Bucket Of Pain Pills

 

by The Sage

 

 

What do you think? Pacific Bell is donating 10,000 (probably discontinued) telephones to California schools so they can have a link to public safety agencies during an emergency. How odd is this? First, they're no doubt taking a tax deduction for the donation, which I figure will be based on the full retail price of the phones, even though they're giving these phones away to those who sign up for a year. So figure at least a million dollar tax break. Second, even based on a wholesale price of $49 a phone, they're handing out almost $500,000 worth of merchandise, yet they continue to whine about how to recover their Phase I and II wireless 911 costs! And lastly, the phones will only create more calls at overburdened comm centers, and probably non-emergencies. But since all this is cloaked with "the safety of our children," no one has taken on the question of their sincerity of telephone companies across the country that are doing this. OK. Now I have.

Dear Sage,
You've talked about scannerists before. What do you think-help or hindrance?
Bearcat

Dear B.,
Well, my disclaimer is that I once got busted by the police for having a mobile scanner in my car parked outside my high school a few years back, in a state where mobile scanning isn't legal. No handcuffs, but I was traumatized! If anything, they're misunderstood. I've contended that relatively few incidents occur where crooks are caught with scanners (OK, I know. If they had a scanner, they wouldn't be caught!). And there are lots of positive uses of them by citizens using them to stay informed. Just never under-estimate the seriousness of their listening. For example, some long e-mail from a scannerist in Austin who knows the terminology, the radio patter, the procedures and more! His latest effort is to have APD dispatchers use the inter-city 155.37 MHz frequency to better coordinate inter-county incidents. On the other hand, the APD vice cops are using a city-wide frequency to coordinate a small-area prostitution sting, that could have been better handled on a low-power frequency. Hey, this guy even knows that George W. Bush is designated Unit 3 by the Department of Public Safety unit that protects him, that Mrs. Bush is 333, the girls are 3A and 3B, and the dog is 3D. Yikes! Anyone need a radio system coordinator?
Sage

Note to myself: In answer to my own question last month, Australia has the same wireless 911 problem that will soon occur here-if a caller dials 911 and the system completes the call using the strongest signal, but not the caller's subscribed carrier, their dispatchers can't call the person back-you reach a recording that they're not available, of course. Well, nice to know we're all in a bind on this one!

Dear Sage,
I work in a central dispatch center in Illinois. We are currently working a 6-2 schedule, six days on and two off with every fifth and sixth weekend off. We have been trying to get a 6-3 schedule like the patrolmen, but have been told it is against labor regulations if we are not sworn officers to work such a schedule. Do you know of any police departments in the U.S. that have sworn dispatchers, without guntoting privileges, of course. Any help would be appreciated. We are in contract negotiations now.
BHL

Dear BHL,
Actually, there are lots of agencies that use sworn officers as dispatchers, most in the east (hey, Baltimore PD uses officers to handle 311 calls!). But that's not the issue. You're really focusing on the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that provides an exemption to the 40-hour rules for sworn law enforcement officers, no matter what assignment they're in. The DOL, I believe, just extended the exemption to firefighters, too. Obviously, the exemption was allowed to promote the public safety, not provide a "neat" schedule with lots of time off. On the other hand, many now say it's time dispatchers had the same exemption to allow more staffing flexibility. I've not heard any national group stand up for this position, so you'll likely be stuck with your 6-2 configuration.
Sage

Note to Fulton County (Geo.) dispatchers: Will the last one of you please turn out the lights when you leave? They're authorized 108 positions, but-gulp!-are down to 58 dispatchers, and working 12-hour shifts. What's the problem? Like many other comm centers, money. If other agencies are paying more, and private companies are handing out perks, what's the draw?

Hey, am I the only person to notice thiscross-over? In the latest conference brochure for NENA, they mention it will include "public safety radio issues." Now check out APCO's long-range strategic plan, Goal #4: "Promote, preserve and enhance implementation, operations and management of 9-1-1 systems and 9-1-1 centers." APCO is even looking to hire a director of 9-1-1 services. Now, if America's 911 association is taking on radio, and America's radio association is taking on 9-1-1, what do we end up with? Yup, that's righttwo 911 and radio associations. Now, what was that business about a "closer affiliation?"

Oh gosh, it may be my last!