YORK, Pa. -- Firefighters who responded to the scene of an East Manchester Township blaze Wednesday afternoon encountered communication problems.
Chief Ryan Brenneman with Eagle Fire Company in Mount Wolf said they lost radio communication while about six firefighters were inside the home in the 900 block of Second Street.
And Brenneman said, as the incident commander, he had trouble communicating with York County 911 -- even though he was standing outside the scene of the fire, in the middle of a street.
"This is just the latest problem in a long series of problems. ...If we can't communicate with our firefighters, it's a safety issue for us," Brenneman said.
Some York County emergency responders have said they've been dealing with radio communication glitches since the county switched from an analog system to a digital one several years ago.
Eric Bistline, executive director of the county's Department of Emergency Services, said the home where firefighters responded to Wednesday is an area near the Susquehanna River, where the terrain drops off.
"They do have areas down there where we have sporadic coverage," Bistline said.
He said the York County 911 system exceeds the goal of providing 95 percent coverage in 95 percent of the county.
"No vendor will sign up for 100 percent coverage," Bistline said. "We have excellent coverage here, but we do have some areas that create a challenge."
Bistline said the county recommends that most emergency responders at a scene should switch from the main system to a "talk-around" system, which he said allows the radio units to operate like walkie-talkies for upwards of a mile.
In that situation, Bistline said the incident commander would remain on the main system to keep in touch with those not at the scene.
"It's up to the incident commander to monitor that radio traffic and get them the additional resources that they need," Bistline said.
Bistline acknowledged that Brenneman, as the incident commander, reported problems communicating with York County 911 on the main system.
But Bistline said with digital technology, communication can sometimes be restored by moving a small distance.
"Sometimes all you have to do is move five feet," Bistline said.
Brenneman said it's a challenge for firefighters, wearing gear and thick gloves, to switch radio systems at the scene of a blaze. And he said it's inefficient for the incident commander to be using different systems at a scene. But he said he's willing to do it, even if "it takes a $3,200 radio and turns it into a $50 walkie-talkie."
Still, he said that doesn't resolve the issue of an incident commander losing communication with those away from the scene.
"We have reported this issue numerous times. ... There's been no progress as far as addressing the safety concern for us," he said.
Copyright 2012 - York Daily Record, Pa.
McClatchy-Tirbune News Service
