National Guard Plane Crash at Hotel Site - Evansville, Indiana » Communications

The Evansville Police and Fire Departments had completed conversion to a new communications system shortly before the incident. The new system consisted of enhanced 911, computer-aided dispatching, and an 800-MHz trunked radio system. The crash served as the first major test of the new communications equipment and procedures. According to local officials, both passed with flying colors.

Despite the large number of calls generated in response to the crash, the new system permitted dispatchers to keep pace with events without losing track of field operations. During the first hour of the incident, the dispatchers handled more than double the normal call volume. The second hour produced an even more dramatic 500 percent increase as calls poured in from outside the local area, many from the regional and national media. Call volume remained high for more than 10 hours following the crash.

While the dispatchers were managing the high volume of incoming calls and notifications associated with the incident, radio communications at the scene were aided by the trunked 800-MHz radios, which work much like cellular telephone service. This type of radio system permits a large number of users to share a relatively small number of common frequencies Users are divided into talk groups which share similar responsibilities or communications needs.

Other agencies involved in rescue operations, including the EMS providers and airport ARFF crews were not equipped with 800-MHz trunked radios and encountered difficulty communicating effectively with the incident commander. These agencies operated on their own frequencies during the incident and had to relay their messages through liaison officers detailed to the command post or through face-to-face communication with Evansville or Vanderburgh County officials.

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