On Sunday May 15, 1955 the Cumberland County civil defense radio network was placed into service. The aerial was placed on the municipal building (Vigilant fire station) the day before. Three 60-watt stations cover Cumberland County, the one in Shippensburg and one in the county jail at Carlisle and the West Shore police headquarters. Seventy trucks, ambulances and cars belonging to Cumberland County fire fighting units were equipped with 30 watt sending and receiving radios. In Shippensburg two fire trucks and both ambulances of the Cumberland Valley Hose were equipped and the ladder truck of the Vigilant Hose was equipped with radios. Other units covered by Shippensburg’s station included two pieces from the Newville Fire Company and one from Centerville.
The Shippensburg station was to be manned 24 hours a day by members of the Shippensburg police force. The FCC certified patrolmen as operators of the local station.
1 comment:
Here's a couple photos of what the first mobile GE's in Ship looked like. If you were more than 10 miles or so from town 611 or 554 could usually hear you if 556 did not. They were reliable radios.
http://www.mbay.net/~wb6nvh/PreProgCHP.jpg
http://www.mbay.net/~wb6nvh/PreProg2CHP.jpg
RB
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