Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Communications
Firecom Partners with Simulation Technology for Fireground Training
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
Incorporating wireless headsets into driving simulators ensures firefighters use the same technology in a training environment as they do en route to the fireground, said Reed Stager....
NYC Tests Mobile Emergency-Alert System Today
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
Six test messages will be sent to WEA-enabled mobile devices around New York City....
Virtual USA Gen 4 Expands Sharing Capabilities
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
Before Gen 4, Virtual USA was a state-centric tool, but the new version expands information-sharing across states, counties and cities....
House Approves Legislation That Reallocates D Block
By Donny Jackson
House members yesterday voted 234-193 to approve payroll-tax legislation with language to reallocate the 700 MHz D Block spectrum to public safety and provide at least $5 billion in funding for the buildout of a nationwide LTE network for first responders, but the measure is expected to face stiff opposition in the Senate....
FEMA Launches Mobile App for Disaster Preparedness (with Related Video)
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
The app lets citizens enter their family emergency meeting locations; review safety tips on what to do before, during and after a disaster; view a map of shelters and disaster-recovery centers across the U.S.; and read the agency’s latest blog posts on disaster incidents and response....
FirefighterLog App Maps Out CAD Info
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
The app converts text dispatch data into Google navigator and provides firefighter-engineers with GPS-based driving directions to an incident, said Patrick Jackson, the app’s developer and a career fire engineer with the Rocky Mount (N.C.) Fire Department....
Video: DHS Completes Multiband-Radio Pilots
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
The agency now will begin developing a draft report of its findings, which will be used to build a procurement guide for first responders interested in the multiband technology, including what equipment features they need to meet their mission requirements....
iPhone App Puts Wildfire Data in Chiefs' Hands
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
California-based FireWhat and application developer Pusher unveiled an iPhone and iPad app that consolidates federal fire, environmental and location data to provide mission-critical information to those fighting or managing wildfires. ...
Image is Everything
By Glenn Bischoff (glenn.bischoff@penton.com)
Recently, FIRE CHIEF Editor Glenn Bischoff spoke with Al Gillespie, chief of the North Las Vegas (Nev.) Fire Department and current president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, about what he hopes to accomplish during his term. ...
DHS Demonstrates Cell Phone–Based Chemical Detector (with Related Video)
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
The Department of Homeland Security’s Science & Technology Directorate demonstrated in front of invited media and webcast guests the first-ever cell phone capable of detecting life-threatening chemical exposures, dubbed the Cell-All. ...
Firecom Debuts Wireless Headset, Announces Credit for Older Models
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
Firecom's 50-Series is a second-generation, full-duplex, hands-free wireless radio headset that reduces the need for firefighters to be tethered to the truck and intercom via a cable....
Texas Town Uses Nixle for Wildfire Alerts
By Glenn Bischoff (glenn.bischoff@penton.com)
Pflugerville had been using the service for everyday communications such as water-boil orders and road closure alerts due to traffic accidents, and some that were not so every day, such as a school lockdown. But the real test came when the wildfires appeared, and the system worked beautifully, the town's PIO said....
Attorney: Fire Departments Need to Develop Social-, Digital-Media Policies
By Glenn Bischoff (glenn.bischoff@penton.com)
Social networking is here to stay, and fire departments need to have plans in place to deal with it, according to Curt Varone. ...
Lawsuit: Digital Radios at Fault in Cincinnati LODDs
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
C4i Introduces Portable Command-and-Control System
By Glenn Bischoff (glenn.bischoff@penton.com)
C4i has introduced yet another iteration of its SwitchplusIP dispatch command-and-control system, this time a battery-powered portable version that is contained in a militarized transit case that can be mounted in a command vehicle or hand-carried to wherever it is needed. ...
Motorola Debuts Firefighter Speaker Mic (with Related Video, Photos)
By Donny Jackson (donald.jackson@penton.com)
The APX XE remote speaker microphone features large controls that are designed to be easily accessible with bulky gloves — from a large-but-protected emergency button to a prominent push-to-talk button and a sizeable volume switch....
Cassidian Demos Unified Communications Apps
By Glenn Bischoff (glenn.bischoff@penton.com)
Cassidian Communications, working with Alcatel-Lucent, is demonstrating multi-entity and multimedia collaboration — i.e., unified communications — over an LTE network during the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials conference in Philadelphia this week....
Lawmakers Take D Block Out of Debt-Ceiling Proposal
By Donny Jackson (donald.jackson@penton.com)
Reallocation of the 700 MHz D Block to public safety and other spectrum-policy matters are not part of the debt-ceiling compromise that Congress and the White House reached during the weekend, according to news reports and Beltway sources....
DHS Undersecretary Details Interoperability Changes Since 9/11
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
Acting Deputy Undersecretary Greg Schaffer this week testified before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs about a new DHS progress report, including the agency’s successes in standardization and emergency communications that supports expanded information-sharing and a focused approach to interoperability. ...
Senate Leader Reid Makes D Block Reallocation Part of Debt Bill
By Donny Jackson (donald.jackson@penton.com)
Reallocating the 700 MHz D Block to public safety and providing $7 billion in funding to build a nationwide broadband network for first responders are among the provisions of a debt-ceiling bill introduced this week by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)....
Get Ready, Here They Come
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
When tens of thousands of protestors descended on Madison, Wis., the city's fire department effectively coordinated a multijurisdictional response that included state and local law enforcement. It was able to do so because it planned ahead — and also because it had plenty of experience with large-scale civil-unrest events....
Committee Approves D Block Bill for Senate Vote
By Donny Jackson (donald.jackson@penton.com)
Much-anticipated bipartisan legislation that would reallocate the 700 MHz D Block spectrum to public safety and provide $12 billion to fund the buildout of first-responder LTE networks nationwide was approved overwhelmingly by the Senate Commerce Committee, setting the stage for a full Senate vote on the bill this summer....
Interoperable Communications Aid Madison FD at Union Protests
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
Madison Asst. Fire Chief Paul Bloom was responsible for ensuring fire-department communications were supported during the protests, in addition to working with the city’s IT department to program and charge a cache of radios in order to help Capitol Police and other law-enforcement communicate....
Chirhart: Multiband Radio Met First-Responder 'Needs and Mission Requirements' at New Orleans Pilot
By Mary Rose Roberts
Thomas Chirhart, program manager of the S&T's multiband radio program, joined Associate Editor Mary Rose Roberts to discuss the New Orleans pilot, including its future and lessons learned thus far. ...
New Orleans Jazz Festival Puts Multiband Radio Interoperability to the Test
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
The pilot has been extended so that Louisiana agencies and local parishes can test the radio prior to the start of hurricane season, S&T's Thomas Chirhart said....
| Commentary | Special Reports | Station Style |
|---|---|---|
|
Mutual Aid is a blog of news and views from FIRE CHIEF staff and industry experts — a virtual conversation about the issues important to you as a fire service leader. |
In Service provides information on fleet management, apparatus specifying and maintenance. Keep abreast of new trends and changes to emergency vehicle apparatus. |
Station Style focuses on the architectural design and needs of fire and emergency stations today. See the latest in design trends and learn about the Fire Station Design Awards. |
