I currently work on a four man engine where we have two handheld radios. One radio goes to the officer and the other goes to one of the jumpseat firefighters. Our SOP's state that once water supply is established and lines are charged with the appropriate pressures, we will perform tasks such as laddering the building and any other necessary tasks to assist interior crews. If I am not at the pump panel and something would go wrong, I won't know because I don't have a radio to communicate with. I am looking for information that will help me justify a requirement of having a handheld radio for the engineer on each apparatus.
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If you look at a good portion of the NIOSH reports after LODDs, many of them point to each firefighter on the fireground having a portable radio. Some places will issue one or two per crew, but what happens if the crew is somehow separated and one of the FFs without the radio is lost/injured and can't call for help...... Yes, they can still use their PASS, but it is nowhere near as effective as having a radio to call for command.The comments made by me are my opinions only. They DO NOT reflect the opinions of my employer(s). If you have an issue with something I may say, take it up with me, either by posting in the forums, emailing me through my profile, or PMing me through my profile.
We are all adults so there is no need to act like a child........
IACOJ
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Originally posted by malana1 View PostAll of our vehicles have a wireless headset the engineer uses. This allows him to move around the vehicle freely.What if the hokey pokey IS what it's all about?
Apparatus Operator
Salem Fire Department
IAFF Local 314
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Originally posted by malana1 View PostAll of our vehicles have a wireless headset the engineer uses. This allows him to move around the vehicle freely.
I'm with those who say HTs for everyone, but realistically that costs money a department may not have. Besides, such justifications are usually an uphill battle, because there's always more reasons "not to" than to just knuckle up and do it.My opinions might coincide with someone of importance's POV... I wouldn't know, since I never bothered to ask. My policy is: "Don't ask, don't care."
IACOJ--West Coast PITA
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Right now I have both engines and the tanker setup with a portable for each seat and a portable with a headset for the driver/engineer/pump operator/whatever name this week. The rescue has one for each seat and the driver. Brush truck has one for both of the seats.
So yea, I guess we were blessed enough to get this by the town board of finance.Even the burger-flippers at McDonald's probably have some McWackers.
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Originally posted by grains View PostVery interesting. Care to share with us what brand and how well it performs?
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Thanks for all the information. I will look through the NIOSH reports, but I think I will need more than that for justification. I belong to a fire department that will make purchases as long as you can justify the purchase. We do have headsets for the engineers, but our SOP's state that while we are pumping we have to leave the pump panel to perform other tasks. The wireless headsets are a great idea, but they don't have the reach that is needed when we have to leave the apparatus, therefore making communication impossible. Does anyone have any more justification to support requiring each apparatus to have a handheld radio for their engineer?
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Originally posted by EngineC02 View PostI currently work on a four man engine where we have two handheld radios. One radio goes to the officer and the other goes to one of the jumpseat firefighters. Our SOP's state that once water supply is established and lines are charged with the appropriate pressures, we will perform tasks such as laddering the building and any other necessary tasks to assist interior crews. If I am not at the pump panel and something would go wrong, I won't know because I don't have a radio to communicate with. I am looking for information that will help me justify a requirement of having a handheld radio for the engineer on each apparatus.
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Just wondering....
Even in this day and age of minimum staffing and limited man power, I question the wisdom and safety of having the engineer of the attack engine more than a few steps from the pump panel. Too much can go wrong in a split second to assign the "working engine's" operator much out of arms reach of the panel. The engineers of the "nonworking" engines (2nd and 3rd due) I can see having assignments of other fireground activities, but not the one "pumping the fire" as we call it here. IMHO and for what it's worth, some command officer needs to rethink that one.
Pray for the dead, fight like hell for the living! - Mother Jones
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Originally posted by nmfire View PostRight now I have both engines and the tanker setup with a portable for each seat and a portable with a headset for the driver/engineer/pump operator/whatever name this week. The rescue has one for each seat and the driver. Brush truck has one for both of the seats.
So yea, I guess we were blessed enough to get this by the town board of finance.IACOJ - Senior Jake
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A hand held is a MUST for the Driver. Many departments, like mine, are severarly understaffed. The days of the driver only standing by the truck are long gone. We need to set up PPV, throw Egress ladders to the second floor, place tools in staging. change airbottles, ect.
Oh ya. I have two portables. My personal one I keep in my coat for the few times I get to play nozzle jockey. And the other one is assigned to my engine. It has a removable headset which is great for fire scenes. It give me the ability to complete the other tasks on the fire ground without missing valuable information like "WE NEED MORE PRESSURE".
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Originally posted by herbroberson View PostEven in this day and age of minimum staffing and limited man power, I question the wisdom and safety of having the engineer of the attack engine more than a few steps from the pump panel. Too much can go wrong in a split second to assign the "working engine's" operator much out of arms reach of the panel. The engineers of the "nonworking" engines (2nd and 3rd due) I can see having assignments of other fireground activities, but not the one "pumping the fire" as we call it here. IMHO and for what it's worth, some command officer needs to rethink that one.
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