Just last year, our investigators uncovered communications issues in the Euclid Fire Department where "dead spots" in buildings made it difficult for firefighters. Now, it seems a work-around is helping.
It's been a process for the fire department to figure out a new system and test various areas in the city.
"When we initially switched over to the new radio system, we did find some in-building coverage issues," said Euclid Fire Chief Chris Haddock.
We were there in July, stepping along with Euclid Fire Administration as they checked their radios in stairwells, garages, and hallways of high rise buildings. After collecting months of data, valuable information was gathered.
“There's always going to be just some spots that we know we won't be able to communicate in so, we're aware of those," said Haddock.
One solution is a mobile repeater that can go to the scene and make sure the radios work in the toughest of areas in Euclid. "And those dead spots, when we push the emergency button that works that overpowers everything."
Haddock said the mobile repeater has greatly assisted his staff and there's now some consideration of buying additional units to help communication even further. "The bottom line...we need to have great communication and we have the mechanisms in place to ensure that."
Grant money helped pay for some new radios and the chief’s confidence now in the system is "100 percent and if there was any doubt in my mind that we shouldn't use it, we wouldn't."
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