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Orlando Florida Emergency
Management |
September 2006 |
Orlando EOC gets 4 emergency advisory radio stations. |
Below is an interview
with Spencer Hawkins of
the Orlando, Florida,
Emergency Operations
Center about their first
ALERT AM station with
computer-controlled
audio (contact:
Spencer Hawkins,
FAEM; Deputy Emergency
Manager, 321.235.5439).
The interview was
conducted in 2006, when
Orlando obtained its
first station. In 2008,
three more stations were
added to simulcast
across the City.
See Audio Distribution
to Satellite Stations. |
What problem
were you trying to solve
by getting your
Emergency Advisory Radio
station?
"...to find a way to
quickly and cost
effectively communicate
emergency information to
city residents. Also, we
wanted a system that we
could control ourselves
and not have to rely on
an outside vendor."
How did you
obtain funding?
"We requested funding
through the Urban Area
Security Initiative (UASI)."
How would you
judge results to date?
"I think we have started
a good program with a
tremendous opportunity
to continue to grow our
broadcast range and
types of programs."
What has the
response for your public
been?
"Most of the response we
have been getting is
positive and asking for
increased broadcast
range....we have had
some television news
pieces done on the
station."
Did you
experience any problems
on this project?
"From the installation
to the training to our
first broadcast it has
been very user
friendly."
How is the
station managed?
"The system is managed
by the Orlando Office of
Emergency Management,
and we primarily have
messages on overall
disaster preparedness.
In all of our outreach
and media interviews we
try to promote the
station as much as
possible."
Has the station
actually been used for
any emergencies?
"Yes it has. During
[Hurricanes] Wilma in
2005 and Ernesto in 2006
we had up to date
information for our
residents."
What did you
tell listeners to do?
"For those events it was
primarily stay informed
and heed the advice of
public safety
officials."
Where is your
station located?
"It is in the Orlando
Emergency Operations
Center (EOC). During
times of disaster the
EOC is where we operate
all city functions for
response and recovery to
a disaster, so it made
sense to have the radio
station close at hand to
continually update the
information being
broadcast."
What is your
frequency and callsign?
"1650 WQDC Orlando
Radio."
Do you have
advice for other
emergency managers?
"Have a plan on how and
why you would like to
use this system before
you purchase and set it
up. Also talk to other
agencies how have been
using the system to see
if your operational
goals could be met by an
AM radio station."
What has your
experience been working with
Information Station Specialists?
"Very good! They were
highly professional,
training was simple and
easy to understand and
follow-up technical
support has also been
excellent." |
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Email the Editor
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Information Radio Stations is a generic term
synonymous with Travelers Information Stations (TIS), Highway
Advisory Radio Stations (HAR) / Highway Information Systems &
Low Power Radio Stations (LPR). Operation of the stations is
governed by FCC Part 90.242 Rules. A FCC license is required.
Information Radio Stations may be fixed or portable.
Subcomponents may include transmitter, antenna and ground
system, digital voice player, wattmeter, cabinet with
conventional or Corbin locks, lightning arrestors for RF, power
and telephone lines, coaxial cable. Most stations employ black
maximized antennas to discourage ice accumulation and security
measures to prevent unauthorized program access. Options include
synchronization, battery backup, solar power, remote programming
by local, network or telco, multi-station audio distribution via
RF or LAN / WAN or wireless network. |