Franklin County Communications Center Part 2

In June 1975 William Sturtavent was appointed Civil Defense Director of Franklin County. At this time most of the bugs had been worked out of the system and the only major problem was to keep the equipment operational and on line. In the summer of 1977 the Communications Center was moved to the second floor of the Chambersburg Trust Company Building due to the home being torn down to make way for a new court house where the communications center will be. Also at this time, due to the increased radio traffic, it was necessary to change the primary dispatch channel, which then gave the fire departments another fire ground channel.

February 1978 saw another change in directors with the appointment of Jere Gonder, a retired federal firefighter, as Civil Defense Director and Communications Director for Franklin County. After Franklin County was alerted and placed on standby for possible relocation of victims from T.M.I., everyone in the Civil Defense staff worked 24 hours a day for over a week, Mr. Gonder started making plans for a new communications center in the court house. January 1980 saw another change when the new communications center became operational. The new center was equipped with a Centracom Series I Console, 7 channel (high band) Med base, single channel police base, Veritech alarm panel and several other features new to Franklin County.

The winter of 1983 was long and cold, and with the increased workload it became necessary for the county commissioners to divide the positions of Emergency Management Agency Director and Communications Director. Robert Nye was then appointed Communications Director, and he set about the task of acquiring additional equipment to streamline the operation and additional personnel to handle the ever-increasing workload. In the summer of 1986 the commissioners agreed to staff the center from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. with two full time dispatchers. One man was still on from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. In January 1987 the center was staffed 24 hours per day with two dispatchers.

Due to poor communications in the southern end of the county, the commissioners approved $130,000 to purchase a Med 10 base, township, fire channel 1 and 3 and police 1 and 3 microwaves for a tower site located at Ft. Richie. This new tower site greatly enhanced the centers capability of communicating with units in the southern and of the county especially the Blue Ridge Summit and Mercersburg areas.

In 1977 the County Commissioners went on record supporting a county wide 911 communications system, and also appointed several emergency services personnel to study a 911 system with possible implementation. The 911 communications system became the focal point of several elections and in January 1988 after Gerald Flasher was appointed Communications Director under the direction of Phil Tarquino, Emergency Management Agency Director, 911 finally looks to be in the near future for Franklin County residents.

Mr. Flasher started in January 1988 to plan and design a new communications center that would accommodate a 911 system. On September 1, 1988 all the consoles, computers and other essential equipment was moved to a temporary location in the county E.O.C. where it was home for eight months. September 1st the commissioners placed an order for a Motorola Centracom Series II console costing $180,000. At the same time a contract was awarded for $45,000 to completely remodel the communications center which increased the operational area four times what it was. Construction was started on December 1st and was completed on February 14, 1989. The installation of the new consoles started on March 28, 1989 and on May 1 the new center went on line. Some of the features of the new center were a Dictaphone call check system, upgrade internal alarm system, Com Centrics phone system with automatic dialer's, phone patch system, new alerting tones that differentiate between medical, rescue and fire emergencies. The system is computer operated and offers streamlines dispatching that is almost infallible. Although the bugs are still being worked out at this time the commissioners, Mr. Flasher, the dispatchers and the public of Franklin County have a new communications center that would make any Comm. Center Director green with envy.

Presently plans and negotiations are under way with the United Telephone Company to install and implement a 911 system in Franklin County, which has proved to be invaluable to persons in need all over the country.

As stated yesterday this article is reprinted exactly as it appeared in the CVVFA convention book in 1989. I did not check to verify the facts. Eventually I should pull the books from 1989 to present and update this entry to the present. As with the photographs sent to me if anyone out there would like to type an article to be posted on this site just do so and send it to me, when a day comes around that I have nothing to post I would be more than happy to post it. Also if anyone out there has anything to add to this please leave it in the comment sections, there is a few of you out there that were around for this and have a first hand account that could shed some more light on the subject.

Franklin County Communications Center Part 1

I am out of major incidents for this date so this is my space filler for today. A few weeks ago a couple of people alluded to the communications center in the Junior’s fire hall. I id not have the answers but found this printed in the 1989 CVVFA convention book. It was compiled by John E. Emmons and is reprinted in its entirety today and tomorrow.

In 1955 the Borough of Chambersburg saw a need for some type of communications between the apparatus on the scene of an emergency and a central dispatch center that was manned 24 hours per day. At this time the Borough purchased 10 single channel mobile radios and 5 portables for use by the fire department. The base station was placed in police headquarters where it was answered by the on duty officers, who would also call additional apparatus if needed. Then in 1957 after several confrontations with the police and fire department, a central dispatch center was established at the Junior Hose and Truck Company in Chambersburg, where a countywide fire phone was installed.

This center was manned by paid apparatus drivers from the Chambersburg Fire Department and volunteers from the Juniors. Even after this base was installed and operational most emergency calls still went to the individual fire stations.

In 1968 several county wide fire department officers, State Police, the sheriff and township supervisors felt that a central county wide communications center was needed in Franklin County. At this time negotiations were started with the County Commissioners and in January 1970 the Communications Center, under the direction of Crawford Wiestling went on line. The center was operational 24 hours per day, with three dispatchers working eight-hour shifts. The center had a two-channel low band radio for the 16 county fire companies, and a single channel low band radio for the 5 police departments. This system operated off of a 50-foot tower, which was located behind the courthouse, and after proving very ineffective was moved atop a water tank on Reservoir Hill in Chambersburg.

In 1970 after funding was secured from the county commissioners, the Penna. Civil Defense Agency, land was donated by a local businessman and a 60 foot tower was installed on the North mountain, eight miles north west of town. Even though there were still some spots in the county inaccessible to communications, this tower was a great advancement for the county. Also at this time due to a significant increase in radio traffic, a second channel was installed for the fire service, which was used for fire ground communications.

The summer of 1971 saw Tom Hawthorne take over the reins as the Civil Defense Director for Franklin County. As with the proceeding 3 years the next 4 years saw the communications center expand and improve to provide better service to the citizens of Franklin County. Due to several problems with communications in the county, a new 00 foot tower was installed on the north mountain, and at the same time radios were placed in the emergency rooms of both Chambersburg and Waynesboro Hospitals, for communications with incoming ambulances.

With the inception of the air medical service in Vietnam, it was decided that heliports were needed at the hospitals. Mr. Hawthorne had all materials donated by local businessmen, and the labor donated by C. D, 1ST Battalion, 103rd Armor Division of the Penna. National Guard, and the Mechanics Steam Fire Engine and Hose Co. No. 1 of Waynesboro. The National Guard constructed one for the Chambersburg Hospital and the Mechanics constructed one for the Waynesboro Hospital. At this time the air service was provided by the Pa. State Police based in Harrisburg. Also in the summer of 1971 the 15 townships in Franklin County were linked to the Communications Center via the airwaves, which over the last 18 years has proved to be a very valuable asset many times over.

To be continued.

Cumberland Radio Reports 686 Calls

The Tuesday August 27, 1957 addition of The News Chronicle ran the following article.

During the month of July, the Cumberland County mutual fire and radio network handled 686 calls, according to William Minich, chief operator. There were 170 ambulance calls, 427 for fires and 89 base calls, he reported.

Shippensburg had 29 ambulance, 26 fire and 19 base calls.

First Radio Installed In CV’s Ward

On March 7, 1955 the Cumberland Valley Hose Company’s Ward LaFrance was taken to Carlisle to have a mobile radio installed. This was the C.V.’s first fire engine to have a radio installed. The two Vigilant Seagraves were scheduled to be taken to Carlisle to have radios installed the next day.

CD Group Plans For Radio Network

On June 29, 1954 the Cumberland county civil defense administration held a special meeting in the Carlisle courthouse to determine the amount and type of radio equipment needed for the new CD fire and emergency radio network.

Several months prior an application was filed for federal approval and support of the network. The federal government agreed to pay $55,618 (half) the cost of the two-way radio hookups for county and the fire trucks. The county commissioners paid one quarter of the cost. County CD coordinator Dale E. Murphy believed the radio network would be operational in three months.

Today I thought maybe we could play a trivia game. It will let me know who is out there and who knows there county. Plus you can learn something at the same time. Who can tell me what company had No. 21 before the Creekside had it? Also, what companies had the numbers 29, 44, 58, 61, 70 and 90. A couple of these are pretty easy, the other you had to be around awhile to know the answer.

KGD-556 Begins Broadcasting

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.

Spring Fling Brings Multiple Runs

On April 24, 1982 the Spring Fling, a 12-hour outside rock concert sponsored by a SSC Fraternity drew 11,000 people to the small community requiring numerous responses from the Shippensburg Fire Department. At 4:00 p.m. while treating a patient in the concert crowd a CV ambulance was stolen and involved in a high-speed chase before being stopped on I-81 N. bound ½ mile from exit 10. The unit suffered body and suspension damage in the incident. At 8:23 p.m. the fire department responded to the Conrail line next to the concert after someone set fire to an 800-gallon kerosene tank. The flames spread to nearby natural cover before being controlled by firefighters. Two firemen Bradley Myers, Captain of the Vigilant Hose and Jeff Washinger, Assistant Chief of WEFR suffered second-degree burns battling the blaze. Firefighters also responded to numerous auto accidents and many EMS incidents before the night was over. Later the next morning firefighters responded to an auto fire on the grounds. Once on scene the vehicles owner displayed a shotgun to firefighters and would not allow them to extinguish the fire. By the time the day ended little Shippensburg had the opportunity to experience big city life.

I found this patch on Ebay a few months back and wanted to purchase it, but it went to high for me since I did not know if it was Pennsylvania. Does anybody out there recognize this patch? Was it used here in Cumberland County, Pa. or a different Cumberland county.

Firefighters’ Battle House Fire Twice

On March 20, 1998 at 10:59 a.m. a company 50 box was sent to 1821 Walnut Bottom Road, Penn Township for a house fire. A fire of undetermined origin gutted a bedroom on the second floor of an occupied 2-½-story frame house. Firefighters from four companies battled the blaze. A damage estimate was not available. The Cumberland Valley Hose Company assisted at the scene. At 1:59 p.m. firefighters were dispatched to the same address for a structure fire. First arriving units found heavy fire from the attic and second floor. The rekindle destroyed the second floor and attic. A damage estimate was not available. The Vigilant Hose, Cumberland Valley Hose and West End Fire and Rescue companies assisted at scene of the second fire.

Does anyone out there remember this old Franklin County dispatchers patch? I purchased this a couple of months ago on eBay.

GE Gets Contract For Civil Defense Radios

On December 22, 1954 Cumberland County commissioners awarded a contract to GE for the county’s new Civil Defense two-way radio system. The contract was to provide for three base stations, 65 mobile units, 21 receivers to trip fire sirens simultaneously, two selective call control panels, 35 weather proof boxes and two walkie talkies. GE’s low bid was $38,051.47. Delivery and installment is to start within 30 days and be completed in 60 days.

Fire Damages Upper Strasburg House

On December 14, 2000 at 12:34 a.m. firefighters were dispatched to 10,726 Upper Strasburg Road for a house fire. A four-year-old boy playing with matches sparked a blaze that caused extensive damage to a 1-1/2 story house. The fire damaged a bedroom and kitchen and caused smoke and water damage to the remainder of the home. Firefighters from six companies battled the blaze. A damage estimate was not available. The Vigilant Hose, Cumberland Valley Hose and West End Fire and Rescue companies assisted at the scene.


Pat Shoop sent the photograph for today's post. Pat said the photo was taken in 1969 when he was one year old. I would assume his father, long time Vigilant member Mick took the photo. Pat is sitting on Buzzy Naugles lap in the radio room, KGD 556 located in the Municipal Building (Vigilant Hose), Shippensburg. Pat also sent four other photos that I will use at a later date. Thanks Pat.

Carlisle CD Radio Goes Into Service

November 21, 1957 the Cumberland County Civil Defense radio station located at the Cumberland County jail in Carlisle officially went into operation. The station had been in operation all week, but the official opening took place at 11:30 a.m. (11-21-57)

The new station makes the CD stations located in Shippensburg and the West Shore obsolete. Previously three stations were needed to cover the county. Whereas the former stations were all 60 watts, the new setup has a 250-watt station in Carlisle.

Charles U. Mowery explained that four paid men who would not be members of the sheriff’s staff would operate the station.