, plus the sergeant’s vehicle has a 450 police radio. While room could be made for an 800 radio, the chief said it would be “very costly” to buy and install them for all police vehicles.
Right now, he said, the town’s dispatch center has the ability to directly communicate with all surrounding towns. With this capability, the local cross-programmed radios, and access to the 450 spectrum by the chief and a sergeant, the chief said he is not pursuing the purchase of 800 frequency radios right now.
He said even if all the area towns had the radios to use the new 800 frequency, there would only be one channel statewide. And if an officer were out of his car and had no portable radio, he could not access the frequency, Chief Fuchs said.
‘Black box’
Another reason, he said, is his grant application for a “black box,” equipment to allow any portable radio from any police or fire department to connect to it. Once connected, it allows people to speak with each other regardless of the radio they are using, the chief said.
However, this technology doesn’t work with low band frequencies, which local fire departments use, or for immediate response. The chief explained that to use the equipment, a command post must be established, so its use is for situations that require an “on scene” network.
Chief Fuchs has not received any news about his application for the black box through the federal Technology Transfer Grant Program. The program distributes equipment, not money, he said, adding his department has received several other grants through the program, including thermal imaging equipment.
Interoperability
Another grant in the works would have no bearing on the new state cross band, said the chief.
The town has applied for a federal grant to establish a new regional dispatch center for police, fire and EMS service. The center would set up a communications system linking emergency responders in Redding, Ridgefield, Weston and Wilton. The intent is not for police and fire dispatch in each town to be centralized but rather to have some specific services dispatched via the centralized system.
Called an “interoperability initiative,” the fate of the grant is still unknown.
“By improving interoperability locally,” said Chief Fuchs, “on a routine basis it would allow Wilton, Weston, Ridgefield and Redding to communicate on a daily basis.”
If the town were to receive the grant, said Chief Fuchs, “it would give our dispatch the hardware to hook up to any one or all departments... We would be tied together through dispatch whether in a car or on a portable radio and with no equipment change.” © Copyright 2007 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers |