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Philadelphia Police and Fire Dispatchers Switch To Backup Transmitters

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia police and fire departments were working with backup communications systems on Tuesday afternoon because of some kind of technological problem with the main radio system.

A fire department spokesman said Motorola was trying to fix a glitch affecting screens in the radio room but added that all radios and portable phones in trucks were working.

A police department spokeswoman said the police radio backup system was working just like the primary system.

Police and fire officials said there has been no interruption in dispatching and that the 911 system is not affected.

Philadelphia emergency responders have had to deal with occasional radio problems since the digital Motorola transmission system was installed several years ago.

Reported by Margie Smith, KYW Newsradio 1060.

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