Should fire explorers have scanners/pagers

[winfire]

Put you input on the subject of scanners for fire explorers

[backdraft663]

Well if your Department has enough, I dont see a reason why you shouldnt have one, thats if it says otherwise in your SOP book. When I first joined our department I only had a alpha pager then finally got a minitor, you didnt see me complain about it. How are we suppost to get our training if we are unaware when there are calls, isnt this why we all are explorers,cadets,juniors, arnt we here to get our training to be the best damn firefighters out there? So I say if its not against your Departments Regulations Pass em' out.

R. Malott

[emtbff927]

I agree with backdraft. Another benefit of the scanners is that they allow for the explorer or newbie to learn different radio transmissions in certain situations (like what the firefighters/IC communicate do dispatch and each other etc...)
But...I believe that a scanner is earned. an alpha-pager is best at first, then a scanner.

[nmfire]

I suggest making use of the SEARCH function or scroll down a page or two in threads. Then, you can see the other 50,000 threads with almost the exact same title that have been beaten to death also.

[arazzaia]

explorers in valdez alaska have motorola pagers and we love them we live in a small town so we dont get a lot of calls so we need to take all the calls we can get

[explr985]

Arazzaia, you are aware that all of your post are one run-on sentences right? I’m not trying to bash you but it takes me near five minutes to figure out what you are trying to say, just use proper grammar and punctuation. It makes you look more mature and legitimate.

[FDNY101TRUCK]

I've never heard of a Fire Dept dictating whether you can have a scanner or not. And plus I dont see why they would oppose juniors having a scanner.

[historyjunkie]

explr985...

I always say if, I were meant to spell and write grammatically sound... I'd have become an English Professor instead. But since I didn't, I won't correct anyone else. No matter how obvious the error is.

[stm4710]

I've never heard of a Fire Dept dictating whether you can have a scanner or not. And plus I dont see why they would oppose juniors having a scanner.

It is illegal for a fire department,police department to tell you can not own a scanner.

[historyjunkie]

Unless you're using it for illegal purposes. Using it to monitor wireless phone conversations and Cell Phones, is in fact, illegal. In which case, it could be confinscated by law enforcement. But that wouldn't stop you from buying a new one and doing it again.

[sh0rd87]

If you can't go to calls and just train at your fire dept I don't think you should get a pager. If you respond to calls you should maybe get a pager. You should earn it! Probbies dont need one. focus more on your training right now instead of running to calls. When you are done being a probbie and earned it then you should get a pager. Thats what I think. How do you guys feel about that?

[stm4710]

Unless you're using it for illegal purposes. Using it to monitor wireless phone conversations and Cell Phones, is in fact, illegal.

So its ok for me to own a gun but I cant shoot people????????

[SAFD46Truck]

Originally posted by stm4710
So its ok for me to own a gun but I cant shoot people????????

-what is the relevance of that statement?

[nmfire]

Originally posted by stm4710
So its ok for me to own a gun but I cant shoot people????????

What prey-tell does that have to do with anything? There is a big difference between owning a gun and owning a scanner. Anyone of any age can buy a scanner and listen to anything they want as long as it isn't cell phones or encrypted traffic.

[Jun18ior]

I think we need to distinguish between scanner and pager. Anyone can own a scanner, wheter its Joe Junior or Joe Civilian. My company issues nothing to cadets (14-16) because they can't ride apparatus with the exception of drill situations. Juniors (16-18) are issued Minitor II's, and regular members (18+) are issued Minitor III's. I definately think that junior members/explorers should be issued an alerting device, whether its a tone pager, alpha pager, or plectron, anything that alerts them to a call. Drills and classes can teach you a lot, but being able to use the skills learned in the right situations can only be taught on actual incidents.

[historyjunkie]

If you must own something that "pages", then you can buy a commercial scanner, and have it altered. There is a little microchip and programming package that can be added to bearcat scanners that allows you to set PL's, and recieve pages. Same as if it were a mobile radio. My main scanner in the house is programmed to page w/ our tones on Three frequencies; One Fire Freq. for our county; one fire Freq. for the 2nd dispatching county; and one on Med 9. So no matter if the dispatcher puts them out on the wrong channel, I hear it. Don't know if that'll work on portable scanners, but I'm sure you can monitor your freq. w/ no trouble. About 40-70 dollars at Radio Shack. Also, try eBay, maybe you can buy a cheap pager w/ a chip for your freq.

[stm4710]

what is the relevance of that statement?

Its relevance is pure sarcasm to this obvious statement.

Unless you're using it for illegal purposes.Using it to monitor wireless phone conversations and Cell Phones, is in fact, illegal.

P.S Tune to the MBTA Engineering Freq. of 49.90 and you can hear cordless phones easily and with out modifcation! I had it in with the AAR channel's and wonderd what the heck "Hey baby where is my alabama black snake" had to do with track maitnence........

[GFDSlappyRob]

I beleive they should have them only if they earn em'. Our Chief,Dep. Chief,and Captain of the explorer post have them . So far those are the only ones that have em'. All the explorer would have them if we had money and if the dept. had enough mintor II's to give out. We are in the process of getting Minitor IV's and starting to wean out the MIntor II's and III's.Yeah I am firm believer that the explorers should be get them, but only if they have earned them.My two cent again

[WestsideEngCo1]

If you can respond, sure you can have one... If you can't theres really no need for one.

[EdwardM]

Yes i think JR firefighters should get to have pagers. Right now i just joined a volunteer firefighter squad and i dont have one right now because they have no more to give out. So i am going to buy my own scanner. Around here pagers are about $400. but i do think Jr firefighters should get pagers.