Communications Issues Endanger Firefighters.

This article highlights the importance of communications on the fireground for both the safety of firefighters and successful fire operations. Different agencies with different radio frequencies on the same fireground is the recipe for disaster. Since this issue can be anticipated, solutions need to be implemented. Having all on the same system is ideal and should be worked toward. Having the technology to patch the frequencies together would also work. Even providing home team radios to the visiting departments can also work. It should be unacceptable for fire departments to be working on the same incident without the ability to readily communicate with each other.

This situation also highlights the need for redundancy especially in safety systems. Firefighter in the IDLH who could not communicate by radio heard the air horns sounding the evacuation tone and exited the building. This low-tech system has great reliability. They should consider using a long blast for the signal. Multiple short blasts may sound like a responding vehicle.

Allan

From
http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20120809/NEWS01/208090301/Communications-issues-endanger-firefighters-Blackwater-Road-blaze?nclick_check=1

Written by


Jona Ison

Gazette Staff Writer

CHILLICOTHE -- Part of the communications problems that led to a close call for four firefighters at a Blackwater Road fire Tuesday night has been fixed.


Green Township Fire Chief Terry French said B&C Communications was at the station Wednesday and fixed programming issues with the rescue vehicle, but still needs to assess and fix the problem with the engine radios. However, he said neither fix will correct a cross-patch issue or address what he thinks is the root of the problem -- the fact there were three different radio systems in use by departments from three counties.


The situation began when a passerby alerted James D. Hamlet Jr. that the home at 2260 Blackwater Road was on fire about 8:20 p.m. Hamlet said his brother, Ray Hamlet, owns the home and had left about 10 minutes before to pick up a pizza in Circleville.


"I was in the TV room, and I heard the pop and crackles, but it didn't register it was fire," he said, adding he never smelled smoke.


Hamlet said he went back into the home several times, first to get a cellphone to call 911 and then to get shoes.


"I tried to go back in a fourth time. That's when I couldn't see anything, and I thought, 'I don't need my body here when I should be out there.'" Hamlet said.


French said the home's roof was engulfed when firefighters arrived at 8:31 p.m., nine minutes after being dispatched, according to Ross County Sheriff's Office records.


Crews from Colerain, Springfield, Pickaway, Laurelville and Tarlton responded, as did Box 65, a rehab team from the Circleville Fire Department, and the American Red Cross.


Because there were different radio communications systems being used from three counties, French said there were multiple issues with communication throughout the fire. Fire officials tried to use a cross patch from Ross County and another from Pickaway County, as well as two tactical channels, to keep firefighters talking to each other, but they were overloaded and kept failing, he added. Many times, they were left trying to use hand signals to communicate.


"We had four firefighters in the upstairs, and the fire rolled over and trapped them," French said. "We were fortunate to get them out."


The firefighters had been unable to hear any radio communications while in the home and only realized they were in trouble when they heard three short blasts from the fire truck, signaling that the structure was unsafe and needed to be abandoned, French said. Other firefighters helped guide them out, because the fire had blocked their intended exit.


French said one pair of firefighters included a husband and wife from Colerain Township's department, while the other two were from either Laurelville or Tarlton.


"This is my 14th year as chief, and I've never had anybody die in a fire, but I was close last night," French said.


French referenced the communications snafu as being similar to what happened at New York City's Ground Zero on Sept. 11, 2001, when firefighters and police had problems talking to each other because they were on different radio systems.


The state has been encouraging agencies across the state to abandon their individual communications systems -- there are about 1,300 different systems across the state -- and join the Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS).


Agencies on MARCS should be able to communicate with each other no matter where they are in the state. Gov. John Kasich and the General Assembly recently allocated $90 million to upgrade MARCS so more agencies can subscribe.


The state has suggested now is a good time for agencies to look to switching to MARCS, since the Federal Communication Commission has required radio systems to be upgraded to a narrow-band transmission. Locally, townships have instead been spending money for new narrow-band transmission radios and pagers to comply with FCC's mandate.


Springfield Township Fire Chief Tim Karshner was frustrated Tuesday night because his new pager and radio -- his department recently spent about $15,000 on the new equipment -- never received the tones or the message for the fire. Luckily, enough volunteers did hear the call and were on scene within 17 minutes of being dispatched, according to the sheriff's office log.


"There was a lot of experiences with radio problems. Whatever is going on needs to be fixed in a hurry," Karshner said. "We just can't have these kinds of problems with communications."


French thinks the fix would be for the townships to move onto MARCS like Chillicothe fire and police departments did with the help of grants last year.


"I think the commissioners need to appoint somebody to explore the possibility of upgrading to MARCS," French said.


Commissioner Doug Corcoran said the panel discussed possibly moving onto the MARCS system a few years ago, but didn't do an in-depth review of it.


"The cost to use it was going to be cost prohibitive," Corcoran recalled of the discussion.


While the townships have spent money for new radios and pagers -- an overall figure was not available Wednesday -- Corcoran said that was a one-time expense as opposed to recurring subscription fees for MARCS.


Agencies on MARCS purchase the radios and then pay $20 per month per radio on the system. Annual fees for Chillicothe fire and police combined total $28,800, according to Chillicothe Auditor Tom Spetnagel.


Ross County also has one of 11 special communications vehicles in Ohio that can patch communications for all frequencies in the area, said Sheriff George Lavender.


"All any agency has to do is ask for it, and we'll send it," Lavender said, adding it doesn't have to be a widespread emergency. "Any general fire scene, if they're having communications issues, we'll send it. We can marry up the systems."


French said he opted not to call for the vehicle.


"We did not call for them due to the fact they were tied up at the fairgrounds with their manpower (issue). I didn't feel the need to have it there," French said.


Lavender said the vehicle is stored at the fairgrounds and since the Ross County Fair is going on this week, they had personnel at the fairgrounds who could have responded quicker than usual with the vehicle. Even so, French said it's not something that should be relied upon.


"I don't think we want to get into a habit of relying on that all the time as a fire department," he said, adding he feels MARCS is the better answer. "I realize it's going to be a substantial cost, but there's several counties that have switched. We need to pursue that."


While the fire has left French focused on communications among departments, the State Fire Marshal's Office is still investigating a cause, which is believed to have begun in the upper part of the house above the kitchen, according to French.


"I had flashing lights in the kitchen, but it didn't happen every day," Ray Hamlet said, adding he wasn't sure if that contributed to the fire, but he made sure investigators were aware.


Fire marshal public information officer Shane Cartmill expects it will be a few days before a determination of the fire's cause is made.


French estimated the loss of the home and contents at between $450,000 and $500,000. Ray Hamlet said although he has insurance, he did not have his collectibles insured.


He and his wife plan to stay with his brother and are being assisted by the Red Cross.