I'm not sure I agree....
1. Only ten percent of local subscribers can make a 911 call at any one
> time, which means any disaster will quickly overload the local network,
> and prevent reporting of other events which aren't part of the disaster.
For some reason, the telephone companies have refused to work out an emergency notice protocol in which they'd ask radio/TV stations to broadcast a notice not to use the telephone except for a real emergency. This would be used when telephone lines are jammed. It would help a lot to keep lines clear in disasters.
Many younger people today have no idea what a public fire call box is or where it is. Having them wouldn't help too much.
Are there authoritative documented examples of landline 911 and telephone systems being so overloaded that emergency calls couldn't get through? What was the experience of Manhattan on 9/11? (I believe cell phones were out, but landlines kept working).
2. Many low-income residences will abandon telephone service during
> recessions, which deprives then of the ability to call 911 during an
> emergency. Although in some areas the phone company leaves dial tone
> active even if the service is cut off, that doesn't apply if there's a
> shortage of facilities. "Lifeline" service, which is offered in some
> states, must be applied for
The cost of telephone service, especially basic service, has become so low that truly universal service is virtually here. PUC regulations favor poor people over the phone company, so deadbeats keep their service.
Wireless phones are very popular even in poor neighborhoods. They are required to provide 911 service even after disconnect.
3. Two-way radios have not obviated the need for the telephone
> access connections, or even the Morse Code keys and sounders
> (yes, they're still in there), in the boxes -
There have been reports of modern digital radios failing. But do firefighters really know Morse Code (or a special code) to use call boxes; that is, the few callboxes left in service?
I would think firefighters would just use their cell phone or a landline phone nearby if they had to.
A. Major fires can place unusual demand on radio links, which
> prevents them from being available for the "Health and Welfare"
> traffic that used to be handled via phone or Morse.
Again, I really question if firefighters today would know Morse to use a callbox. Cellphones and landlines are so widespread these days.
B. Field commanders without access to the telephone circuit
> (or the Morse circuit) have to report injuries or deaths
> over-the-air, and TV news crews often beat the Fire
> Department's chaplain to the home of a fallen firefighter,
> eager to stick a camera into the face of a newly-made widow.
Aren't digital radios that are widely used today encrypted and not available to scanners anymore? Are TV stations that scummy these days to pull something like that? How would a TV crew know the home address of a family?
C. Cell phones are useless on a fireground, both because they're
> an unwanted expense for cash-strapped municipal governments,
> and because TV reporters "nail up" cell connections at every
> fire, just so they can coordinate queues and timing with
> their control rooms. That means there are no cell connections
> available, even if firefighters choose to use their own
> cell phones.
That's an interesting issue. However, that would apply to only the largest fires that would have extensive TV coverage. Also, don't reporters have their own radio links back to the studio, which is how they send back their live images? Anyway, if the fire was that large, I presume there would be multiple equipment and dept radio channels available.
My brother, needless to say, has strong opinions on this subject, but
> he is also quick to point out that the maintenance costs for Gamewell
> and other brands of McCulloch-loop systems can overshadow the increased
> safety and usability benefits the call boxes offer. He emphasized,
> however, that a decision to remove call boxes needs to be publicly
> debated so that all the risks and rewards are known in advance.
Has there been any authenticated documented cases where removal of fireboxes caused significant communication problems due to the issues above?
Anyway, many people today live in the suburbs, having left the cities, where there are no call boxes and never were.
The cost maintaining a city firebox network is not cheap. Most of the infrastructure would be old--the boxes, poles, wiring, conduits, mechanisms. Anything exposed to hot/cold/humidity will decline over time. All parts of a system must be tested regularly and kept in good repair.