The Anne Arundel County Fire Department said a state report about a fatal collision on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge incorrectly said the department had communications problems with other local agencies.
“We want them to change that report to show the problem was not with the fire and EMS units,” county Fire Battalion Chief Michael Cox said Tuesday.
Cox said an incident report from the Maryland Transportation Authority Police said Anne Arundel and Queen?s Anne counties had communications problems after a May 10 collision on the bridge that resulted in three deaths.
The report was issued in July, Cox said.
But in fact, both counties use the same radio system and have already established links, Cox said.
“Our radios have all jurisdictions surrounding the county pre-programmed,” he said. “If we go to a call in Baltimore City or Queen Anne?s County, they tell us what channel they?re on and we can respond just like one of their units.”
The communication disconnect existed between the county and state agencies because they use different systems, he said.
However, though different radio systems are used, protocols for incidents such as the bridge crash call for a command post where leaders from all agencies involved gather and disseminate orders, Cox said.
“It would be great if we could have the latest and greatest technology to be able to talk to other agencies directly,” Cox said. “But there are policies in places to make sure effective communications are at the scene.”
Maryland State Police said it doesn?t see a major communication problem with its department and it hopes its new program help improve connections.
CapWIN, or Capital Wireless Information Net, connects state police from the MdTA and the State Highway Administration through laptop computers and is in use in 800 state police vehicles.
“As we continue to grow this program, we hope all police departments acquire it,” state police spokesman Sgt. Arthur Betts said. “This could close major gaps to communicate because we would be able to speak through the computer.”
