Subject: [NEXTEL-1] 'Can you hear me now?'

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 12:09:34 -0400

'Can you hear me now?'
By Alexandra Bogdanovic
07/27/2004

While formal training sessions to familiarize public safety personnel
with portable 800-MHz radios are slated to begin this week, some county
firefighters are ahead of the game.

"We have pushed hard (to get everyone trained) in case the (low-band)
system goes down," said training captain Kurt Kight of the Department of
Fire and Emergency Services.

&PAG&BRD&LOCALPCT&AREA&VERT&barnd
The training began two weeks ago, he explained. So far, personnel at
seven of the county's 13 fire and rescue companies have attended the
four-hour classes.

Following more than an hour of classroom instruction last Thursday,
members of the Orlean VFC Co. 11 were eager to test the new devices.

So Kight gave them the ground rules for a mock response drill. Then he
turned them loose to practice what they'd learned.

Outside, the volunteer firefighters separated into two groups and waited
for training coordinator Joell Dodd to "dispatch" the call. As the drill
continued, they used the new radios to communicate with each other and
keep Dodd appraised of the "situation."

Afterward, there was time for a thorough debriefing.

"I think it gave us a good overview -- it was a good way to get everyone
started," Chief Mark Frinks said.

Since the initial training, several company members have taken portables
out to test their range and are impressed, he said.

"It's like night and day," he said about the change from low band.
"We're looking forward to everything (coming on line)."

County police have also had an opportunity to test the new units in
recent weeks, according to Bill Dugan, county radio systems
administrator.

Formal training for some supervisors at the Sheriff's Office is expected
to begin this week, Dugan said. Supervisors will then train their staff
on a shift by shift basis.

All training should be complete and everyone should have their new
portable radios by the end of August, Dugan said. Mobile units should
also be installed in Town of Warrenton and county police cars and in
DFES vehicles by the end of the month, he added.

Assessments of the system hardware will also continue through August,
Dugan said. The evaluations are specifically designed to ensure that
there is 95 percent radio coverage in the county, he explained. If all
goes according to plan, the county will officially "sign off" on the
contract with Motorola at the end of the month.

Calls will then be broadcast on both the current low band and on the
800-MHz frequencies. Dugan said the simulcasts will continue for about a
year after the "cut over" date.

Alexandra Bogdanovic may be reached at [email-masked] .

http://www.zwire.com/site/tab2.cfm?newsid=12508728&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=506066&rfi=6

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