In times of emergency, public safety personnel depend on Project 25 (P25) radios to effectively communicate. This is especially important for the Fourth of July. Due to the widespread use of fireworks and a high volume of travelers on that day, Independence Day is the most dangerous American holiday.
According to AAA, 42 million Americans are planning on driving 50 miles or more over the Fourth of July weekend this year. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says that Independence Day is the most dangerous day of the year for drivers. On a list of the 15 deadliest days on the road, July 3, July 4, and July 5 all rank.
The IIHS reports that from 2009 to 2013, 612 people were killed by crashes on the Fourth of July and 42 percent of those involved drunk drivers. Because of these statistics, many states around the country are deploying additional police officers to ensure the safety of their residents.
While road accidents are the most common cause of injuries, fireworks also cause a great deal of damage. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that there is an average of 230 fireworks-related injuries around the Fourth of July.
About 36 percent of these injuries occur to the hands or fingers with 50 percent of the injuries being burns. Most of these accidents are people setting off fireworks at home with only four percent being at a public display. The vast majority of these injuries occur to males between the ages of 25 and 44.
Public safety personnel from around the country will be depending on P25 radios this Fourth of July to be able to effectively communicate. In emergency situations, which happen far too often around Independence Day, police and rescue personnel need to be able to communicate with each other in order to save lives. RELM Wireless is proud to supply these emergency personnel with top quality P25 radios.