Finance Committee - 10/18/2017 Page 19
Alderman Cookson
Thank you.
Alderman O’Brien
Mr. Mansfield, let’s walk down memory lane a little bit. | seem to remember one day when | was working we
were hit, as we often are, with a rash of thunder storms in the area and it knocked out the communication at
fire alarm. Being the deputy chief on duty that day, | took my portable. All fire dispatchers are issued portables
as well, too. We were able with three portables to maintain radio communication between all apparatus and
the medical. It did occur. Now, fortunately, we have some pretty brilliant people that work for us in the radio
division, and the situation was promptly fixed. | think it was the batteries that blew up. There was a smell of
smoke in the building. | did have a dispatcher who could smell smoke. | said that we’re the fire department:
we don’t worry about that. We smell like that all the time. The thing is we were able to keep the system going.
| can see what Mr. Mansfield is saying. We've got to prepare for something that is more catastrophic. This
was a natural event of lightning. If it wasn’t for the quick thinking and the professional training that exists in
Nashua Fire Rescue, it could have had a worse outcome. We were able to adapt and cope because of the
training.
Alderman Cookson
Through you to Alderman O’Brien?
Mayor Donchess
Yes, of course.
Alderman Cookson
| appreciate that insight that you are able to share with us. It is very important because | don’t think many of us
have that same experience, so thank you for sharing that. Help me, again, help me understand how this
solution, a backup to a backup, would benefit you as a former deputy fire chief in the exact same situation that
you just referenced as a need for it? My understanding is communications go down. I’m assuming in this
situation, maybe your portables didn’t work so you didn’t have that backup to the main line of communication.
But you now have this available to you. Does this mean that somebody from Nashua has to go up to
Manchester, to the airport, in order to communicate or dispatch? Is that what this backup does?
Alderman O’Brien
In the situation that occurred that | described, we were able to correct it with portable radios and yelling out to
my car down below dispatching as well. To answer your question directly, we had the temporary fix, and we
were able to adapt and overcome in that particular situation. | think what Mr. Mansfield is talking about is
something a little bit more catastrophic that may be, like if that lightning struck did cause a building fire or
something like that and totally wiped out a lot of valuable equipment. We’re talking the long term of this.
Alderman Cookson
Okay.
Alderman O’Brien
| think we can adapt in the short term, but it’s not the best solution. We put a band aid and we made it work
because of our professionalism. | think what Mr. Mansfield is trying to explain to us is this will give us the
opportunity if we lost a building or lost something so we can continue on and not have a break in service
because of its redundancy. To me, it makes sense. | can understand your questions because we do have a
