Cataldo Ambulance takes over Holyoke coverage

[fireman1333]

I don't see any frequencies for Cataldo here in Western Mass. Anyone have a clue what frequencies they might be using?

Maybe they will just jump on a med channel like AMR

https://www.masslive.com/news/2022/10/c ... vider.html

[garys]

That's interesting. I wonder what they use in Chicopee?

[ScanBoston]

The article says they are replacing Action Ambulance. What is Action using now? In my area the private ambulances serving the towns are dispatched right on the local fire frequencies not on thier own frequencies anyways. These contracts usually specify these are units are just for the city. They are usually marked for the city they serve in some way as well. Cambridge is big enough that they are an exception but most are dispatched by the cities right on thier own frequencies.

[ecps92]

Action seems to have been on the ICE TRS
https://www.snewiki.com/wiki/index.php/ ... nies_in_MA
and 453.7000

So a start might be on that 900 DMR system

I don't see any frequencies for Cataldo here in Western Mass. Anyone have a clue what frequencies they might be using?

Maybe they will just jump on a med channel like AMR

https://www.masslive.com/news/2022/10/c ... vider.html

[garys]

I've never seen anything that makes me think that Action was on the ICE system. Access was, but they are moving off of it.

John has a good point about using the Holyoke frequencies. It's very common for private services to do that.

I'll withhold comment about "dedicated" units as experiences differ.

Pro is a unique case in that they have access to the Cambridge Trunk as well as the MSP analog trunk. Their ambulances also can talk to FDs surrounding Cambridge on those FD's channels. For example, Pro does a lot of back up work in Watertown and uses the fire departments channel. For that matter, Fallon does as well when they respond.

Programmable radios make all of these things easy to do.

Action seems to have been on the ICE TRS
https://www.snewiki.com/wiki/index.php/ ... nies_in_MA
and 453.7000

So a start might be on that 900 DMR system

[ecps92]

My error, too early in the am, and multi-tasking the ICE was ALERT not Action

I've never seen anything that makes me think that Action was on the ICE system. Access was, but they are moving off of it.

John has a good point about using the Holyoke frequencies. It's very common for private services to do that.

I'll withhold comment about "dedicated" units as experiences differ.

Pro is a unique case in that they have access to the Cambridge Trunk as well as the MSP analog trunk. Their ambulances also can talk to FDs surrounding Cambridge on those FD's channels. For example, Pro does a lot of back up work in Watertown and uses the fire departments channel. For that matter, Fallon does as well when they respond.

Programmable radios make all of these things easy to do.

[garys]

Alert, Action, Access are all pretty close on that page.

Speaking of Alert, I used to hear their western MA Talk Group on the Freetown site, but don't hear it any more. So, either they don't use it or maybe have a direct console connection into the ICE system so they aren't dependent on site affiliation.

If that's actually possible.

My error, too early in the am, and multi-tasking the ICE was ALERT not Action

[CG]

I turned on ICE overnight and nothing to indicate a new service there. I did hear scheduled transport in Wilbraham on TG 231 which is listed as Alert (nothing for 232 Alert - Western MA).
On OneVoice, I got traffic on Action TG, 1006000 but nothing else new there. I only monitored that for a couple hours.
Trying BearComm next

Chris

[garys]

The Wiki has 1006000 listed as National Ambulance. Is that not correct?

I turned on ICE overnight and nothing to indicate a new service there. I did hear scheduled transport in Wilbraham on TG 231 which is listed as Alert (nothing for 232 Alert - Western MA).
On OneVoice, I got traffic on Action TG, 1006000 but nothing else new there. I only monitored that for a couple hours.
Trying BearComm next

Chris

[ScanBoston]

I live in Newton were we now have Transformative (was Fallon) and the ALS units are housed in the Fire Stations and all dispatched on the Fire Frequencies. Medic 4, Medic 1, Medic 2 etc. The trucks themselves are marked up themselves saying Newton Medic 4 ETC. Waltham has a different company but same deal there's say serving the city of Waltham.

[fireman1333]

Action used 453.700 for emergency calls, which they are licensed in Holyoke, Mt Tom location if I recall

[W1KNE]

Action used 453.700 for emergency calls, which they are licensed in Holyoke, Mt Tom location if I recall

453.7000 D743 .

[ecps92]

Reportedly they use an LTE product with a DMR 900 Network as a back-up

I don't see any frequencies for Cataldo here in Western Mass. Anyone have a clue what frequencies they might be using?

Maybe they will just jump on a med channel like AMR

https://www.masslive.com/news/2022/10/c ... vider.html

[CG]

The Wiki has 1006000 listed as National Ambulance. Is that not correct?

It would be what the database says, I have it different and I don't know why. I don't monitor any of the commercial providers in the Springfield area on a regular basis.

chris

[garys]

Thanks.

It would be what the database says, I have it different and I don't know why. I don't monitor any of the commercial providers in the Springfield area on a regular basis.

chris

[CG]

I believe they are using ICE 900 TRS TGID 798. I cannot hear them from my home but was doing some mobile monitoring and heard a car responding to a crash in the city.
Also, local EMS traffic still heard on TGID 231, database has Alert EMS using it
I have noted some Action traffic today on the 453.700 D743 but again, very brief monitoring.

[disp617]

I believe they are using ICE 900 TRS TGID 798. I cannot hear them from my home but was doing some mobile monitoring and heard a car responding to a crash in the city.
Also, local EMS traffic still heard on TGID 231, database has Alert EMS using it
I have noted some Action traffic today on the 453.700 D743 but again, very brief monitoring.

Don't forget Chapin Ambulance. They are a new company out that way and I don't think anyone has found them on the radio dial yet.

[garys]

Alert was using a different TG for western operations, but seems to have consolidated every thing on 231. At one time I could hear that talk group on the ICE Freetown site as their dispatch center affiliated with it when talking to western MA units.

I'll put 798 into my SDR and see if it pops up on one of the Boston area sites.

I believe they are using ICE 900 TRS TGID 798. I cannot hear them from my home but was doing some mobile monitoring and heard a car responding to a crash in the city.
Also, local EMS traffic still heard on TGID 231, database has Alert EMS using it
I have noted some Action traffic today on the 453.700 D743 but again, very brief monitoring.

[OceanNora]

I heard 798 on Site 4 the other day, I left it locked on the TG for the entire day but only picked up about 7 transmissions or so. The only call I heard them dispatched to was a medical at a nursing home in Holyoke so I'm not sure if it was a 911 provider or not. If it helps those more familiar with the area narrow it down, the two ambulances were 51 and 53 and the base ID'ed itself as Operations