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anybody familiar with the Nyc KDT system?


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ive heard that the FDNY "KDT" is radio frequency based. does anybody know how to take the radio freq. and have it come onto a laptop or a computer at say a volunteer ambulance corp?

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The FDNY EMS KDTs are kind of a radio/computer "telemetry" system used as a part of the Computer Assisted Dispatch system, and operate in the 800 MHz band.

As a part of getting Volunteer Ambulance Services "integrated" into the 9-1-1 system, in the Mutual Aid Radio System (MARS), the FDNY is asking the VAS/VAC/VFDs to pay for the installation into their ambulances, at a cost of something like $2,000.00 per vehicle. No mention has been in made, per the volunteer EMS circles I travel in, of anything for the dispatch offices of the volunteer services, just for the vehicles.

Prior to the EMS/FDNY merger, NYC EMS issued "dial-up" type radios to the Volunteer EMS/VFDs, and either installed them, per the agency's request, in the vehicles, or the dispatch offices. These radios primarily operated on 155.34 MHz. Later, portable radios operating in a "Trunked" 800 MHz system were issued.

I'll post other information on the FDNY EMS/Districts 4 and 18 New York State Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Association "discussions" as I relocate them in my memory sticks, or get them from District 4, in regards to the MARS.

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richard b are u a vollie in queens east?? u seem to know the same as what i've heard...only i heard its 20k to outfit a corps/vac with the kdt system, and i believe PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE ME "they" in fdny had the idea of using vollies as an extension of 911 to: save money, and move more units into worse areas....i.e. where hospitals are closing like st. john's and mary immac in queens. "giving u(vollies) the kdt's wouldput us under thir watch and save them money.

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the price of the KDT, and the price of installation are not the same.

The KDT itself is something like $20,000 but installation at radio repair is probably like $2000 per vehicle (this probably assumes you have no one that is qualified to install it)

I don't see how giving jolly volly's KDT's have anything to do saving the FDNY money, further, you know as a volunteer you are only to respond to jobs in your primary response area, So they should not be arbitrarily moving you to cover their holes unless they call for mutual aid.

IMHO

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From 1973 to 1996, I was a member of the Peninsula Volunteer Ambulance Corps of the Rockaways. I have also been in what is now the FDNY EMS Command from June 1985 to now, spending my first 11 years in the EMD, where one of my tasks was "running" the MARS "desk".

Surprisingly, the first time the MARS was activated, they contacted PVAC. However, as I was at the EMD, but assigned other duties, I cannot claim any bragging rights to either responding to the assignment, or handing it to PVAC.

PVAC went "under" in 1996, a victim of the "M&Ms". Without money, you cannot get members. Without members, you cannot get money.

All vollie squads operating within NYC are funded by direct contribution, and/or assorted, limited grants. They get no city government monies.

I mentioned, under the FDNY, discussions are going on between them and the 2 NYC area districts of the New York State Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Association, as to how and when they will assign VAC/VAS units to calls, and keeping the squads operating within their community areas.

FDNY units, and all units under the NYC 9-1-1 system, are considered fair game to respond to calls anywhere in the city. For example, if 47 Adam, an FDNY unit normally operating in the Far Rockaway area, transports to the Jamaica Hospital Trauma Center, which is outside of their Far Rockaway service area, when they clear from the hospital, can get assigned to pick up a call in the geographic area of the hospital. Hopefully, another unit will be temporarily moved to cover Far Rockaway in 47 Adam's absence.

FDNY wants to do the same with the VAC/VAS units. Again, using my locals for examples, if ROCK VAC does the transport to Jamaica Trauma, FDNY wants to assign them to a call in Woodhaven/Richmond Hill, ROCK VAC has to take the assignment, and not cover Far Rockaway, where the good folks paid their money for ROCK VAC to be in the first place. Likewise, Bay Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Volunteer Organization (BRAVO), in Brooklyn, takes a patient to the burn center at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx, and could get stuck for hours then doing assignments in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx.

Again, this is using names of actual squads, but in fictitious calls for purposes of illustration of what might transpire.

THAT is why discussions continue between NYSVARA's districts 4 and 18, and the FDNY.

As for the KDT's, the FDNY wants to charge the VAS/VAC organizations to install these KDT's in the ambulances. Such installations would be done at the FDNY EMS' Radio Repair shop. They apparently wouldn't allow the VAC/VAS squads to have their own radio repair outfits, or even trained "HAM" radio operators, do such installations.

Before the KDT, everyone was read the assignment, and confirmed with the dispatcher that they both had the assignment, and were responding. Voice radios cost a lot less than KDT radios, which is the reason that this is also under discussion.

FYI, I use KDT (Kinescope Display Terminal) interchangeably with MDT (Mobile Display Terminal). My usage might not be what the department uses.

Disclaimer:

All things stated here are my own understandings and opinions, and might not reflect the viewpoints of my employer, the FDNY.

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i understand how the MARS works...i just laugh at how if a volly station/house/corps is 3ft from a house that calls 911...MARS will not give the address to the volly...even though the call is in their 97. i've spoken to a few conditions bosses who love vollys...bc THE PAID units a freed up...and the time clock stops. so fdny looks fantastic when the call comes in as a 4min response time instead of a 6-9 min response.

i will admit uncontrollable amounts would occur if KDT/MDT's where given to vac/vas. i've heard there are plenty of ways to get around this however. just have to make friends with paid units. nd have them search on a kdt while they are at work but since im "just a jolly volly" i wouldnt know.

11ida/9adam/9boy

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Such installations would be done at the FDNY EMS' Radio Repair shop. They apparently wouldn't allow the VAC/VAS squads to have their own radio repair outfits, or even trained "HAM" radio operators, do such installations.

My guess on having the work done in the FDNY shop is a quality control issue...Only one place to point a finger at when there is a problem.

As a licensed HAM, we have restrictions against working on "Commercial" systems under the terms of our FCC license.

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My guess on having the work done in the FDNY shop is a quality control issue...Only one place to point a finger at when there is a problem.

As a licensed HAM, we have restrictions against working on "Commercial" systems under the terms of our FCC license.

1) With all my friends and associates who are HAMs, I have to admit I never heard that restriction, which does seem to make sense.

2) QRZ de registered monitoring/SWL "station" KNY2SC ? PM if you don't want to publish to the site.

Edited by Richard B the EMT
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