How Does Your Dispatch System Work?

Just curious to know how the different agencies from around the world are despatched.

For us, we have alphanumeric pagers-

With these pagers, we have 3 different codecs installed:

1) Emergency

2) Non Emergency

3) Admin

The emergency codec is for all rescue calls, etc (life threatening issue), the non emergency codec is for non life threatening calls such as floods, storms, etc and the admin is just that- general messages about meetings, training, etc.

An emergency call will come with this type of meesage:

ALERT F110306969 KYNE1 RESCC1 * CAR ACCIDENT – POSS PERSEON TRAPPED/FIRE 13 BODKIN ST KYNETON/MOLLISON ST//NEW ST SVC 8164 F9 (742742) CKYNE WEND1

The first part (ALERT F110306969) is the event number from the despatch system.

The next part (KYNE1 RESCC1 * CAR ACCIDENT – POSS PERSEON TRAPPED/FIRE) tells us it’s a car fire, possible persons trapped.

The next part (13 BODKIN ST KYNETON/MOLLISON ST//NEW ST) is the primary address and cross referenced streets.

And then the map references (SVC 8164 F9 (742742)) and finally which fire brigade (CKYNE) and Rescue Unit (WEND1) has been activated.

A non emergency call will come in with this type of message:

S110435656 SES WOODEND TREE DOWN / TRF HAZARD JOE CITIZEN 0055 696969 / 74 PIPER ST KYNETON / POWLETT ST // WEDGE ST SVVB c 8164 E7 TREE ON ROAD AND CAR

The first part (S110435656) is the event number from the despatch system.

The next part (SES WOODEND TREE DOWN / TRF HAZARD) tells us it’s a tree down and traffic hazard.

The next part (JOE CITIZEN 0055 696969 ) is the callers name and phone number.

The next part (/ 74 PIPER ST KYNETON / POWLETT ST // WEDGE ST) is the primary address and cross referenced streets.

And then the map references (SVVB c 8164 E7)) and finally any further details about the call (TREE ON ROAD AND CAR).

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Permalink Reply by Melissa Weaver on April 7, 2011 at 5:29pm

We use Motorola minitor 5 pagers, we have 22 halls that cover our area, and depending on what setting you have yours on, you will either hear only your halls pages or the whole city's pages. Our pagers will tone and say " station X please respond to "Address" for a "medical assist/structure fire" and then it repeats. If it's a call for our own hall it lets out the most annoying high pitched beep numerous times, but comes in handy at 3 am when you get a call and you're sleeping. We're volunteer aswell, with the exception of a few halls. If a hall doesn't respond within 5 minutes, dispatch will page out the next closest hall to respond.

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Permalink Reply by Bull on April 7, 2011 at 10:04pm

We have problems with our 4 and 5 minitors as well. We are going to the radios instead, not a problem with them. Had mine for HT 750 for 10 yrs now. Never had a problem, nor has anyone else.

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Permalink Reply by James Burton (Jamie) on April 8, 2011 at 6:20am

Motorola Pagers, Text and Email CAD paging sytem. Works pretty well too.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Montgomery on April 8, 2011 at 9:29pm

some of are's arent working great anymore....

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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on April 8, 2011 at 11:45pm

Tone system.

Fire calls is a long steady tone for 10 seconds.
EMS calls are high low tone for 10 seconds.
Service call is intermittent beep for 10 seconds.

Address, nature of the call, and units assigned are all followed after the tone. We will also get the calls up on our MDT.

We do have a HAZMAT and USAR team which member will get paged out via text message on their cell phone.

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Permalink Reply by Devan Mills on April 9, 2011 at 2:08am

dispatch hits our tones and gives us our run we usually reply.(depending on what the incident is) 4 truck to central, ten-four en-route

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Permalink Reply by Sandro Kwestro on April 10, 2011 at 9:03am

Just like Lutan1 we work with alphanumeric pagers.
We use the Galaxy Pro
We work with a priority system of 5.

Priority 1 is for emergencies

Priority 2 is for non emergencies

Priority 3 is for possible emergencies
Dispatch isn't sure and wants to consultate the chief

Priority 4 is for support during big emergencies.
A group of firemen comes together to prepare food for de guys working at the emergency. This takes place when the emergency takes more then 3 hours.

Priority 5 is for admin

Priorities 1 and 2 will come in like this:
Prio 1 MOLENWEG 16 WIERINGERWAARD Aardgaslek NHN523 APW733

The first part (Prio 1) is (simple) the priority.
The second part (MOLENWEG 16 WIERINGERWAARD) is the adres.
The third part (Aardgaslek) is the emergency. In this case a gas leak.
The last part (NHN523 APW733)are the responding units. In this case command (NHN523) and 1 engine (APW733)

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Permalink Reply by DUST on April 10, 2011 at 9:18am

While on duty mine is a little less complicated and kinda goes like this...

Capt. --"Dust, wake the !@#$ up we got a call!"

How Does Your Dispatch System Work?

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