We are a small, student-run EMS squad with little support from campus police and the health center. We have just enough money in our budget to get the needed medical supplies..and even sometimes with that we're slacking a little (our budget hasn't changed since 1997...) Does anyone know either a place to get a good deal on pagers (we're looking for 5...) or is anyone upgrading their systems and looking to get rid of old pagers? We will still pay for them...
Pagers for a Company with no money?
- Thread starter laina66
- Start date
- 5,523
- 404
- 83
What kind of pagers? eBay is always an option, and right now there is a 25% cash back option.
mikie
Forum Lurker
- 1,071
- 1
- 36
Do you have the systems/radios to support the new pagers?
emt19723
Forum Lieutenant
- 123
- 0
- 0
did you look in to possibly getting some grant money from the Feds?
silvercat354726
Forum Lieutenant
- 244
- 56
- 28
I know in NY there are several grants out there for equipment, have you looked into that?
BossyCow
Forum Deputy Chief
- 2,910
- 7
- 0
If you are buying your own pagers and medical supplies, who is paying your liability insurance?
Code 3
Forum Captain
- 274
- 3
- 18
I would assume the school or they are paying out of their pockets for self-coverage. You can get it for only $100/year for part-time status.
BossyCow
Forum Deputy Chief
- 2,910
- 7
- 0
I hate to see this kind of stuff being done on a shoestring like this. It gives the agency 'supporting' it so many outs when it comes to something going wrong or someone getting hurt. On the one hand, it appeals to those who want to step up and do what needs to be done, but on the other hand absolves the agency from stepping up and doing what needs to be done!
I would recommend not going with pagers at all. They are expensive and would require programming and a radio system that can do DTMF tones.
Instead, consider getting a radio for everyone. Motorola has several models that are no longer produced, but still have batteries and other accessories available. Specifically the Motorola Radius SP10 and the Motorola Sprit models. The link below is for an ebay auction for 4 SP10's. I have a set of these radios and they work great. The transmit power is 1 watt and they operate on either the VHF or UHF business bands, which is around the same frequencies as many police/fire/ems companies. Make sure you get all VHF or all UHF because they cannot communicate between the two frequency ranges. If you have a mid to large size campus you may need to look into 4 or 5 watt radios, which cost more, but are still cheaper than new pagers.
These radios are easy to find and go for pretty cheap on ebay. You can change the frequencies and CTCSS codes (PL codes) yourself so you don't have to send them out to be programmed and they are compatible with most other systems in the same frequency range.
The two issues I see with this plan is that you will have to carry a radio that is larger than a pager, but you will be able to communicate to coordinate your response; and you will need a license from the FCC (which you would need for pagers too).
If you feel this route might be the one you want to persue, and you have any questions, please ask. I have a lot of experience with radio in general and some with these motorola products.
http://cgi.ebay.com/4-MOTOROLA-RADI...goryZ296QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Instead, consider getting a radio for everyone. Motorola has several models that are no longer produced, but still have batteries and other accessories available. Specifically the Motorola Radius SP10 and the Motorola Sprit models. The link below is for an ebay auction for 4 SP10's. I have a set of these radios and they work great. The transmit power is 1 watt and they operate on either the VHF or UHF business bands, which is around the same frequencies as many police/fire/ems companies. Make sure you get all VHF or all UHF because they cannot communicate between the two frequency ranges. If you have a mid to large size campus you may need to look into 4 or 5 watt radios, which cost more, but are still cheaper than new pagers.
These radios are easy to find and go for pretty cheap on ebay. You can change the frequencies and CTCSS codes (PL codes) yourself so you don't have to send them out to be programmed and they are compatible with most other systems in the same frequency range.
The two issues I see with this plan is that you will have to carry a radio that is larger than a pager, but you will be able to communicate to coordinate your response; and you will need a license from the FCC (which you would need for pagers too).
If you feel this route might be the one you want to persue, and you have any questions, please ask. I have a lot of experience with radio in general and some with these motorola products.
http://cgi.ebay.com/4-MOTOROLA-RADI...goryZ296QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
silvercat354726
Forum Lieutenant
- 244
- 56
- 28
Just keep in mind when looking into any equipment there is more than one brand. I know when my captain was looking into getting more pagers he found out it was cheaper to get radios than it was for pagers. Motorola is the only company that does pagers from what we know. But you have Kenwood to compete for radios.
how do i do that?
mycrofft
Still crazy but elsewhere
- 11,322
- 48
- 48
Run around the box...more money?
See what you can do to get some homeland security money? Form a C.E.R.T. chapter?
See what you can do to get some homeland security money? Form a C.E.R.T. chapter?
BLSBoy
makes good girls go bad
- 733
- 2
- 16
Noble intentions will get you only so far.
Since the school wants little to nothing to do with you, check with your local EMS agencies to see if you can affiliate yourself with them. That way, you have a better infrastructure to work off from, more experience to draw from, and possibly more money to use.
Since the school wants little to nothing to do with you, check with your local EMS agencies to see if you can affiliate yourself with them. That way, you have a better infrastructure to work off from, more experience to draw from, and possibly more money to use.
lightsandsirens5
Forum Deputy Chief
- 3,970
- 19
- 38