Amateur radio can be a valuable backup for Fire, EMS, and Police communications systems. There are occasional Simulated Emergency Tests preformed to uncover deficiencies in primary systems and once uncovered, these need to be addressed. Our Cities and County bought a radio communications system with Aegis Encryption, Provoice Digital Clear Voice and Mobile Data Terminals, and is intended to provide 95% in building hand held coverage throughout the county. Many of the 5,000 some odd radios in the system have mobile data terminals for very sensitive communications. - Medical issues, fatalities, etc.
Citizens health matters are confidential. HIPPA laws require patient confidentiality and radio systems take action to secure patient information. These are the rules that governments have to play by. It is the responsibility of the governing bodies to provide, Fire, EMS and Police, services and support communications in an effective manner. This would include the dispatch center and comm system infrastructure. Amateur radio is not, and should not be the first line of communications in a functioning public safety communications system, paid or volunteer. This said, the trained professionals who risk their health and safety should be provided with effective communications systems as part of their duty gear. Take a moment of silence here for the fire fighters who just lost their lives fighting a warehouse fire.... Amateur radio's involvement is to provide backup communications in the event of a failure of normal communications circuits, and anything goes when life and property are in imminent danger. Emergency communications are not day to day activities for amateur radio operators, but rather, rare circumstances where extra help is needed and requested by the governing bodies. It should be a rare thing for amateur radio operators to provide communications for a fire department, ems provider, or search and rescue team, and in those rare instances where amateur radio needs to be called into the picture, the imminent danger to life and property clause should indemnify the amateur radio operators who due to lack of training transmit confidential patient information over the air using amateur radio facilities. By training I am referring to use of non patient specific terms, ie, Patient number 1 has the following, Patient number 2, etc (messages relayed using amateur radio from paramedics to a medical control facility). This is only in the rare event and extenuating circumstances where any of this type of communication is carried by amateur radio in the first place, and where normal communications are not effective. If amateur radio operators are routinely providing communications services for Fire, EMS, Search and Rescue, and Police then something is wrong. In the rare event amateur radio is used, then secure communications should not matter because of the life and property in imminent danger part when other normal facilities will not work. Finally, when the event if finished, then a full evaluation of what broke down in the normal communications system should be conducted, and deficiencies noted and corrected. Even the ARRL uses the term "When All Else Fails". Providing radio communications for parades, fun runs, marathons, weather nets, Field Day and so forth are great core projects that amateur radio operators can participate in and really shine. Isn't it time to get back to amateur radio and let the professional Fire, EMS and Police folks do their jobs, and we as hams, enjoy amateur radio, including: all five parts of our purpose of being.....digital, linear or otherwise, "The rules and regulations in this Part are designed to provide an amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as expressed in the following principles: (a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications. (b) Continuation and extension of the amateur's proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art. (c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communications and technical phases of the art. (d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts. (e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability to enhance international goodwill." (wonder if any one is more important than the next)? Anyhow, that's my opinion, and with another 42 cents will get you a senior coffee at McDonalds in Temple, Texas with the ham crew - donuts on Fridays, 73, Steve NU5D
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