Last month the Whitesboro Fire Department installed portable repeater systems in each of its two new ambulances.
The repeater system enhances the communication capabilities of the ambulances by allowing the hand-held radios carried by the EMS crews to speak directly to the Whitesboro dispatchers in areas formerly out of communication reach.
Many areas frequented by the ambulances, such as Sherwood Shores, Gordonville, Cooke County, Southmayd and Sherman, required the EMS crews to return to the ambulance to speak from the more powerful mobile radio mounted in the ambulances. This was not only an inconvenience for the EMS crews on scene, but it was a safety issue, and one that could potentially impact the smooth delivery of patient care.
For example, if EMS crews walked into a situation where they needed additional first responders to assist on the scene of a medical emergency in one of these more distant areas, a crew member would have to run back to the ambulance and alert dispatch. Likewise, if the scene became unsafe and law enforcement was needed, EMS crews would have to get back to the ambulance to alert dispatch to the situation.
The further the ambulances responded out of Whitesboro, the fainter the transmission was from the hand-held radios trying to speak to dispatch or other incoming units. With cell phone signals spotty in many areas, and cell phones in general not being effective when speaking to multiple units at a time, a solution was needed to improve communication.
The same repeater system was previously installed on the two Chiefs’ vehicles and successfully bridged the communication gap between the emergency scene and the dispatch center in Whitesboro. The decision was made to pursue the repeaters as well as four new digital hand-held radios that would expand the frequencies available for the EMS crews to utilize.
The expense was not in the operating budget, so rather than seek additional funding from the city, the fire department decided to investigate the possibility of obtaining a grant to fund the improvement. They applied for a grant through The Oliver Dewey Mayor Foundation last September and were selected to receive almost $16,000 to cover the cost of the new repeaters and radios. The radios and repeaters took several months to arrive, but were quickly installed, programmed and put into service.
Assistant Chief Jeff Patterson worked behind the scenes to orchestrate the project.
“The safety and well-being of our staff members is very important,” Patterson said. “Enhancements like this radio equipment is vital to our continued success. We greatly appreciate organizations like The Oliver Dewey Mayor Foundation that make additional funding available.”
Source: Whitesboro Fire Department