Employee Spotlight: Helen Strecker

In April, 2005, Helen took a leap of faith and applied for the receptionist's job at Chicago Communications. During the interview, she said, "It was interesting explaining why my last 'paid position' had been in 1972." That's what happens when you are a stay at home mom for 33 years.

Helen’s first job after graduating from secretarial college in New Jersey was with a major retail company.  She was a secretary (yes, that's what they were called then) to a vice president; and she did it all.  Correspondence, advertising, budgets, scheduling and yes, even his personal shopping.  When she got married, her husband's job took them out of their hometown and across the country to Illinois.  Then, along came three boys, a house and a station wagon - suburbia at its best.  And once again, she was doing it all - school committees, charity organizations, Scouts, sports and car-pooling.  They went through a station wagon and two mini-vans during that time.  When asked, "What do you do?" her polite answer was usually "how much time do you have?"  She was fortunate, she was able to stay at home to raise her children, run her home and contribute to her community.  In 2000, Helen became a widow, the "children" were grown men and there was no need for her to be at home anymore.  In 2004, she got married again, and decided to see what was out there. 

It’s an inflatable tower!  Didn’t know there was such a thing?  Well, there is and it has some pretty interesting applications.  You can use it anywhere from golf outings or county fairs, to crime scenes or highway speed control or road blocks!  Anytime you have a temporary command post or mobile headquarters, these easy to move mobile towers can accommodate an antenna, repeater, camera, or even an access point for high speed data.  They are easy to transport, quickly deployed, affordable and customizable. They are portable enough to mount on any vehicle so you can enhance your two way radio or mobile phone range at any remote operation. They are inflatable towers made by Lighter than Air Projects in Cookeville, TN, and available locally through Chicago Communications!

Did you know that Chicago Communications offers exclusively to our customers, the convenience of purchasing their most common accessories and batteries through our website?

In order for our account executives to be more attentive to your needs we developed this program to instantly place an order and notify you and your account executive as soon as the order is placed.

Here’s how it works.

Intrinsically Safe.

For someone who doesn’t eat and breathe the two way radio world, this term is probably foreign to you. However, it is vital to not only the upkeep and lifetime of a radio, but also crucial to the radio user’s safety.

The retail, hospitality, public safety, and education markets all can benefit from the use of two way radios. ROI is great, offers many different options, and provides clear communication amongst users. But what about those in the manufacturing field, those that are around dangerous chemicals, high temperatures, or other dangerous elements? They deserve not only the same quality of communication that other markets have available, but also should feel protected while using them. 

If you’re looking for a price savvy communication product, without the full commitment of a purchase – renting radios is definitely one of the best options out there. You get the quality and control that you would normally get when purchasing a two way radio system, but without the upkeep and price tag associated with it. This is a perfect option for those who would only use a radio system a few times a year for special events. Batteries and antennas are automatically included with each rental; each customer receives one spare battery and charger for every two radios rented. By choosing to rent radios, you can rest easy knowing that the programming, licensing, and even delivery of your communication equipment is being taken care of.

But first, here are some things to keep in mind after you’ve decided on the wise choice to rent two way radio equipment.

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication, hospitality, and public safety world!

1) Public Safety Grants: The Assistance to Firefighters Grant deadline is TODAY! Be sure to check out the FEMA website if you haven’t already. If you’ve ran out of time for this grant, don’t worry. There’s a few more with deadlines that are soon approaching. Be sure to check out these Federal Grant Opportunities to see if you qualify!

Those charged with maintaining or upgrading the communications system of a busy hotel have their work cut out for them. They're charged with both keeping up with increasing guest expectations when it comes to wireless, and making sure critical staff communications run smoothly. Depending on the size, prior communication equipment, and budget you have to work with, some options may be aesthetically more appealing than others. For example, in a smaller hotel, the upfront cost of using cellular devices can be more appealing than putting down a lot of money for two way radios and other communication devices. Or if you’re in need of a quick fix, ordering communication equipment (two way radios and cellular devices alike) from a website may seem to be the answer.

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication and public safety world!

1)  Drones- Although the majority of the public fears the use of drones and their own privacy, firefighters are actually encouraging the use of these robots. They say the drones can help spot and view fires before the firefighters even get to the blaze, allowing for more adequate relief. Right now, officers can only see the fire when it’s right in front of them. These drones would consist of a camera strapped to an aviation unit, to help firefighters identify the blaze. Fireflight owner, Jerry Stuckey said, "The way I see it, it's technology, and technology that can save lives and property." Read more on the implementation of drones to help firefighters here.

The economy hit many of us hard in 2013, both businesses and individuals alike. So what do you do when you’re in need of updating, or even beginning your two way radio journey when companies need to conserve their working capital? You can’t hinder your ability to effectively communicate in order to meet budget requirements. Chicago Communications offers one possible solution to this problem.

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication and public safety world!

 

1) The Council On Financial Reform (COFAR) Fraud Alert: FEMA announced that there are scam artists claiming to be the Council on Financial Reform contacting individuals reporting that they’ve received grants from the government. However, the individual must pay a processing fee which can only be paid by giving up bank account information. COFAR stresses that they will never ask for such personal information when dealing with grants. Read more on this topic on the Grant Fraud website.