To the Editor,
I would like to commend the Orcas Island Fire Department/EMS, Emergency Management, Airlift Northwest, Camp Orkila, the volunteers from Deer Harbor and all the others whose combined effort made the recent fire drill in Spring Point an outstanding success. Fire Chief Kevin O’Brien coordinated the activities of an impressively professional crew. Bob Connor had prepared a field for use as an alternate Landing Zone for helicopter evacuation. Sheila Gaquin organized Red Cross facilities at the Deer Harbor Inn, the designated Emergency Center. Altogether a fine example of professionalism, resourcefulness and community effort.
One problem that was readily apparent was with communication.The Fire Department was able to work around crowded radio frequencies. However, cell phone coverage in Spring Point and other areas on Orcas is all but non-existent. Reception is better through the local Canadian network than with our domestic ones in these dead zones. During the recent wild fires in California we saw numerous examples on the news of vital information being exchanged through Twitter or Facebook. And in our dead spots we cannot even make a 911 call.
OPALCO has reached out to the island community to support an improved Broadband through an expanded optical cable network. In my view this would be an outstanding development. However, contrary to rumor, it does not affect coverage for cell phones. The proposed antennas at the end of its lines would only provide Wi-Fi to expand the cable network’s coverage. I am told that these same antennas could also be used to enhance cell phone coverage but one or more of the carriers (ATT, Verizon, etc.) would have to be convinced of the economic incentive.
I believe it is incumbent on OPALCO, our County Council and all our cell phone users to explore and encourage multiple uses of these antennas before the opportunity is lost. Poor reception is not just an inconvenience. As demonstrated in the fire drill it is an avoidable condition that potentially affects the security of much of our islands.
David Schermerhorn
David Schermerhorn’s work with emergency preparedness along with all the other things he does as a volunteer is a magnificent example of volunteer community involvement. We thank you, David, for your concern and energy in promoting a better life for us all.
I wonder if satellite phones would be the least expensive (certainly more expedient) alternative …
David, Thanks for the excellent report, and for mentioning OPALCO Broadband’s cellular phone coverage component.
OPALCO’s installed base of poles throughout the county can provide cellular companies with a low cost way of deploying cellular antennas, without resorting to unsightly towers. Though it is up to cellular phone companies to decide if they want to improve cellular phone coverage in the island – by making OPLACO poles available, cellular phone companies can reduce the cost of improving their network coverage in the county, and thus make it more attractive to meeting the needs of the community for improved cellular service.
Dr. Bob Wilson on Lopez Island, speaking on behalf of county medical and emergency services personnel recently said “The problem with our current system is that with at least 75% of medical calls, poor cell phone communication is an issue.”
In addition, the county has a number of “dead zones” where even radio coverage is problematic. Part of the OPALCO broadband plan includes using the pole tops as a platform for improving public safety communications network, throughout the county, and especially in the dead zones. This can help improve first responders communications systems.
Jay Kimball
OPALCO Broadband Team
Can we organize groups by cellphone vendor and communicate with them? My cell phone is a “brick” on Orcas; I don’t even bother to take it with me much of the time.
Landlines work anywhere and are not as toxic to the human body.