Daily Tests-Neccasary Or Nuisance?

[x635 4,066]

I'm sitting here listening to the radio scanning noise box, and I had forgotten how many seperate departments/PSAP's conducted daily tests at various times throughout the day. Many of these departments use their radios quite frequently daily. One of the departments I heard had just returned from a call that they used their radio's quite extensively, and they had to "test" the radio again 2 minutes later!

I've often wondered, are these tests obsolete? In today's day and age, are these really neccasary? Will these continue with the new improved slicer-dicer county radio system? If department's feel it neccasary to conduct radio or rig radio checks, why doesn't weekly suffice.

It's my opinion that these tests are useless, for the most part, and serve no purpose other than to clutter the airwaves and add yet another responsibilty to the radio operators job. It's been stated volunteers among others, use this oppurtunity to test their pagers, which is somewhat the only valid point I can see. However, most pagers feature a self-test (that "beep" when you turn it on), and if pagers are that unreliable that tests need to be done daily, then new pagers need to be issued. If the reason is that the pager might break during the day, then it's not a valid reason to me.Be more responsible with your radio equipment With the advent of emails, nextels, etc it's no longer valid to use these tests to pass along messages to members either. If it's because "What if the radios broken?", their should ALWAYS be a backup means of communication in this business.

Again, just my opinion. Maybe somebody could shed some more light on this subject, as my opinion is based on one side of the radio.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Brother, you hit a subject that has irritated me for a couple years now. I can speak on the subject in regards to my dept. and say that it is absolutely ridiculous. With the call volume we have it's safe to assume its working, and if you test it at x:xx who's to say it wouldn't work within the next 24 hours anyway or even x:x1. To be honest with you we really use twice a day, once in the am with the units, once at night for a "10-3" and announcements. It's not that big a deal being we have our own freq., but 46.26 is too jammed to be having that every day.

[DRD 0]

I think that one weekly 10-3 is sufficient. Currently we page out twice a week for meetings and drills as a reminder. For me, that would be enough of a pager test. But, we also currently do a weekly pager test on top of that. I do think that it is excessive and perhaps should be done away with.

I think that this discussion could tie in with our discussion of text paging. I think a widespread use of text paging devices would reduce the amount of traffic on our emergency frequencies. In addition to being used as an additional page for an emergency call, it could be used for all of our non-emergency notifications, such as meeting and drill reminders, special detail calls, parade call to quarters, reporting the passing of a member, etc... How many times have you been cut off because of a non-emergency communication on 46.26? With that in place, each department would be allowed one weekly pager/radio test at a designated time. Of course this would all take money that we don't have, but im just putting this out there anyway to spark further discussion...

[RWC130 594]

I will have to agree with alsfirefighter on this one..

Peekskill FD we run a lot of calls both Fire and EMS.

Personally I don't feel it's necessary to have so many radio tests. We do one daily at 8am with all the rig radios and rig portables, run a bunch of calls in between and then again at 6pm we have another test for our department announcements, etc. On Monday nights we have an additional test at 8pm of the rig portables and chief officer radios.

We do have our own frequency however I think all of the tests are unnecessary and do jam up the air on your own frequency or the countywide ones.

As mentioned my personal favorite is the radio test in the middle of a working structure fire. Does anyone listen to the radio before they get on it for bull$hit?

Most radios now have a self-test. If you have a radio that does not then check your battery. Is it charged? Good. Now turn the radio on. Press the PTT button if the lil red light comes on your good to go in most cases. If you have a repeater and you hear it key up even better. Do EMT's and Paramedic's shock each other to check and see if the defib units are working? NOT!

Don't get me wrong...You MUST check all your Firefighting and EMS equipment but how often is where good judgment comes in.

Maybe we should do radio tests with 60-Control at 2,3,and 4AM?

Air is usually really quiet and I know they must be bored.

Especially that "642" guy! Sorry John... I just had too!

[Guest DG795]

Drop the tests! For those that for some reason need to know their pager works, maybe once a week.

In addition (a few pet peeves of mine)

1. keep your test OFF THE AIR when some other dept is running a job! Common Sense tells me that perhaps I should keep my chatterbox off the air if another dept is operating at a scene.

2. Call 60 Control and get clearance before testing. even though you may not hear any traffic, another part of the county could be busy, plus its common courtesy. You wouldnt try to land a plane without telling the air traffic controller.

[Guest DFFD227]

8)

[x635 4,066]

 One time I was at a wake for a FF's mother, and it was a pretty bad loss,and all of a sudden the pagers go off for the 8:00 test.

Just my opinion,but it doesn't matter if their was a test in this situation. The pagers should have been shut off before entering the facility where they were visiting to show respect to the deceased and their family. To have pagers go off and FF's rush out during a wake is just rude and disrespectful to me. If the answer is "who will respond to calls?" than either have somebody outside to monitor the radio and quietly and politely alert those inside, or better yet, send people in at various times as to not deplete your staff.

[Fed124 0]

I agree with x635. I would sure hope that a FF has enough respect that they would turn their pager and phone off at a wake. I have been at wakes and funerals where pagers go off. It makes the fire service look very bad to the public. In addition, how can you blame the police dispatcher who does a tone test at the same time every night. They should know that a FF is at a wake....Please!!!!! I think people need to think and compose their thoughts prior to posting items on EMTBRAVO!!!!!

[Guest DFFD227]

8)

[chris498 31]

Once a week for a pager test, perhaps also used as a time to remind members of a meeting or a training is probably legitament. But I agree with calling 60 Control for permission first.

[Fed124 0]

DFFD227 do Dobbs Ferry Jr. Corps. members get pagers?

[Guest DFFD227]

:roll:

[Guest alsfirefighter]

DFFD I'm gonna lay it out for you once and for all on this board. First, you make one comment, and then back pedal on another post about having the test during special functions. I'm glad you want to learn, and you state that constantly, but if you want to learn, learn, you can't do it if you mouth is open which translates to typing here. You state opinion more then you look for guidance, your a junior firefighter, not a 10 year veteran, that's where some of us find fault with you sometimes. Now...

If your PD works so close with you then apparantly the malfunction is on FD's end for not specifically requesting that they not do the test. That's #1.

#2. This ties into #1 but personal ignorance doesn't fall back on the agency that is told to do your test at the time specified which in your dept's case is 2000 hrs.

#3. If this county had balls a few years ago, we wouldn't be talking about this because your PD wouldn't be dispatching you 60 would which is the way it should be.

#4. If I'm teaching OSHA, doing a drill or teaching a class, all pagers go off with the exception of 1. No one leaves my classes for calls unless it is a confirmed structure fire. They are more valuable in class then at some fire alarm.

I use this line in my Paramedic leadership classes and articles but...

If you don't do something to change incompitence or a problem, then you are incompitent and a problem. Both of which are an infection that spreads faster then any disease. DFFD your a great kid, I don't hate you, dislike you etc. Hell, I like how you cause arguments, but one thing you haven't learned in life yet, or as a firefighter is, there's a time to put up, time to shut up, grow a thick skin, this isn't personal on here, can't be, don't know you, I always speak in general terms on my posts as you can tell other then to tell you I DISAGREE with opinions. You have a tendency to say things are wrong, that is what comes with experience and being an adult and a leader....tolerance and the ability to speak to someone civilly and hear them even though you disagree.

[Guest DFFD227]

:-P

[hudson144 150]

I didn't realize that the radio frequency was for emergency use.I always thought it was for announcing that a parade was going to take place or that a fire truck needs to be washed or a pasta dinner was going to be served as a fund raiser! how tradition in the fire service is going to take us into the future!

[Guest HT1250]

Once a week for a pager test, perhaps also used as a time to remind members of a meeting or a training is probably legitament. But I agree with calling 60 Control for permission first.

Why should we have to call 60 control first? Each individual department is licenced by the FCC for 46.26, therefore the county can't dictate what we do or dont use the frequency for. If there was only one county licence then it would be their frequency.

I agree that common sense should be used when doing a test and the frequency should be monitored for a few minutes to make sure there is'nt a major incident going on. It dose get annoying when certian departments have to do their "1010 daily test" or a "signal 1 at 1900hrs" regardless of whats going on in the county. Come on guys just turn up the volume and listen for a couple of minutes.

And one more thing I agree with is that every day is a little too much, Once or twice a week is more reasonable.

[TRUCK6018 50]

Why should we have to call 60 control first? Each individual department is licenced by the FCC for 46.26, therefore the county can't dictate what we do or dont use the frequency for. If there was only one county licence then it would be their frequency.  

Yes, each department may have their own FCC licence but that doesn't mean they can do what ever they want, when ever they want. There are stipulations to the licence. Stipulations that if they are no aherd to, it can be revoked. With the number of departments that opperate on the frequency we all have to play nice with one another. Should a given department complain to the FCC about another departments use of the radio, the FCC can revoke it.

I agree that common sense should be used when doing a test and the frequency should be monitored for a few minutes to make sure there is'nt a major incident going on. It dose get annoying when certian departments have to do their "1010 daily test" or a "signal 1 at 1900hrs" regardless of whats going on in the county. Come on guys just turn up the volume and listen for a couple of minutes.

Common sence would dictate this, however, our base won't always hear the vehicle traffic in the lower end of the county. Just as bases in the lower end won't hear our vehcle traffic. There fore just giving a listen isn't always the answer.

One day the county didn't decide to form 60-control out of nowhere. I admit, while I don't know the complete history of the formation of it, I will say that every county in the State of New York has a fire control. One of the functions of it is to set the radio designations for the vehicles that operate in that county. At the same time I would image there is a stipulation for usage of that county frequency.

Recently the county change numerous radio designations of individual departments apparatus. They have every right to. This is set forth in an inter-muncipal agreement that each department has (or should have) with the county.

Example: the county issues the vehicle designations. They have every right to revoke them. In the not to distant past this was done with every ems vehicle in the county and numous fire vehciles. Some departments cried about it but they didn't have a leg to stand on because it's the county that sets forth the policy, just like they can if they want with the usage of their assigned frequencies.

If it wasn't for someone overseeing individual departments, things would be alot worse than it is now.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

First....

COMMON & SENSE are 2 words that don't go together in the fire service.

Second, even if you listen, you may not receive traffic from something going on that isn't being transmitted by a base station or by a base station that isn't pumping out the same wattage as you. Its called cooperation and exactly what you stated HT1250 about being licensed and so forth and basically doing what you want...is exactly what is wrong with this county and why things are the way the are today. In fact its what is basically wrong with numerous fire service issues in NY today.

[Guest WCDES636]

With advance technologies at our fingertips today, no one should have to announce a drill or class or meeting or work detail.

Less radio traffic helps us all. If you have a vehicle going in or out of service.... call 60 Control on the phone ( I know you all have em!)