Remember the basics
Chester County in southeastern Pennsylvania is in the final stages of transitioning to an E. F. Johnson 800MHz Multi-Net emergency services voice radio system. Although the county’s integrated emergency communications architecture has other important systems, the voice radio has been the most visible. Here are some observations (from my experience) that may be useful to others about to embark on such an endeavor.
Vision, goals and objectives
It was important to remember what we were trying to do. Fundamentally, the county required a voice radio system with coverage in additional areas, less interference than the existing VHF radios, and compatibility with other parts of an integrated communications system that could accommodate growth.
We needed to guard against the “capability creep” from various quarters — however well-intentioned — recommending additional features that, although laudable, exceeded the project vision and design goals. Rather than simply dismiss these ideas, we have kept a catalog and will conduct an appropriate cost vs. benefit analysis later to determine what additional features are appropriate.
Customer focus
With the emphasis on quality in the past few years, customer focus might seem too obvious to mention. Customer focus is especially important in a county communications center where independent customers include 44 municipal police departments, 57 fire departments and 27 emergency medical service organizations.
When thinking of customers for the radio system, don’t forget the dispatchers on the other end of the line to emergency responders in the field. Our customers — the field responders and the dispatchers — are the teams that ensure that citizens in distress get appropriate help quickly and efficiently. Our customers have many critical tasks to perform, sometimes under stressful conditions. Their loud-and-clear message to us was that effective, reliable, clear and easy-to-use communications tools are critical to their safety and success.
Teamwork
Once again, teamwork is so obvious and so critical. At the foundation of our team is a close liaison with the chief officers of the county police, fire and EMS organizations. I meet with each group monthly to provide updates and to receive their feedback on system performance. My operations deputy meets with dispatch supervisors weekly. The contractors are in the loop with daily individual contact and a weekly progress meeting with minutes and action items, so we keep focused on the evolving big picture. An outside consulting engineer provides critical technical oversight.
Robust technology
Component failure is a fact of life. Yet single-component failure cannot be permitted to bring down an entire system. Our mitigation approach was the use of robust and redundant systems all the way from dedicated back-up generators through inherent system back-ups that are regularly exercised to alternate systems such as pagers and mobile data systems. The back-ups may not be as elegant as the main system, but they ensure the provision of emergency service to citizens in need.
Training
One of our most challenging, yet ultimately most fulfilling, activities was training. When an organization was ready to make the switch to the new system, the county conducted as much training as the chief officer desired. The goal was to ensure that the organization was ready for the migration from basic, separate-system radios to the feature-rich environment of a trunked, simulcast, interdisciplinary system. We offer follow-up continuation training, and we have provided every chief officer with radio lesson plans for use in annual training.
Among the numerous elements that shape successful communications, these basics seem to have had the most effect on our project.
Atkins is director of the Chester County Department of Emergency Services in West Chester, PA.
