MARLBOROUGH – The Marlborough Fire Department has started placing a new radio system as part of the public safety communications system upgrade approved last year.
Previously, there was a radio for every position on the trucks. The new system will give every firefighter an assigned radio with their name and radio designation, and the mobile radios in the fire trucks have all been replaced.
According to Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Emanuelson, “each firefighter having their own assigned radio makes it easier to keep track of who is making the radio call.”
Prior to the issuance of the new radios, the fire alarm dispatcher would have to look at the radio identifier — for example, Engine 101, the radio assigned to the driver of the truck – and cross reference it with the personnel roster.
“With the new system, the radio identifier and firefighter’s name is automatically displayed on the screen. This is important, especially when a firefighter finds a victim, sees fire conditions worsening or if a firefighter becomes disoriented or suffers an injury while fighting a fire,” Emanuelson said.
Emanualson also said that the radios have communications capabilities on multiple radio channels, including all of Fire District 14’s mutual aid communities and statewide channels in case Marlborough gets activated as part of the Statewide Fire Mobilization Plan.
“They can be reprogrammed as the need arises,” he said. “The key is interoperability and working with multiple public safety agencies.”
The new radios are only part of the public safety communications upgrade.
The radio repeaters — transmission stations that boost the radio signals — and the antenna systems at the fire stations and the police station are all being upgraded and will be transmitting radio signals and data on digital frequencies.
Emanuelson said, “People will still be able to listen to police and fire operations on the Broadcastify app. Links to the app will be on the Marlborough Fire Department’s website once we go digital in the fall of 2024. Of course, some radio channels will be encrypted to protect sensitive information.”
In addition to the radio system, a new dispatch/fire reporting/records management system was implemented on Feb. 12. This system, from Alpine Red MNX, incorporates message boards in all three stations and to the mobile data tablets in the trucks.
Once dispatch enters the address into the system, the pertinent information regarding to the call, such as responding apparatus, nature of the call, priority level, address, contact information for responsible parties, fire alarm panel and fire department connection locations, hydrant locations, utility shutoffs, hazardous materials on site, incident reports and contact information can be started and updated.
“This new system makes things easier to edit, add information and keep track of equipment, maintenance and such,” Emanuelson stated.
