Chicomm Blog

Your community depends on you. Sure, this may sound a bit dramatic at times, but the truth is that for those who work in the public safety sector or public works, this dependence is a very real thing – especially when an emergency arises.

Power outages, severe weather alerts, or even an issue with the water supply are considered community-sensitive events – meaning they impact an entire population at the same time. When these events occur, it is absolutely vital for those responsible for keeping the public safe or remedying the issue that they stay in constant contact, and their communications are dependable (regardless of the environment).

It seems that most organizations have at least some degree of emergency preparedness ready to go. This can include an evacuation plan, alarm systems, or a detailed list of who is responsible for what. As the very nature of an emergency is that it is unexpected or unplanned, how you respond to it needs to be based off of a clear and effective plan. This all starts with being prepared.

One of the most common emergencies that can impact any and all industries, is a weather emergency. You know the kind: storms, hurricanes, high winds, blizzards, fog, etc. All of these natural events can cause delays and safety issues to some extent, and they can all impact you in a major way.

Using a digital two-way radio is pretty start forward. You go the the docking station and grab a handset. From there you turn it on and make sure that you’re on the right channel to begin or join a conversation. After double checking the volume and receiving a message, you hold the Push to Talk Button while you share your response.

The first time that you used a two-way radio, you probably didn’t need detailed instructions to operate the device. Although using this system is simple and doesn’t require any technical training, understanding the science behind the technology is slightly more intricate.

Radio Frequency

Over the past decade, companies from every industry have made advancements in making their organization more eco-friendly, or "green." This push for clean business practices has made great strides recently, and there are even opportunities to be found in the telecommunication market. 

Are Company Cell Phones Necessary?

Students heading off to college in the fall expect to be safe as they settle into their dorms and navigate their way through new campuses. With that expectation comes a need for colleges and universities to continually improve tactics for campus communucation, security and emergency response to ensure students remain safe during day-to-day activities, sporting events, and other school functions.

In the Midwest, we often celebrate warm, beautiful summer weather with months of events. These warm months often signal that graduations, parades, festivals and concerts are just around the corner. Although these events are fun to attend, most don’t realize just how much work goes into planning and executing a successful event. One of the most important things to ensure a smooth and safe event, regardless of the event, is clear communication.

So what does clear communication look like? For one, it involves digital, two-way radios being supplied to event staff. Notice that line says “two-way radios,” not “cell phones” (there’s a big difference). These radios allow the event staff to communicate effectively regardless of their location or the noisy environment they may be in at the time.

Dress Up. Cause Chaos. Do Good.

CHIditarod is Chicago's Urban Shopping Cart Race, Food Drive, Costume Contest, Fund Raiser and all around Good Time. It is also one of the largest mobile food drives. The event gets it's name CHIditarod, from the Alaskan Iditarod. The date of the event was chosen to coincide with the kickoff of the Iditarod.  The annual event is in it's 10th year and takes place in the Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village Chicago neighborhoods. There are some basic similarities between the races, but the Chiditarod is more focused on fun then coming in first.  Instead of sleds, they use shopping carts, and instead of dogs, they have teams of five people: four pullers and one musher. Also, each team is required to start with 60 lbs of food in their cart for donation.

Chicago Communications, LLC sponsors many different types of events throughout the year. We sponsor runs, festivals, trade show venues, picnics, and believe it or not, snowmobile racing. Yes, snowmobile racing, also known as Snocross.

What is Snocross? Snocross is a sport involving racing specialized high performance snowmobiles on natural or artificially-made tracks consisting of tight turns, banked corners, steep jumps and obstacles. Riders race at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Now you might be wondering ….. do they actually race in Illinois? While there are tracks all over the country – New York, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Michigan -- the southern-most snocross track in the country is, yes, located in Illinois – Wauconda, Illinois to be exact. Races take place pretty much every weekend from December to March, and as you might expect to coordinate practices and race days takes a village. It also requires two-way radios.

When people think of a two-way radio, most think of them being used by police or fire personnel.  But, two-way radios are so versatile that they can be used in many different environments and for many different purposes. Just how versatile are they? Here are just a few examples of where two-way radios are or have been used.

For as long as I can remember, and it's probably from growing up with a dad who has been in the radio communications business for the past 60 years, I always find myself looking for how businesses, organizations, or volunteers are communicating when I'm out and about. I used to see him do it and now I do it. It has become a force of habit for me now. Are the people in the places I go using radios? (And I of course also look to see if they are Motorola radios.) How are they using them?