Subject: [NEXTEL-1] WARNER ROBINS, Ga. 911 system to go on line Tuesday

From: NEXTEL-1
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 13:11:15 -0400

Posted on Sun, Jul. 18, 2004

911 system to go on line Tuesday

By Becky Purser

Telegraph Staff Writer

WARNER ROBINS - Houston County's new 911 communications system goes on
line Tuesday, replacing an antiquated system and possibly disrupting the
public's love affair with scanners - at least initially.

The new system is expected to end dead spots where officers and other
emergency personnel cannot communicate with central dispatch, said
Houston County Sheriff's Capt. Ricky Harlowe, commander of the 911
center. The center is located next to the County Annex building off Carl
Vinson Parkway in Warner Robins.

The new $12.5 million, 800 megahertz digital system replaces a UHF, VHF
analog system, Harlowe said.
The old system's way of communication can be compared to radio waves
bouncing across the county, while the new system is like an umbrella
over the entire county, said Harlowe.

The old system was so antiquated that portable radios that go along with
the system are not even manufactured anymore, he said.

The old system left dead zones in the county where police officers and
other emergency personnel were unable to communicate with 911
dispatchers, and that meant officers and others couldn't call for backup
or help in a few isolated spots across the county, Harlowe said. He
declined to specify those isolated locations until the new system is
operational.

But the chief drawback for the public with the new system is that most
people will no longer be able to monitor 911 traffic on their home
scanners, said Harlowe.

He said there are only a few scanners on the market at this time that
mesh with the new system, and those scanners are pricey - usually
starting at about $300, he said.

Only scanners that are "Apco 25 compliant" will work with the the new
system, he said.

Also, the new system allows for communication via a computer laptop, in
which police officers and other emergency personnel may communicate with
911 headquarters without speaking, Harlowe said.

The new system also allows for more talk groups, which should improve
response times, Harlowe said. For example, police detectives may have a
talk group that restricts patrol officers and the public from hearing
the communication, Harlowe said. Only those in the talk group and 911
will be able to hear the communication, he said.

The new system also may usher in an end to the old system in which calls
went out over the radio system by codes - such as 10-4 for OK, 10-17 for
armed robbery and 10-43 for murder, Harlowe said.

Instead, communications officers, commonly called 911 dispatchers, and
the varied emergency response agencies will go to clear speech, or
simply talking in a professional manner, Harlowe said. Instead of a
"10-17," the communications officer may simply say "suspected armed
robbery," he said.

Most 10-codes are available via the Internet, so with the technology to
go stealth when desired there's no reason to code the calls anymore, he
said.

In all, 43 people are employed at the 911 center, including four
administrators like Harlowe.
Harlowe hopes to add eight more people to serve as call communications
dispatchers who will only log calls that come into 911. That will free
communications officers to deal strictly with the dispatch of the call,
and not also the statistical record of calls coming in, he said.

The $12.5 million to fund the new system was generated by the 2002
referendum for a one-cent increase in the local option sales tax,
Harlowe said.

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 
Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/61FxlB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 

-- 
    "NEXTEL-1 IT'S NOT JUST NEXTEL"
  Note The New address 
Subscribe to Nextel-1: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL-1

  "NEXTEL2 FOR iDEN SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS"
Subscribe to Nextel2: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL2

  "WIRELESS FORUM HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP"
     The Complete Resource for Wireless Homeland Security.
Subscribe to WFHSG:  http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/WFHSG

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEXTEL-1/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    [email-masked]

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/