‘Grande’ donation brings Fire Department emergency communications project closer to fruition
Boca Grande has been known to experience its share of miracles, and this past week we had evidence of that again. The Boca Grande Disaster Relief Fund has found a way to donate another major gift – $100,000 – to the Auxiliary Emergency Radio Communications project. Having already donated $50,000 to the cause, this is above and beyond … and also very necessary.
This leaves a figure just shy of $80,000 remaining out of a needed $305,000. The BGDR Fund has donated $150,000; the Boca Grande Woman’s Club has donated $75,000; and Boca Grande Charities, Inc. has donated $1,500 (for an initial 10 additional BTech radios for volunteers).
When the Disaster Relief Committee presented the check to the Island Emergency Communications and Interoperability Working Group, it was noted that the Committee “intended it not only to greatly accelerate this vital project, but to recognize and honor the steadfast dedication and leadership of Fire Chief C.W. Blosser since the establishment of the Island EOC Emergency Communications and Interoperability Working Group early this year.” The Disaster Relief Committee members said they recognized the potentially deadly rescue response and coordination weaknesses revealed by Hurricane Ian.
Blosser said he greatly appreciates the Disaster Relief Committee’s generous donations to the project, as well as their intuition with regard to how important it is based directly, as it is, on lessons learned after Hurricane Ian.
“We are extremely grateful to the Disaster Relief Fund, Woman’s Club and Boca Grande Charities for their generous and timely donations,” Blosser said. “I’m hopeful that the island community will contribute the remaining $80,000 needed, as initial installation steps are now imminent – on the new cell tower and at the Boca Grande Fire Department in particular – and we remain in a very active hurricane season.”
When the project has been completely funded, when all equipment needed has arrived and all government approvals have been given, the Emergency Communications group will be working to train everyone who will be using the radio system. Also, initial equipment installations will commence within two to three weeks.
“With these latest gifts, additional contracts for the new (and vital) Fire House Emergency Operations Center, The Island School and the Boca Grande Health Clinic can now be executed,” said George “Bo” Hamrick, project coordinator for the fire department’s Emergency Communications Subcommittee.
The vendors have delivered antennas, feedlines and everything else needed to install the antennas’ repeaters on the new tower. Currently the Committee is reviewing a plan to work with the Federal Communications Commission in regard to the auxiliary communications’ General Mobile Radio Service, or GMRS authorized frequency. That is, the radios will have an assigned FCC frequency, which should be confirmed by the Commission in the very near future.
On Tuesday, after a committee meeting with Chief Blosser and the two radio equipment and training vendors, Hamrick said that the work SEA has done – along with the dedicated cell tower repeater – will “tie in directly to the effectiveness of the new Fire House EOC when fully operational.”
He also gave the good news that the first batch of 21 heightened-capability handheld radios will arrive much sooner than originally projected, thanks to the recent donations. Numerous BTech radios have already been arriving, which will accelerate the organization and training of the BGFD Volunteer Auxiliary Force by the Fire Department.
Blosser and his command staff have very specific plans for training these volunteers, with the primary objective being that recovery efforts go quickly, smoothly and especially safely in the event of a disaster of any sort. Training and organization of the volunteer auxiliary will incorporate multiple post-Ian lessons learned. When there was no ability to communicate and coordinate, nor for anyone to call law enforcement or fire/EMS services for several weeks.
“To me, the coming establishment of a true, dedicated on-island Emergency Operations Center – a stated goal of Chief Blosser’s since 2019, probably since Irma in 2017 – is a particularly gratifying and definitely bedrock AUXCOMM project objective,” Hamrick stated.
WHAT THE GASPARILLA ISLAND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM ENTAILS
Note: This is NOT a replacement for the island’s current enhanced 911 system through Lee and Charlotte counties. This system will be deployed and used only if all other communications are down.
• Two types of handheld radios have been purchased – numerous inexpensive but highly capable BTech Pro radios; and military-grade handheld radios. Both types have red “SOS” buttons that can be pushed to instantaneously send an alert signal to on island law enforcement/fire/EMS responders.
• The alert transmits over the three-repeater network on the designated, pre- programmed fire department emergency notification channel. The alert also provides the GPS location of the sender to the fire department.
• The emergency is then managed by voice radio back to the alert sender. With BGFD coordinating with distant off island dispatch centers as necessary.
Importantly, this means of emergency notification & response – dedicated to the island – will work even if the 911 system cannot be accessed if cell and landline telephone service is down again. Or if radio connectivity to the off island dispatch centers is lost; or they are overloaded as after Ian.
• The eventual plan is for as many people who plan to be on island during or directly after a disaster to have these radios. Other than the groups already mentioned, including: the heads of some island organizations, some business owners, heavy equipment operators & street-clearing people of all sorts; any others who might be using dangerous equipment to perform critical emergency tasks. People manning aid stations (food, water, medical, etc.) would also be given these radios by BGFD, as supplies last.
• In the event of a hurricane or massive communications and/or power failure, emergency communications are still possible with this system. Carefully designed to provide triple redundancy with its three-repeater & antenna network.
Each repeater and antenna installation can be powered by its own generator in the event of power failure. They will be placed at the south, center and north ends of the island. Further details on those installations will be published soon.
The repeater network greatly extends the reliable radio range of the handheld radios and BGFD base station radio, from end to end of the island and for miles off island and reaching, for example, the Gasparilla Island Water Association well field on Gasparilla Road and Cape Haze Publix parking lot. The latter would be a post-disaster staging area, again, as it was after Ian.
• The failure of any one repeater, for any reason – storm damage, equipment failure, generator failure etc. – does not bring the entire Auxiliary Communications system down.Each participating island entity will also have its own radio c hannel for routine daily use programmed into the radios.
• A project Steering Committee comprised of all island stakeholders will be formed soon for the ongoing management of the project (Chief Blosser will chair that committee). They will continue to identify further customization needs.
