Common dispatch and new technology make life easier for fire department
AMARILLO, TEXAS -- A new dispatch center is in the works: the Amarillo Communications Center at 8th and Pierce streets will streamline response to emergencies in Potter and Randall counties.
ProNews 7 talked with a fire department chief to see how firefighters would benefit from the new, more technologically savvy dispatch center.
"It makes it much safer for responders. For the first time we technologically have inner operability with all of the other public safety agencies in Potter and Randall counties," said Chief Steve Ross, Amarillo Fire Department.
This means fire, police, EMS, and other agencies will have a common dispatch center and better communications.
For the fire department, a few new gadgets will make life much easier.
For example, a new GPS automated vehicle locator (AVL) will allow the department to go away from traditional response districts and use the closest unit to the incident.
The fire responders have pre-fire plans that show floor plans and construction details. Instead of thumbing through documents, the department will now have that data on a touch screen computer inside the truck.
Status buttons will eliminate non-critical communications by allowing responders the ability to press a button instead of having a conversation with dispatch. This frees up dispatch for more critical communication.
Each fire truck and command unit will have a computer inside with common software that will be used by all agencies here in the area. This allows fire responders to know where police responders are and vice versa, and will allow them to have identical information regarding an incident.
This system will give drivers GPS real time routing capabilities, opposed to relying on memory of city street layout.
"I think we have outstanding public safety agencies in Potter and Randall counties. What this system does for us, what mobile data and this common CAD, is now we will be inner operable and agencies will be enhanced because we're working together more effectively," said Ross.
The system will begin to operate sometime in October, but the implementation inside the trucks and other vehicles will take time to program and install. The entire system should be up and running in early to mid-2010.
