Batboard

this is just a general question, we are a volunteer fire dept and we have a problem with portable radios disapearing, how does every body mark there radios, do you use paint, engraving, colored cases, ect. we are about to purchase 30 new cp200 radios and the cheif wanted to get some ideas on how to prevent the radios from walking away.
thanks

Jeffrey
Newton Twp Fire & Ems

Have each member plunk down a deposit? You want the radio, you pay a deposit? Nah, that probably won't work.

I've seen a number of different techniques. If you buy the 30 from Motorola, they can engrave the portables for you. they do have an engraving division. However, cases are easily swapped out for new ones.

You can also paint the cases/batteries, that might also work to aid in having an identifiable mark.

The most professional route that you can probably go is to having them engraved with your department name.

-Alex

We have all department radios engraved with the department name, the year bought, and number in the set of radios bought. So, for a new radio, it would say XYZ FD, and under it would be 04-xx. When it is issued, the person it is issued to fills out a form. The form logs their name, company, badge number, the radio number, the radios serial number, the charger number, the speaker mic number and the case number. When they sign that form they are agreeing that if any of the issued equipment is "lost", they will pay for its replacement.
In the event someone does lose an item, it is reviewed by the fire chief to determine whether or not to enforce the replacement cost issue.

Document the serial numbers, when they turn up missing enter them as "Stolen" in NCIC. Don't tell any members you have enetered them as stolen, just sit back and wait, sooner or later the radio will turn up! After it turns up somewhere follow the trail back to the culprit and give em' the boot.

Frank

we have seen many canadian companies
going to the invisible id system.

They post that all equipment has
invisible security on the units.

The special coating must be seen
under an ultraviolet light.

Most groups using this plan have
reported very few losses.
They say thief is down greatly.

Just spray paint them blaze orange, nobody will want to take it!

Some FDs have stick-on labels made which fit the cutouts on the backs of the radios and look as if they're original equipment. Sure, they can be peeled off, but what you're looking for is a deterrent, and you avoid defacing the radio with engraving. The recordkeeping/NCIC method is great for the long term and it'll work eventually, but the labels I've seen are pretty slick and probably would scare off the average, non-techie, Homer Simpson-type, thief.

I mark all my radios on the back behind the battery with paint marker. It's not as easily visible and can eventually be removed but it's not readily appearant. I agree with firemed9 on this one...document everything about the radios and who's got em....

Matt

Buy an engraver, paint can be washed off by cleaners these days the only way to be sure is to engrave.

Get them Laser engraved.

Some mechanical engravers are the equivalent of taking a jack hammer to the radio! lol

Laser engraving does no harm to the radio

additionally, make sure they all have the correct radio's serial number appear in the CPS/RSS, and save the codeplugs. I haven't seen the RSS/CPS for the new CP series, it may even have a memo field. On top of that, once the inventory is created, print a copy of model/serial for all the local shops, and give to their manager. Ask them to check against that list any time a yahoo comes in for programming on his new "radio I just got off ebay"
There is also a national radio databse, for when it does disappear (on batlabs main site)
There are pros and cons to issued radios. If you are a volley agency, you can issue Minitors and leave the HT's in the trucks, but same probs ocurr, and some others too.
I agree with careful engraving, special programming, and a good list. Have a sit-down with members when they are issued. Scare them, bottom line.

Where can you typically get laser engraving done?

JOHN 1807 wrote:Where can you typically get laser engraving done?

Where else?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=46744

Wow, If I had that thing I`d have to laser engrave everything- radios, the dog , the wife, ya know

Where's the steering wheel and the sink?
I can't afford the shipping on that one....

since changeout of a front cover is relatively easy, we engrave the SIDE of the portable (the "spine")

this usually is a pretty good deterrent.

Mike in CT
KM1R