Hospital Security Kudos

[Chucky]

In a recent post I mentioned that I purchased a small scanner to use at work to help alleviate the boredom of watching folks walk around for 6.5 hours. Unlike my more expensive scanner at home this little sucker picks up any signal within 2 miles without having to program it in. Some unwanted and some very interesting. Within the range I pick up a local hospitals security.

I have always known that Hospital Security is one of the most intensive on the go all the time types of security but after listening to their 3 person crew I am even more in awe of what they do and will be the first to admit that I could not hack it for 1 day. I sure hope you guys get paid well for all you do.

Here is a small list of just some of the things that I heard them doing over a 2 day period. Not to include all the extensions that they have to call for what I would guess is more stuff that needs to be done.

Open Library, Open gift shop, Open Pharmacy, Open Safe at main desk, Open Safe for the day, Code Yellow on the psycho ward. ( Out of control patient ) Answer any alarms that go off, Make ID cards and swipe cards for new employees, Man the helo pad fire apparatus when the Med Flight comes and goes, Assist in the ER to control patients fighting the med staff and assume control of their valuables, Witness that the person that croaked was pronounced as stated on the toe tag, Routine parking lot control, Assist day surgery patients to their cars, Set up beds in rooms as needed, Escort unwanted people off property. I forgot to mention that there are 2 state prisons near by and they bring knuckle heads to the hospital often with all sorts of problems. The security guys have not once complained that they are to busy to answer the next call.

This is just some of the things that I was able to copy down as I could. Hats off big time to you guys.

[FireEMSPolice]

I want to put my Uniden BC780XLT (currently in my car) on my desk at work to listen to when I get my Uniden BCD996T (to put in my car).

I asked the anchor store (Sears, JCPenney, etc) Loss Prevention guys for their frequencies and they refused. I figure it would be nice to know whats going on so we can expect stuff. I guess I will have to get my frequency counter to get their "super secret" frequency that way.

[SecTrainer]

I want to put my Uniden BC780XLT (currently in my car) on my desk at work to listen to when I get my Uniden BCD996T (to put in my car).

I asked the anchor store (Sears, JCPenney, etc) Loss Prevention guys for their frequencies and they refused. I figure it would be nice to know whats going on so we can expect stuff. I guess I will have to get my frequency counter to get their "super secret" frequency that way.

I think frequency assignments are public information with certain exceptions. Awhile back I was doing some research on the Web and my search accidentally turned up references to Websites that post frequencies - including things like "Wendy's Restaurant 53rd Street drive-up radio", "Acme Construction site radios", etc. I remember being a little astonished at the detail. I'm almost positive that I saw some retail, hospital, etc. freqs listed, among others.

Unfortunately, I had no reason to make note of these Websites because I was researching other "radio-related" (interoperability) matters, but some Googling on something like "radio frequency listing" (including the quotes so it searches as a phrase) plus the name of your city might just provide what you're looking for.

[SecTrainer]

In a recent post I mentioned that I purchased a small scanner to use at work to help alleviate the boredom of watching folks walk around for 6.5 hours. Unlike my more expensive scanner at home this little sucker picks up any signal within 2 miles without having to program it in. Some unwanted and some very interesting. Within the range I pick up a local hospitals security.

I have always known that Hospital Security is one of the most intensive on the go all the time types of security but after listening to their 3 person crew I am even more in awe of what they do and will be the first to admit that I could not hack it for 1 day. I sure hope you guys get paid well for all you do.

Here is a small list of just some of the things that I heard them doing over a 2 day period. Not to include all the extensions that they have to call for what I would guess is more stuff that needs to be done.

Open Library, Open gift shop, Open Pharmacy, Open Safe at main desk, Open Safe for the day, Code Yellow on the psycho ward. ( Out of control patient ) Answer any alarms that go off, Make ID cards and swipe cards for new employees, Man the helo pad fire apparatus when the Med Flight comes and goes, Assist in the ER to control patients fighting the med staff and assume control of their valuables, Witness that the person that croaked was pronounced as stated on the toe tag, Routine parking lot control, Assist day surgery patients to their cars, Set up beds in rooms as needed, Escort unwanted people off property. I forgot to mention that there are 2 state prisons near by and they bring knuckle heads to the hospital often with all sorts of problems. The security guys have not once complained that they are to busy to answer the next call.

This is just some of the things that I was able to copy down as I could. Hats off big time to you guys.

It's not only very kind of you to share this, Chucky, but very professional. We can always use examples of officers and duty assignments that show the value of people in our domain. I join you in applauding these officers and the many others like them.

[FireEMSPolice]

I think frequency assignments are public information with certain exceptions. Awhile back I was doing some research on the Web and my search accidentally turned up references to Websites that post frequencies - including things like "Wendy's Restaurant 53rd Street drive-up radio", "Acme Construction site radios", etc. I remember being a little astonished at the detail. I'm almost positive that I saw some retail, hospital, etc. freqs listed, among others.

Unfortunately, I had no reason to make note of these Websites because I was researching other "radio-related" (interoperability) matters, but some Googling on something like "radio frequency listing" (including the quotes so it searches as a phrase) plus the name of your city might just provide what you're looking for.

Here are some references:

www.radioreference.com

http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/reports7/

[N. A. Corbier]

Yeah, the FCC publishes lists of all assigned frequencies. Even police, fire, EMS, and military. Its pointless to "hide" a frequency, since its easily findable. The only transmissions that aren't on the public record are "numbers stations" (Look it up on Wikipedia, I'm an editor of the article ) which most nations will not admit exist (The US does admit that Cuba used one in a criminal case.)

The LP guys may not know, or they may be using FRS/GMRS radios.

[Chucky]

I want to put my Uniden BC780XLT (currently in my car) on my desk at work to listen to when I get my Uniden BCD996T (to put in my car).

I asked the anchor store (Sears, JCPenney, etc) Loss Prevention guys for their frequencies and they refused. I figure it would be nice to know whats going on so we can expect stuff. I guess I will have to get my frequency counter to get their "super secret" frequency that way.

One of the things that kind of suck is that most law enforcement in this area are using Nextel digital phones. I know the LP guy that works our district uses Nextel due to the incredible range. A statie friend told me that they no longer use analog radio because the bad guys were able to monitor them in stakeouts. Many years ago the town I grew up in at one time added scramblers to their system and when things got juicy they would switch to scramble.
They had many problems with this like the portable units couldn't scramble and dropped it.

[Christopherstjo]

I once had the opportunity to work security in the hosptial setting. It is very overwhelming when first starting out; loads to learn on top of remebering the layout of the hospital and the quickest routes to get where you need to go. Dealing with the people is an entirely different thing - requires a great deal of understanding.

[N. A. Corbier]

One of the things that kind of suck is that most law enforcement in this area are using Nextel digital phones. I know the LP guy that works our district uses Nextel due to the incredible range. A statie friend told me that they no longer use analog radio because the bad guys were able to monitor them in stakeouts. Many years ago the town I grew up in at one time added scramblers to their system and when things got juicy they would switch to scramble.
They had many problems with this like the portable units couldn't scramble and dropped it.

While I like me a Nextel, I have to wonder what their encryption method is that it would defeat ease dropping. Anyone know?

[OccamsRazor]

Yeah, the FCC publishes lists of all assigned frequencies. Even police, fire, EMS, and military. Its pointless to "hide" a frequency, since its easily findable. The only transmissions that aren't on the public record are "numbers stations" (Look it up on Wikipedia, I'm an editor of the article ) which most nations will not admit exist (The US does admit that Cuba used one in a criminal case.)

The LP guys may not know, or they may be using FRS/GMRS radios.

Military and federal gov't frequency info is not available from the FCC, and has not been since 1983 or so, after Reagan signed the exclusion into law.

Now the freqs for those agencies are assigned and licensed by IRAC- http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/iracdefn.html

[OccamsRazor]

While I like me a Nextel, I have to wonder what their encryption method is that it would defeat ease dropping. Anyone know?

The iDen system is unhackable, sadly. TDMA capable of carrying six simultaneous converations...There's two ways to monitor Nextel traffic:

1) Join the police/fire/EMS/fed agency you want to listen to and get a Nextel phone assigned to you;

2) Buy a Nextel iDEN service monitor for 16-30k. Of course, you have to be a Nextel service rep or a fed LEO agency to purchase one...

http://www.gdc4s.com/documents/r2660iden.pdf

[N. A. Corbier]

1. I did not know that. (SecTrainer) Interesting. How do the "Betty Bearcat" books and such get frequency tables? Guessing, or field observation? Or does the other agency publish them?

2. Damn, none on eBay.

[SecTrainer]

I once had the opportunity to work security in the hosptial setting. It is very overwhelming when first starting out; loads to learn on top of remebering the layout of the hospital and the quickest routes to get where you need to go. Dealing with the people is an entirely different thing - requires a great deal of understanding.

Hospitals present truly unique security challenges in that they incorporate virtually every type of risk within one venue.

1. Hazardous materials/chemicals.
2. Biohazardous waste.
3. Nuclear materials.
4. Dangerous/prescription drugs.
5. Cash on hand.
6. Vulnerable occupants.
7. Kidnapping potential.
8. Violence potential.
9. Expensive, portable medical equipment.
10. Large repositories of highly-confidential private information.
11. Staff often working alone or in isolated parts of the facility.
12. Parking lots.
13. Must usually remain open to public 24x7.
14. Critical infrastructure --> terrorism.
15. Emergency management/disaster partner --> impact.
16. Often located in high-crime areas.
17. CPTED principles usually poorly implemented, although this is changing.

...and the list goes on. You name a risk and a hospital, particularly a major hospital in a metropolitan area, will probably have it in one form or another.

[N. A. Corbier]

The violence potential is huge. After all, many people from many walks of life all go to a hospital. You can have rival gang members in the ER. Criminal offenders being treated before transport to jail. The most virulent and bigoted SOBs known to man next to "Insert Hated Race(s) Here."

A hospital is a small city.

[HotelSecurity]

Industry Canada also publishes radio frequencies on the net. One of the problems is that a lot of companies *my downtown hotel for example) are offically registered as nunber companies doing business under another name. Eg: 123456 Canada Inc, operating XYZ Hotel. So on the list 123456 Canada's frwquency will be listed but unless you know this is the company operating XTZ Hotel you won't know it's an hotel.

As for employees not knowing their frequencies, even I kon;t know mine by heart.

The Bearcat Uniden scanner that I use has "Close Call" a built in frequency counter. Some scanner buffs make a hobby of "fishing". (Like phishing). They go around searching for frequencies.

Once the frequencies are found the next challange it to figure out the 10 codes!