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Permalink Reply by Karl Klotz on March 5, 2014 at 4:58pm

Jonathon, We use a Zetron system for our departments within our alarm office.  As for automatic aid company dispatching, we use another frequency and simulcast over both our main dispatch, the in-house zetron and the radio page dispatch frequencies.  Each automatic aid agency we use will have a plectron paging device in their alarm office to monitor the dispatch for the requested companies.  If they are unable to respond, they will follow up with us by phone to take a pass on the request.  If We do not hear from the automatic aid companies on our main frequency within three minutes, we will follow up on the radio first to verify their response or call their alarm office if necessary.  This was has worked out well for us for many years and as you can see, there is no time delay on our behalf of dispatching automatic aid.  On a side note, it is up to the automatic aid departments to install a plectron in their station to hear the initial dispatch, but at the very least, it is in their alarm office.

Hope this helps, Karl

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Permalink Reply by Derek J Sinesi on March 5, 2014 at 8:34pm

Jonathon, We have mutual-aid contracts all set up with surrounding departments. And also have box alarms set up. So when Fire Control tones us out they are also toning out any department that is listed for that area. Or say when we have a fire alarm at the School or senior housing Cuyler is on that box alarm as automatic aid. Cuyler is in Cortland County so one dispatcher is dispatching us another is on the radio with Cortland county. Most of the time when our first truck is calling in route we will hear Cuyler calling out. So it is pretty quick. If we get on a scene and we find we'll need more man power and equipment we just tell fire control to fill box 2 and 3. They have all that information in front of them and will start dispatching accordingly. 

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