NY emergency radio network fails first major test
$2 billion doesn't buy much these days
A $2 BILLION installed radio network intended to connect emergency responders throughout the New York state failed its first major test.
This all sounds a lot like 9/11's radio fiasco shown in Robert Greenwald's film about how poorly Motorola's radios worked during the infamous Twin Towers disaster in New York City.
Think light bulb turning on over the heads of Buffalo NY city fathers. They quickly chose to opt out of the system following what officials said were problems so severe that radios did not work in about half of the state's second largest city.
Buffalo Fire Commissioner Michel Lombardo said, "West of the centre of the city we had zero reception.” In the areas that did receive reception," he added, "it sounded like a guy was talking in a tin can." Buffalo now intends to upgrade its own radio system, Lombardo said.
M/A-Com, a division of Tyco International - $34 billion in revenue, 118,000 employee - was awarded the contract to build an improved network of wireless transmission towers to allow the state's police, fire and emergency personnel to communicate.
Michael A. L. Balboni, NY state deputy secretary for public safety, said: "If those glitches are still present when the system is presented to the state for acceptance and payment, that will be a very large concern."
Michael R. Summers, president of the union representing sheriff's deputies in Erie County, was also critical of the new system. "There were spots where we could not communicate with each other," he said. "We would move 10 feet up the road, and it would work."
M/A-Com officials claimed they were working to address the problems. µ
Comments
Cell Phones?
There is probably a very good reason why they can't just use the existing cell phone network augmented with some portable base stations bolted to the backs of fire engines to cope with widespread power failures.Wonder what the reason is...
What do you expect
NY is run by a bunch of socialist wannabe liberals who excel in wasting the peoples money all in the name of we want to help you whether you like it or not.It's the same elitists who put forth idiotic bills such as requiring your dog to wear a seat belt and many others just as dumb and almost always wanting more money for their social programs.
Regulas
Readers that can't communicate
Regulas...thou art surely an idiot.New York City runs NY state. New York City is the center of international finance. Most major corporations have a major presence in the big Apple. It's the seat of commerce for America and a shining beacon to capitalism worldwide. Hence it was the target for a buncha raving lunatics, hence the need for this radio network. To use your logic, it seems the corporations of NY City can't protect themselves. Liberals might actually believe in something more advanced than Marconi's transmitter.
Just Wondering
Maybe the failure is justa "New York State of Mind"
Emergency communications for the entire country are already in place
People! We already have an emergency communications network that has been around for years. It's called Amateur radio or "ham radio". The ability of hams to provide emergency communications in times of disaster is the primary reason the FCC allows the service to exist. When all else fails, ham radio is there. Just ask some of the people whose lives were saved by it in the Katrina disaster.