Ambos to encrypt

[JAFO]

Sorry Guys,

But at the end of the day our radio networks have always raised issues over privacy provisions for those people who we assist or deal with – Ambo’s, Police and Firefighters all included, and even for me as a firefighter I know every time I attend a house fire or MVA people in the street will come out to have a look at what is going on, that’s just curiosity and I can deal with that.

But when you know people like us, people with scanners will travel 10, 20 even 30 klm’s to just have a look, and there are many people like that out there, those are the type of people that I as a firefighter don’t need and should not have to deal with at an everyday house fire or MVA, so when the NSWFB rolls out the MDT’s across the whole Brigade or if they chose to go encrypted, then yes I will lose one more little piece of interesting radio listening but the benefit it will bring to others like me at incidents, well it is evident today with the time delay it takes Tow Trucks to get to some MVA’s, just makes our jobs just that little more easier.

[criten]

But when you know people like us, people with scanners will travel 10, 20 even 30 klm’s to just have a look, and there are many people like that out there, those are the type of people that I as a firefighter don’t need and should not have to deal with at an everyday house fire or MVA

Sadly these types of people ruin it for everyone. To be honest I only scan for information about whats going on in the area. Never have been a sightseer, I've seen plenty of fires and MVAs from living my normal life. I think its very unethical and unfair to give the EMS further crowd control duties.

Some gas leaks in town some time ago the scanner proved its worth... my work was evacuated so I went home and listened to the scanner for the all clear until I could return. Or knowing about road closures so I know to avoid those stretches of road. The only real type of sightseeing I do is spotting helicopters - hard to get in their way, I tell you! It'll be sad to lose MRU scanning.

[centralcoastscanman]

Sorry Guys,

But at the end of the day our radio networks have always raised issues over privacy provisions for those people who we assist or deal with – Ambo’s, Police and Firefighters all included, and even for me as a firefighter I know every time I attend a house fire or MVA people in the street will come out to have a look at what is going on, that’s just curiosity and I can deal with that.

But when you know people like us, people with scanners will travel 10, 20 even 30 klm’s to just have a look, and there are many people like that out there, those are the type of people that I as a firefighter don’t need and should not have to deal with at an everyday house fire or MVA, so when the NSWFB rolls out the MDT’s across the whole Brigade or if they chose to go encrypted, then yes I will lose one more little piece of interesting radio listening but the benefit it will bring to others like me at incidents, well it is evident today with the time delay it takes Tow Trucks to get to some MVA’s, just makes our jobs just that little more easier.

Grant,

If NSWFB roll out MDT's there will be no confidential information passed over their air anyway, so it negates the need for encryption to stop those ambo/fire/police chasers causing problems...
If NSWFB were not going to look at MDT's then yeah i'd say encrypt away...

[Bigfella237]

With everything else an SO has to do at an incident, can you really see them having to sit in the truck for 5 or 10 minutes typing a stop message into a MDT as well? Next they'll have them carrying brigade i-phones and typing sitreps from inside buildings!

Live streaming video sitreps... now there's an idea

[Longreach]

another state govenment joke, there obsessed with encryption.
notice too it will probably be before march so they can beat there chest over it.
cant wait to see the RTA oscar crews head down the encryption road too.
Matt

[centralcoastscanman]

well i never said they would send stop messages via MDT...

I'd imagine Fire Calls would be done via MDT but stop messages, white, blue or red would be sent via radio

[soupbones]

Ambulance chasers = dickheads.
Nothing more to say there.
Privacy is the future, unfortunately for those who are sensible enough to monitor from home. You can bet the NSWFB will have encryption next year, just like the ambo's are going too.

[centralcoastscanman]

yeah i agree with your comments soupbones...

[ivahri]

Ambulance chasers = dickheads.
Nothing more to say there.
Privacy is the future, unfortunately for those who are sensible enough to monitor from home. You can bet the NSWFB will have encryption next year, just like the ambo's are going too.

I assume this is a wind up because if you know something that I don't know I'd appreciate someone letting me know... since I write the profiles! One big snag to your bet- the new XTS5000s are NOT fitted with encryption so unless (a) newer radios are bought to replace the radios just being rolled out or (b) the handhelds are left isolated from the rest of the fleet, then you are going to lose your bet. Having fielded a call today from media types I know this is a hot topic, but unlike some here who think their precious right to listen is important, some of us are only concerned with what is in the interest of the radio user... I wouldn't call ambulance chasers dickheads, my language would be a bit stronger! They are the biggest PITA I know of, they think they are society's conscience when in reality most of them wouldn't know ethics if it rammed them up the butt.

Cheers,

Richard

[centralcoastscanman]

well said Richard, and thanks for your insight once again...