The Problem with Backup

The Prank is overcome

 

The Problem with Back Up

 

 

 

“Any word on Kevin’s call?” Joyce asked. 

            “Not a peep” Randy said.

            “Guys!” Marie yelled. “Kevin needs back up and he needs it now!”

            “What happened to the tones?” Randy demanded.

            “No clue” Marie said. “But get your butts moving! This thing is on TV!!”

            “11A-2 to dispatch.”

“Dispatch 11A-2, do you have traffic?”

            “11A-2 affirmative. 11A-2, we are Code 3 to assist 11A-1 on Highway 288 incident.”

            “Dispatch 11A-2, advise your traffic again.”

            “11A-2 to dispatch. We are Code 3 to assist 11A-1 at Highway 288 access road. Can you advise patient condition?”

            “11A-2, contact Rescue 45 for patient status. Proceed Code 3”

            “Jenn, we need to stop this. This is serious!”

            “This is so cool though! We are directing ambulances and fire trucks. They can’t do anything without being told where to go!”

            “Jenn, come on!” Tony pleaded with his sister. “This was fun for a couple minutes. Sending fire trucks to a house fire at a vacant lot was one thing, but that ambulance is trying to help another ambulance. Someone’s life is at stake!! I’ve shut down the jammer. They can’t talk to each other with it on. I’m through with this.”

            “Okay, spoil sport” Jenn said as she flipped the radio equipment off. “It was fun while it lasted.”

            She flipped on her TV and was shocked at what she saw. The reporter was reporting an incident on Highway 288. 

            “Tony, did we do this?” Jenn asked. 

            “I’m not sure, but I hope not, Jenn. This is serious.” “I’m going to take all this stuff apart. We’ve had our fun.”

            Jenn knew her brother was right and she too was hoping against hope that they had not placed a person’s life in jeopardy. For the past couple of days, it had been a lot of fun playing dispatch and sending the Angleton and Lake Jackson Fire Departments to fires at vacant lots. Their coup was sending each department to the other’s station in response to nonexistent fire calls. 

            Today, Tony had added a jamming device; something he hoped would give them a few more days of fun before taking his homebuilt radio system apart and moving on to his next project. 

            The jamming device was effective. It had blocked all radio communications within 25 miles. As an added benefit to the FCC, it also zeroed them in on the radio base’s location.