# What's that red button on the radio for?



## MMiz

So what's that red button on the radio for?

I know it's a panic button of sorts, but what does it do when you push it?  Does it transmit a voice prompt saying you need help?  A panic alarm type thing?

I've only heard rumors, no real information.


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## Chimpie

All depends on the type of radio system you have.  If it's on a trunking system, it will send a signal to all radios and the dispatcher showing your radio id, it may/may not send an alert tone, and it usually opens the mic for about 10-15 seconds.  Some non-trunking radios it just opens the mic for 10-15 seconds.  Some just make the radio beep.

Push it and find out.   h34r:


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## daemonicusxx

i took a field trip in high school to the Denton County Jail System, they all had the red button, actually orange colored on these radios. one of the officers was telling me about one time when she was sitting there at her post reading the news paper, she rested her elbows on her duty belt and accidentally activated the button. she said it was a matter of seconds and she had the entire S.O.R.T. team staring her down. S.O.R.T. is their version  of SWAT geared towards the prison setting. i like telling stories i guess. im just retarded like that. 

Jimmy


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## ma2va92

It is the red panic button or the alert ......... on my handheld is a small button that is recessed in the case . that makes it a little bit harder to hit by accident.  In the ambulances and response car it is a red triangle.  No matter whether it is the handheld or the one in a vehicle . it will show up in dispatch as a emergency dispatch from and then it will show the radio identification number.  Dispatch will call to that radio , twice . if there is no reply that squad will be toned out on our pagers dispatch will request . any information about the handheld radio or vehicle to contact dispatch immediately
in the vehicles . it is a little bit easier to be hit by accident if a clipboard was placed on the center console the panic button may be activated . as far as the handheld radios go . the fact that the button is recessed reduces the risk of accidental activation.
If a handheld or a vehicle panic button has been activated it will show up on everyone's radio no matter what squad they are with, it will show up as emergency alert
I can see where they would be of help when there is more than one person -  but if one person activates the handheld . no one knows where they are , unless they are able to verbalize over the radio . the situation and the location wouldn't GPS be a wonderful thing in this position . when in a controlled environment , you would know exactly where the person is .
I have to say my handheld with activated onetime
I had the radio on my belt and I was in the barn working with the miniature horses that I had my little stallion had a habit of grabbing any tools on your belt and pulling on them and then running . It was his way of playing so he grabbed the radio bit down on the radio in such a way that he chipped the case and hit the panic button.  Needless to say it was laughs and giggles at dispatch . what I call them back and told them that the horse did it. 
This is the type of system that is used with the rescue squads


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## TTLWHKR

On mine, it just beeps... HT1250 Radio


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## Jon

On the county's 800mhz radio system, it switches and LOCKS the radio onto the "emergency" channel (The lock can only be released by the dispatcher). It also transmits the radio's ID to Dispatch.

The county has 2 different systems. 1 is with the 800mhz system, and the other is part of the MDT/MDC system. Same system is used by both PD and FD.

On the MDC- same thing.... sends the unit number to dispatch.


All officers who are issued portables have their radios "assigned" to them in the dispatch system, so the ID comes up as "Capt05." If Portables are assigned to a vehicle and kept in a vehicle.... same thing. If the portable is a "unassigned" portable, it comes up as "port05XX"

I'm not 100% sure of the county policy on this, but I know that my sqaud had a crazy guy get loose in the back of the truck. the medic hit the panic button, and PD and FD Chief were made aware, and found the crew struggling with the patient along the road to the ED.


Part of it is common sense... if the radio used to call for help is assigned to an incident... if no response, all the cops in the area will go in on the call, and you will have enough beat-down power to go after a SWAT team   .

If the station has no calls, and there is a distress call from a portable, the station will usually get a call, and whoever is OIC at present will speak with fireboard, and try to figure out who's button got hit, and where they are.




Along the lines of the correctional officer who hit their button and had the SWAT team show up..... Very likely, they had the officer on camera, and sent the team to her post, where she was on camera, assuming, until proving otherwise, that there was something that she needed backup for.

At my work, we have silent alarms at many of the desks. Policy is that the dispatcher will bring the desk up on camera, and call the officer, and ask yes/no questions as to what is going on. An officer is also sent to investigate.

If, on camera, any weapon is seen... the officer will not go in, and it wil likely escalate to a police matter. If there is no weapon seen, the officer will check the post and assist the officer who hit the alarm. The responding officer should be made aware of anything seen on camera.... as to fight, argurment, etc.

I know that if I ever need to use this, I WILL GET HELP. I also know that my dispatchers will not intentionally send me into a situation where I have an armed intruder.

Jon


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## SafetyPro2

On our radios, it sends an alert onto one of the screens at our dispatch center. All of our radios are programmed such that they identify themselves to dispatch, both for normal and emergency use. For example, if you key your HT to talk, dispatch will see an identifier telling them that, say "RA41" (our ambulance) or "E41 Firefighter 1" (one of the riding positions on the engine) is talking to them.

When the red button is pressed, they'll see the same info, and will usually come on the main channel and say something like "E41, emergency signal received from officer radio". Most of the time, its an accidental activation and the officer will so inform dispatch, but if not, it tells us who's in trouble.


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## MMiz

> _Originally posted by SafetyPro_@Oct 24 2005, 12:41 PM
> * On our radios, it sends an alert onto one of the screens at our dispatch center. All of our radios are programmed such that they identify themselves to dispatch, both for normal and emergency use. For example, if you key your HT to talk, dispatch will see an identifier telling them that, say "RA41" (our ambulance) or "E41 Firefighter 1" (one of the riding positions on the engine) is talking to them.
> 
> When the red button is pressed, they'll see the same info, and will usually come on the main channel and say something like "E41, emergency signal received from officer radio". Most of the time, its an accidental activation and the officer will so inform dispatch, but if not, it tells us who's in trouble. *


 That's what I'd like to think happens, but I'm thinking on our radios it's just for decoration.


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## KEVD18

as mentioned, this feature has a wide range of possible applications. some depts program this feature off of the radio. so go with the full assignment whereby not only the unit number, but a gps location is transmitted. all depends on how much the dept spent on the gear and what the boss wants it to be able to do


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## Strike3

In our system, it keys the radio to open mic and shuts down the whole radio system, then everyone and their Mom comes running.. It's kind of a nice feeling actually. Just dont' do it by accident.


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## FFEMT1764

In our system the red(orange) buttons are there for decoration, our communications coordinator feels they are NOT a feature he wants any radio to have and doesnt want his precious terminals to flash red screens and have an annoying alarm go off in the dispatch center...so he had the big M disconnect them on all PD,SO,FD,and EMS radios...hopefully our new EMS director will rectify this...and our many other radio systemproblems soon.

I own UHF and VHF radios. I have the HT-1250 U&Vhf and Saber 3 U&Vhf, as well as Spectras in my car...they all have Emergency features programmed into them, and they work...plus I also have the PTT unit ID in mine...and what the county doesnt service/program/own they cant control...guess thats why my FD and alot of county employees are buying their own radios....hmmmm....


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## Chimpie

Yeah, I program our chapter radios and we decided to not program our "red" buttons.  Since many of our volunteers don't use the radios on a daily basis, sometimes they have a habit of pushing buttons until something works.


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## FFEMT1764

So do volunteer firefighter newbies...thats why we try to give them the old minitor 2 pagers...

Chimpie, you dont happen to have programming software for the M1225 series do you??


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## Chimpie

FFEMT1764 said:
			
		

> Chimpie, you dont happen to have programming software for the M1225 series do you??


 
Nope, sorry.


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## FFEMT1764

If ya come across it,let me know...my copy is not doing like it should, and of course since its over 1 yr old the big /\/\ wont even speak to me...


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## Jon

My FD uses HT1000's, MT1000's, HT750's, and HT1250's - some have orange buttons, some don't. IF they do, it is usually totally disabled or will put the portable in "siren" mode - just starts yelping, no TX, just annoying noise for those near the portable.

The County issued portables and mobiles all have ID's - the mobiles are assigned to a unit/officer, and portables are assigned by station. If done right, the portables are ID'd in the system to each officer or unit where it is (CHF05 Portable, ENG055 Portable). At the Ambulance Co, we have a bank of portables, with some labeled for specific vehicles (I don't know if this is tracked by the county or not). Some are also "generic" station portables.

If the county knows what unit the portable is from, and can figure out where they are, when the red button is pushed, all the cops come running if you don't immediatly clear the alarm "properly" - involves use of a passcode to verify your status is OK to the County.

Also, when the red button is hit, it switches the radio to an "Emergency" channel and locks the radio on that channel. The county must clear the alarm before it will be regularly useable.

The MDC's in the ambualnce/police cars have panic buttons too, and they work the same as the panic button on the mobile radio - if the county has you statused as being somewhere, help comes.

Jon


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## FFEMT1764

Oh Oh Jon has seen the old /\/\ radio's, the ones that worked after you dropped them, ran them over, drowned them in a drop tank....these newer radios suck! You get a 750 or 1250 wet, odds are it will need a good drying out and maybe a trip to /\/\ for repairs...my HT-600 was great- lost it on a wreck in the rain for 4 hours...found it after all the patients were gone...in a foot and a half of water in the storm drain- I picked it up, shook it off, and it worked like it was new-so sometimes older is better...B)


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## ResTech

The "orange" button on the top of our new Motorola HT700 series radios are configured to switch from duplex(aka repeater) to simplex (aka talk-a-round). This is so we can communicate with other units or ourselves without the EOC hearing our communication.


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## FFEMT1764

Your system has a repeater?!? We are un-repeater-able thanks to sharing the same freq with 6 other agencies in a 75 miles radius! Another fine example if the FCC at work


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## Chimpie

FFEMT1764 said:
			
		

> Your system has a repeater?!? We are un-repeater-able thanks to sharing the same freq with 6 other agencies in a 75 miles radius! Another fine example if the FCC at work


OMG.  How do you get anything accomplished?  

What other agencies are you sharing it with?


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## FFEMT1764

The are 6 EMS agencies that use the same frequency, and we dont get much done...our 2 most outlying trucks have to switch to the fire channel most times to be heard...and because of the other people around us on the same freq, the FCC said no repeater.  Top it all off with the fact that the county doesnt want to invest in a new freq, we kinda have to wait in line over other agencies that have 10,000 watt dispatch terminals.


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## Chimpie

Who dispatches you?  The county/city?  Does each agency have their own dispatcher?


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## CaptainPanic

Here the county has its own freq and thus its own repeater. We have two dispatch offices. One at SO which does mostly Police type dispatches but they can switch to the county-wide system that is used by FD/EMS (They are seperate but share the same dispatch makes sense eh?)

Far as I know of there hasnt been any major problems of having backlogs but Im sure it happens occasionally.

-CP


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## almostglue

MMiz said:
			
		

> That's what I'd like to think happens, but I'm thinking on our radios it's just for decoration.



I know on our radios (model MTS2000) it does show up in dispatch as an alarm.  I can't remember if it locks the system or not, but it's basically worthless since no one knows which radio is carried by which person.  So you can push the button to let them know you're in trouble, but they'll have no idea who or where you are so if you can't talk... you're screwed.  Makes me feel all warm and safe inside.  Hey, I'm in trouble but there's nothing you can do to help me, but go ahead and start looking!  We should probably start figuring out who's got what, but since we share with pd and are kind of like the illegitimate child of the department, that's probably not going to happen.

People press it on accident every once in awhile here, but it's not big deal, they just key up and say 'I pushed the button on accident, sorry.'


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## Chimpie

*sigh* Knowing what I know about radio systems (which is a lot but I'll freely admit that there is a lot more to know) it's sad to hear all these stories.  Comms is probably the most important piece of equipment on a rig.  Sure some people are dispatched by pager, but if you don't have a radio how are they going to know you're responding?  And as mentioned here, how do you call for additional personnel, whether the scene is bigger than you expected or you have the psych pt who doesn't want to go to the hospital tonight?

*sigh*


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## richmedic1918

I was a communications officer for a bit:wacko: so I know for a fact on my end it makes an irritating tone through everyone's headset followed by 15 seconds of open mic action...


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## FFEMT1764

We are dispatched by the county, which is a central dispatch point for everyone in the county- city pd, county so, EMS, and FD.  The police always get 1st priority on calls, then the FD, and us last, unless one of the first 2 is the vicitm.


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## Chimpie

Okay, soooooo PD has a freq, SO has a freq, fire has a freq, and EMS has a freq, but the EMS freq is shared by six agencies.  Am I correct?

How does it get decided who (which company) gets the run?

And how big (population) is your county?


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## FFEMT1764

yes chimpie you are correct...the other agencies that use the EMS freq are in different counties surrounding us...and no one here seems to know what a PL code is...so we get to hear everyone else...as far as I know our dispatch console only puts out 1000 watts, and everyone else blows us out of the water... our pop. is roughly 70,000...with 10,000+ EMS calls a year...EMS is the redheaded stepchild though...


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## bravofoxtrot

Don't touch it unless you're being shot/stabbed/etc.


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## Chimpie

FFEMT1764 said:
			
		

> yes chimpie you are correct...the other agencies that use the EMS freq are in different counties surrounding us...and no one here seems to know what a PL code is...so we get to hear everyone else...as far as I know our dispatch console only puts out 1000 watts, and everyone else blows us out of the water... our pop. is roughly 70,000...with 10,000+ EMS calls a year...EMS is the redheaded stepchild though...


There are six EMS agencies for 70k people?  :unsure: 

And 10k calls is like 27 calls a day?  

WTF is going on in your county?


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## FFEMT1764

No no, 6 EMS agencies on same frequency, they are all in seperate yet adjacent counties...ie, my county and 5 counties within 50 miles of me share the same frequency...We have 1 911 srevice and 2 convo services in my county...sorry I wasnt specific enough earlier...


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## Chimpie

That is such a horrible set up.  Spend a few thousand in each county and improve it.  Plain and simple.


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## FFEMT1764

Here is the kicker chimpie, there are 3 different states involved in this as well...3 counties in SC, 2 in NC, and 1 in GA...I doubt you can get 6 agencies in 3 states to agree on anything...


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## DFDEMS

We have the red button, supposedly when you press it an alert goes off at dispatch and at the State police network monitoring station. It was supposed to tie in to the MDC/MDT’s that they are thinking of taking back as they were paid for by the trash department or someone and belong to them..Anyways…

Prior to the red button we were supposed to say “code xxx”  and they would send heaven and earth to your location. In reality, if you stated that the dispatcher more often then not comes back with “Medic XX, what is your emergency” or “Do you need a supervisor” etc. All stuff bound to get you an a** kicking if your in a house and have to say it, if you can say it.

Now, with the invention of the magic red button you have a false sense of security. The radio on the truck is on a list at dispatch and each truck now has two preps, both on a list at dispatch. You hit the button, someone finds the list, finds the number and then “Medic XXX, what’s your emergency” or “Medic XXX, are you requesting scout?” If you don't answer they radio for a supervisor and explain you hit the panic button, they tried to raise you and you were last at xxx address. So now, if the jake with the gun didn't know what was going on he probably had a clue when the dispatcher gave out his address saying you had an emergency.

It’s a crock the way it is implemented here, so much so that a trip to the sandbox or going back to the privates seems like a much safer option and in all honesty one I think I am going to make for next semester..

Stay safe
Mike


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## Jon

When you hit the red button, turn down/off the radio.


Thats why I LOVE the cops wearing earphones... great officer safety device.


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## Chimpie

MedicStudentJon said:
			
		

> When you hit the red button, turn down/off the radio.
> 
> 
> Thats why I LOVE the cops wearing earphones... great officer safety device.


Don't turn off the radio, because sometimes, as this depends on the programming, when you hit the panic button it opens the microphone up for approx 30 seconds to allow the dispatcher and other radio holders to hear what is going on at your location.


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## Jon

But I'm all for using an obscure "code" to acknowledge and confirm the emergency identifier. PD does this, they get a "Status Check" call 1-3 minutes into any call after going onscene. If they don't answer, backup goes. If they fail to answer EXACTLY the right way, backup goes. Greatest system -they call and say "what is your status" and the officer replies "I'm good" or some other non-standard response, and the calvary shows up. Same with FD/EMS and the emergency identifiers... if we don't clear it correctly, everyone comes.

Our system switches and locks the portable onto an EMERGENCY channel until dispatch releases it. That portable and dispatch are the only two that hear what is going on.

Jon


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## CaptainPanic

This makes me wanna break in to an ambulance push the red button and tell them they have thoughtlessly and selfishly parked their unit in my parking space. ROFLMAO...  (just kidding)

-CP


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## Jon

CaptainPanic said:
			
		

> This makes me wanna break in to an ambulance push the red button and tell them they have thoughtlessly and selfishly parked their unit in my parking space. ROFLMAO...  (just kidding)
> 
> -CP


Why would you do that?


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## CaptainPanic

just to see what would happen if I did.


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## FFEMT1764

Well I confirmed my suspicions yesterday...pushed the red button on the EMS radio at work and it did absolutly nothing...no beep, no siren, nothing...at least my code 5 was coming, we needed all the help we could get lifting the pt...and we got stuck in the yard to boot(red clay, rain, and a 26000# freightliner dont mix). I am definatly going to bring this up in our first response configuartion committee


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## Jon

FFEMT1764 said:
			
		

> Well I confirmed my suspicions yesterday...pushed the red button on the EMS radio at work and it did absolutly nothing...no beep, no siren, nothing...at least my code 5 was coming, we needed all the help we could get lifting the pt...and we got stuck in the yard to boot(red clay, rain, and a 26000# freightliner dont mix). I am definatly going to bring this up in our first response configuartion committee


Happened out here several months ago. A medic had a "holy crap" code at a dialysis clinic... started off as Seizures, then the guy pulled the needles out, shunt wouldn't stop bleeding, he called the county for help, no answer... eventually hit his panic button with no result....


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## FFEMT1764

Gee, this is great to know...they provide us with a radio that could save our butts but they dont activate the features...I wonder what genius thought this idea through...


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## Chimpie

The same one that thought it would be a good idea to have one frequency for multiple agencies/counties/states.


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## FFEMT1764

OH OH so you mean I can blame the FCC...I like blaming the federal government...of course I know they didnt program the radios...so maybe they only get partial blame...the 6 agency thing has to be their fault!


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## Chimpie

I doubt the frequency problem is the FCC's fault.  Not fully knowing the situation I blame the individual agencies or the head comm guys.  My guess is that they only wanted one frequency since the same dispatcher is used for all agencies (if I remember correctly).


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## FFEMT1764

No they are all dispatched separately but the individual counties that have the agency...I think the FCC got carried away when they gave out 155.160...alot of people are using that in the SE US.


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## Chimpie

So there are six different dispatchers talking on the same freq?  And if so, are the six dispatchers in the same room or at the respective agency?


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## FFEMT1764

6 diff disp in 6 diff locales...in 3 states... all within 100 mile radius of each other and all but us have 10,000+ watt power output...we have 1000 watt...


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## Chimpie

And there is one 911 center that covers this whole area right?

So 911 receives call, determines which county and state is in, forwards them the information and then it's dispatched?  

What about PL tones, repeaters, etc.


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## FFEMT1764

No, 6 diff 911 centers too...and here lately they all feel then need to tone people out at the same time...which makes it hard for us to hear calls when our dispatch is blasted by one of the other agencies.


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## Chimpie

Okay, so six diferrent 911 centers, dispatching their own ems agency, but all share one frequency.  I think I finally deciphered all that.  LOL

It's easy to say then that each agency/county needs to file for their own frequency.  There is no excuse not to, and the cost is not that much.

Each rig has their own freq programmed in on their radio, if they assist other agencies then those agency's freq, then a mutual aid freq which common sense would say use the 155.160.

That's just how I see it but then again I'm not there so...


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## FFEMT1764

Well that would solve the problem...but we have had this freq since 1976 when we formed our service...I think the others came along a few years down the line...and our current county administrator and council are old timers...they hate the idea and talk of change-or spending $$$...I am hoping that we get to go to the 800 system...but then again we were supposed to have been there by now...seems the SO keeps getting all the radios that we were allocated in the past budget...go figure-the redheaded step-child.


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## jwSWAT210

Oh that?  Its a "Dispatcher Appreciation Button".


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## ffemt8978

Got to be one of the oldest thread revivals ever!!!

And don't anyone go getting any ideas about beating that record.


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## jwSWAT210

lol....ironically enough...when I joined,...its what showed in my recent posts.  It wasnt until you mentioned the "revival" how old it was.  Weird


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## NomadicMedic

And as a follow-up to the emergency button... If you smash that orange button on our radios, it IMMEDIATELY makes every screen in the radio room start flashing red, there is a loud tone, and it opens the microphone on the radio for 15 seconds and locks everyone else out. It also transmits the radio alias, in most cases which unit the radio is assigned to. For fire its as specific as the position, "Engine 79-1 seat 3." It also sends the GPS coordinates to the radio room consoles.  If you don't tell them you're okay, they send EVERYONE to help.

It's usually an accidental press and the dispatchers know it. They'll just tell you to clear it.


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## Achilles

NomadicMedic said:


> And as a follow-up to the emergency button... If you smash that orange button on our radios, it IMMEDIATELY makes every screen in the radio room start flashing red, there is a loud tone, and it opens the microphone on the radio for 15 seconds and locks everyone else out. It also transmits the radio alias, in most cases which unit the radio is assigned to. For fire its as specific as the position, "Engine 79-1 seat 3." It also sends the GPS coordinates to the radio room consoles.  If you don't tell them you're okay, they send EVERYONE to help.
> 
> It's usually an accidental press and the dispatchers know it. They'll just tell you to clear it.


On the Motorolas you can also press it and the press the ptt button, talk and then press the red button again to turn it off  and then press it again to turn it off


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## Kevinf

It's fun when you're driving and manage to activate the SHTF button, good luck working that out in a timely manner. Ask how I know. One of my coworkers managed to hit it three times in a row while at a firehouse barbecue. Dispatch told him that he'd need to bring them ribs if he did it again.


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## NomadicMedic

Achilles said:


> On the Motorolas you can also press it and the press the ptt button, talk and then press the red button again to turn it off  and then press it again to turn it off



it actually depends on how it’s configured.


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## Chimpie

Some of our radios have a feature where if you hit the PTT button for a fraction of a second, it keeps the mic open for few seconds. 

We're all standing around hot washing a call. Someone adjusts their strap, taps the button, opens the mic, with like four or five other radios all within a few feet of each other. The feedback was loud and screechy.

I looked at the person who did it with a 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  and said, "REALLY?!??!" ,,, which of course also went over the radios.


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## DragonClaw

Our operation doesn't use radios 😭

Our issued phones work better for this kind of thing probably. But they have a red panic button on the side that is not recessed. It is bulged out and easy to hit. 

That being said.  

Within .02 seconds dispatch was calling me to make sure everything was fine. 

It was.  😅


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## Fastfrankie19151

In my county the emergency vehicles are all tracked via gps via mdt so the mobile radio panic buttons automatically send the police to all police vehicles along with a ambulance depending on the nature of the call the officer is out on at that time. All Ems units automatically get the police and if it is a paid Ems unit which are usually als hospital based the Ems supervisor for that health system responds. Fire vehicles get Ems and police. For portable radios the response is the same if the unit is on a call if it is a individually assigned portable they page the unit with an attention tone if no response after three tries they contact the chief officer.


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## ffemt8978

Closed for 2 year bump


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