Situation: The Green Bay Metro Fire Department needed a solution to help their teams communicate and coordinate during noisy events such as Green Bay Packer games and live music concerts.
The Green Bay Metro Fire Department provides emergency response services during special events and it has always been difficult to communicate amongst their team due to crowd and music noise. Communication challenges can increase the response times of the first responders and can hinder coordination during quickly developing situations. When communication breaks down it snowballs, and well laid plans cannot be carried out. Communication challenges can also pose a safety concern for their personnel. The Green Bay Metro Fire Dept tried using earpieces connected to their two-way radios but found that team members would often turn the radio all the way up, which distorted their voices and further exposed their workers to hazardous sound levels.
This is when they decided to try 3M™ PELTOR™ LEP-200 Electronic Earplugs with the Astra Radio Communications (ARC) Neck Loop.
The Benefits of Protective Communication and Hearing
The 3M™ PELTOR™ LEP-200 Electronic Earplugs help reduce the effects of loud environmental noise on radio communications, and when used in combination with the ARC Neck Loop, can transmit the audio signal from the two-way radio into the electronic earplug. Being able to clearly hear the incoming two-way radio message is one of the main benefits.
Ryan Gibbons, Asst. Chief EMS for the Green Bay Metro Fire Dept states, “With the use of the LEP-200 we are able to protect our people from the loud noise and hear radio communication with ease.” And because of the environmental listening technology of the LEP-200 electronic earplugs, Ryan continues, “They also allow for normal conversation when needed. This device allows for the best of both worlds: hearing protection and communication abilities. In the past we always had to give up one piece. This has allowed our personnel to have it all.”
Ryan summarizes his experience, “As personnel got used to their new normal they felt that the crowd was not very loud at that particular game. They removed the device and immediately replaced it due to the actual loud crowd noise. They were able to hear all communication and person-to-person conversation. While serving in a command post during civil unrest the use of the LEP-200’s allowed the team to filter out all the ambient conversations or turn them up to be able to hear other conversations that [we] would not have been able to. In the command post at Green Bay Packers games, they have found it useful to only use one plug. This is not a loud environment, but this allows them to hear clear radio communication in one ear and answer the phone with the other ear. Overall, an absolute great experience.”
To learn more about how PELTOR protective communication solutions can work for you and your team, visit https://engage.3m.com/PELTORHeadsets or contact us today to speak with a health and safety specialist for assistance.
Please feel free to download a copy of this case study: 3M Green Bay Metro Fire Department Case Study.