by Chief Robbie Cassou, Quincy Fire Protection District,
Mike has spent nearly four decades in emergency services as a uniformed officer for the Plumas County Sheriff’s Department, and leading Plumas County Search and Rescue. One of Mike’s many talents has been his uncanny ability to find creative ways to overcoming technical challenges. He uses his skills in radio programming, installation, testing, and maintenance to help keep not only the Sheriff’s Office equipment functioning properly, but other partner agencies communications equipment as well.
The Fire and EMS communications network started in 2002 in Plumas County, with the installation of four mountaintop radio signal repeaters on Dyer, Hough, Bucks Lake and Beckworth Peak. Back-up repeaters were later installed to proved redundancy and extended coverage on Red Hill, Stover Mountain, Mills Peak, and Claremont Peak. Though the county initially helped fund the installation of the fire and EMS communications system, no long term funding stream was secured to maintain and replace these systems as needed.
Several years back, Nor Cal EMS shed it’s MEDCOM UHF repeater system for EMS, and gave the systems to local government agencies to operate and maintain. This antiquated system has been a logistical nightmare at times, considering how old the equipment is, and the high cost of maintaining, replacing and securing vault space for the equipment.
Mike has found numerous pieces of surplus equipment to help keep the Fire Net and the MEDCOM up and running. He has performed numerous repairs on County Sheriff, fire, and EMS communications systems, saving all of us thousands of dollars on repairs and replacement. Mike has successfully approached Plumas County Hospitals for help funding the maintenance of the MEDCOM system. He is also working with the California Highway Patrol, Chico State University, the U.S. Forest Service, Digitalpath Inc., and other stakeholders to help us maintain our storage space in agency radio vaults, with out incurring overwhelming costs.
Mike has replaced equipment for multiple agencies through grants, begging and borrowing. He has kept us informed or the hardware and financial problems, and has helped us find solutions. What impresses me the most about Mike is how he is always looking at the "big picture." Many governmental agencies and private entities tend to see their world through their own limited lens, focused on individual problems. Mike understands that as emergency services agencies, we are most effective when we are all working together to accomplish the shared goal of providing the best emergency response to protect our citizens, while ensuring overall safety for our responders, the majority of whom are volunteers.
The Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association presented Mike with special recognition at our December 9, 2017 meeting in Graeagle. The plaque reads "The Bailing Wire, Band-Aid, and Duct Tape Award, presented with great appreciation and respect to Mike Grant, Plumas County Sheriff's Office, for his outstanding service and support to the Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association in birthing and maintaining our two-way radio and paging system."
Mike has spent nearly four decades in emergency services as a uniformed officer for the Plumas County Sheriff’s Department, and leading Plumas County Search and Rescue. One of Mike’s many talents has been his uncanny ability to find creative ways to overcoming technical challenges. He uses his skills in radio programming, installation, testing, and maintenance to help keep not only the Sheriff’s Office equipment functioning properly, but other partner agencies communications equipment as well.
The Fire and EMS communications network started in 2002 in Plumas County, with the installation of four mountaintop radio signal repeaters on Dyer, Hough, Bucks Lake and Beckworth Peak. Back-up repeaters were later installed to proved redundancy and extended coverage on Red Hill, Stover Mountain, Mills Peak, and Claremont Peak. Though the county initially helped fund the installation of the fire and EMS communications system, no long term funding stream was secured to maintain and replace these systems as needed.
Several years back, Nor Cal EMS shed it’s MEDCOM UHF repeater system for EMS, and gave the systems to local government agencies to operate and maintain. This antiquated system has been a logistical nightmare at times, considering how old the equipment is, and the high cost of maintaining, replacing and securing vault space for the equipment.
Mike has found numerous pieces of surplus equipment to help keep the Fire Net and the MEDCOM up and running. He has performed numerous repairs on County Sheriff, fire, and EMS communications systems, saving all of us thousands of dollars on repairs and replacement. Mike has successfully approached Plumas County Hospitals for help funding the maintenance of the MEDCOM system. He is also working with the California Highway Patrol, Chico State University, the U.S. Forest Service, Digitalpath Inc., and other stakeholders to help us maintain our storage space in agency radio vaults, with out incurring overwhelming costs.
Mike has replaced equipment for multiple agencies through grants, begging and borrowing. He has kept us informed or the hardware and financial problems, and has helped us find solutions. What impresses me the most about Mike is how he is always looking at the "big picture." Many governmental agencies and private entities tend to see their world through their own limited lens, focused on individual problems. Mike understands that as emergency services agencies, we are most effective when we are all working together to accomplish the shared goal of providing the best emergency response to protect our citizens, while ensuring overall safety for our responders, the majority of whom are volunteers.
The Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association presented Mike with special recognition at our December 9, 2017 meeting in Graeagle. The plaque reads "The Bailing Wire, Band-Aid, and Duct Tape Award, presented with great appreciation and respect to Mike Grant, Plumas County Sheriff's Office, for his outstanding service and support to the Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association in birthing and maintaining our two-way radio and paging system."
Mike shown helping teach a State Fire Training course on Low Angle Rescue, led by Chief Robbie Cassou in December of 2016. Mike heads up Plumas County Search and Rescue for the Sheriff's Office. Photo by Tom Forster