showing pager messages on the web

[Darius]

Do you think there is value in a website showing all (CFS) pager messages?  Do you think it causes more problems/trouble than it is worth? 

What about if there was such a site but only for authorised people (eg. it was by verified login/membership), would that be any better?

My opinion is it can be very useful sometimes (especially during the fire season to get advance warning of developing incidents and help counter the severe lack of useful info coming from HQ/regions) but it can also cause problems when idiots run off half-cocked based on something they've seen on there that is not their concern.

(I know anyone with a slight bit of knowledge can set up their own decoder and see all pages, but if everyone had to go to that much effort it would severely reduce the number of people who can see them compared to anyone being able to look at a website)

[6739264]

I agree with you. Its useful and downright handy to see if all of your group is committed elsewhere, and you're right - good luck getting a heads up from Group/Region.

Its a pity to see so many people here whining and moaning about things that don't have anything to do with them, but that seems to be the nature of the beast. Its all about what people choose to do with the information. Admittedly, with certain things like some SAAS responses in the past, it has been good to see what has gone unnoticed and now been fixed.

At work we have a system similar to the pager scanning sites. Basically it shows all incidents, resources assigned (Police/Fire/Ambulance), their status, exact times for: Turnout/Mobile/Arrived/Stop/Returned as well as sitreps in plain English. God knows WHAT would happen if something like that was available to the everyday CFS member...

Mind you, maybe having more information available (eg: Sitreps) would actually shut people up about things that they know nothing about.

[Mike]

Agreed.

Restricting information is a tough option though.
     Who gets authorised etc?
     What criteria is assigned?

The system Mr Numbers uses could circumvent a lot of the opinion based issues we see with the scanning sites, but the quality of information we transmit would need an overhaul (think of the public image based on some of the things you hear on the scanner at the moment).

That leads the topic back to restricting access again?....?
As hard as anyone tries, the mushrooms will always be there to misinterpret and blow things out of proportion.

[OMGWTF]

from what i hear, the new CFS website that has been coming foor years....

is going to have an incident summary of CFS incidents shown on the mainpage.

surely thats exactly what all the people with no life want? [tongue in cheek comment]

[CFS_Firey]

I mainly use the scanner to look at what incidents are going down, (particularly in summer when warning of a possible strike team is handy).

Being able to read all the info messages that go out can be interesting, and sometimes useful, but I can easily live without it.

So in summary:  I think websites showing response messages are definitely worth the trouble, but ones showing info messages may not be.

[Knackers]

Wont be around for too much longer i would think, as SAAS is set to go to an encrypted radio and pager network, i presume when this SACAD comes in, sometime in the future. i would think MFS will be the same, not sure on other services.

Should not really be on the web for all to see anyway, especially if you can listen in to radio networks as well, as some pretty personal information is given out over both systems. Why it is not all encrypted now i dont know, we are living in 2008 not 1908.

Kinda an invasion of privacy, especially when info like Mr Smith, at this address, has this condition, or this has just happened, and so and so with there scanner, and internet can listen in and watch the paging screen, and do who knows what with the information.

How would you feel if it was you as the patient and your neighbour or someone you knew was listening in and found out personal details about you.

Sure for those of you using the site to gain heads up information for fires etc, fair enough I can see where you are coming from, but SAAS information, not a good idea.

[Cameron Yelland]

I can agree....SAAS should be encrypted but not the Fire Service.

People use the information they hear on the scanner to determine how they will respond i.e. leaving their home during a fire etc.  You cant rely on the CFS or the media to provide you with up to date info on what is happening on the front line.

Also there is rarely if any private information that is given across the fire service radios.

[rescue5271]

I agree with the New Conpton captain,having said that  a number of PAGER site's are being shut down as we have seen in Victoira and  from what my mate in NSW was saying the one that is running online up there will be next....

[Darius]

Some of you seem to be confusing using a scanner to listen to the GRN radio traffic with showing pager messages on the web.  I am only talking about showing fire service pager messages (not SAAS or SAPOL or SA Water and so on) on the web.

I am also not interested in whether or not "big brother" wants such websites shutdown, or whether someone's next door neighbour who knows someone who used to work for ...etc..etc.. would like them shutdown.

I just wondered if people (thinking "CFS members") saw actual value in such websites.  A couple of responses are: yes some value but not enormous.

Judging by the posts in threads on here like the "interesting pages" ones and other comments around the place, it's obvious many people look at the pager websites.  Why do people look at them then?  Just cos they can maybe?  (and they have too much time on there hands perhaps)

[Pipster]

I think there is great value in a website showing CFS response messages.

Particularly in summer time,I know a lot of people who use the paging sites to plan their own response to fires - eg they are at work, see that there is a fire going in say an adjacent area to theirs, and based on that info, there is a good chance that their brigade will be called.    So, they organise to leave work early, just in case.

There are other Groups I am aware of, where the duty officer keeps an eye on the paging websites.  As with the above example, if a big fire is going in adjoining areas, they page their own group, advising of the fire, and that their own group is not required at this time.    It means that again, people can plan ahead - pack up their stuff at home in case they get a call, delay going out on their errands, make arrangements for possible child care, leave work early..etc etc, just in case they are required.    If (and it is IF, not necessarily when) the call comes through, you have a larger number of people in the vicinity, and ready to respond.

On a busy / bad day, relying upon the Group where the fire is, or the Region HQ, or State HQ, to contact nearby groups with a warning they might, or might not be needed is not practical.   

A pager website has the potential to assist all members / brigades in planning responses to bushfires, and other time consuming calls, such as Hazmat etc

Pip

[Cameron Yelland]

I have family and friends in the hills who actually use the pager site, so they know if their is a fire burning in their area and whether they need to put their fire plans into action.

[bajdas]

Very useful during multi-call incidents to view what other services are dispatching to where.

[Footy]

Being honest about it all, if i get bored ill go and have a nosey for 30 seconds and then find something else to do (for example this site here is a great one to waste hours: http://www.therightfoot.net/mystuff/whatever/swf/bubblewrap.swf)

I have used it as a heads up before (the time last year when the big storm came through and KI was alight) and rang up my principal to organise the following day off if needed.

So apart from that, its just interesting to have there. Take it or leave it tho.

[jaff]

The paging site is a usefull tool, in conjunction with other info it helps to give us a bigger picture of an incident, for readiness and planning our responses. The site will always have its detractors (invasion of privacy and the like) but if you weigh up the potential good against potential harm its fairly clear cut. My family find it usefull to track me down, when other attempts have failed,also most users are a little bit more saavy with info pagers now, ie  numbers call jaff you know number!

[SA Firey]

Very useful resource and good to see whats happening around the state, or the next group over from yours.A heads up is always good.

[Robert-Robert34]

I use the paging site to get a heads up of incidents in neighbouring groups on really hot days incase a page goes out for strike team response as well as to find out how bad severe storms will be 

[Shiner]

I (and my employer) get huge value out of the pager site.

I work for a large statewide provider of roads and road related assets and services.

In the past, we regularly only found out about crashes (major/fatals/loose stock type etc) when one of our own staff rang in while listening to the radio....  I found it very poor that there was no tie-in to what other government agencies were up to....

However, we are now able to be much more proactive in our response to incidents and able to offer support to SAPOL with traffic control or to despatch relevant staff to perform our own investigations or fix up damaged assets (signs/guardrail etc) once SAPOL have finished with the scene.

[countrygirl]

i have found the pager site handy because then you know where roads are blocked, etc. from MVA's
Also certain messages advised me of behind the scenes information into something important that was going to happen and it effected me, so it wasnt a complete shock when the person concerned took further action, I was 1 step ahead of them ...
Unfortunately though in this case it WAS a invasion of privacy, mine!

[Mike]

i have found the pager site handy because then you know where roads are blocked, etc. from MVA's
Also certain messages advised me of behind the scenes information into something important that was going to happen and it effected me, so it wasnt a complete shock when the person concerned took further action, I was 1 step ahead of them ...
Unfortunately though in this case it WAS a invasion of privacy, mine!

Given you have mentioned previously that this is part of an ongoing investigation, i would suggest it prudent that you stop advertising it on this forum.