Dispatch sends text messages

[BlackSheep2]

Our county's emergency dispatch center recently started texting both fire and EMS calls-as soon as a call is saved into the computer, a text message is sent to a provider's cell phone.

Does your city/county's dispatch center offer this?

[itku2er]

Our does not but we do have the alpha pagers.

[Kaisu]

As soon as we go enroute to a call, a text message with call no., address, x streets and chief complaint is forwarded to the rig phone. After we call complete, our call no. and times are texted to us as well. It's useful.

[JPINFV]

Our does not but we do have the alpha pagers.

Yea... why send text messages (and have people get fees) when you can just as easily use alpha-numeric pagers.

[flight-lp]

I get all of my flight, ground CCT, and FD 911 calls sent directly to my Blackberry. I like it as it is convenient and I don't have to lug around additional pagers or phones to lose.

[P_Instructor]

We currently have that feature. All 911 calls are sent via text to rig cellulars. It gives address, cross street, and reponding units. It is useful, however, if the EMDs are busy, we may not get the text until we are already on scene, but this does not happen all to often. Just another decent tool to make sure you know where you are going to hopefully reduce response times.

[letmesleep]

At my part-time job information is sent to alpha pagers if you’re on the list. They will include address and complaint, but that’s all. It is a nicety at this job because of the mumbling and/or screaming that goes on during the dispatch, just depends on the type off call.

At my full-time job we don't do any of this because of the onboard computers which provide damn near everything you could ever want and more as far as info. This includes run cards, GPS mapping, call back numbers, so on and so forth. It's a good system, and does have some issues, but over all pretty good.

somebody please subtract a point for this drivel...........geez!

Edited January 1, 2010 by letmesleep

[FredG]

My county and the neighboring county both sent text messages. All members that opt for it are one one distribution list and get it when triggered by their dept tones. It is optional and a senior officer has to send in a list of member cell phones to be added to the list for each dept. It is very useful since we are in a hilly area and have mediocre radio coverage. It seems that Verizon wireless has a better footprint in our district than the county 911 center.

I just wish the county would get Iamresponding.com so that we could notify them via cell phone when members are responding to the base. The county 911 director has looked at it and has proposed it to the legislature, but so far, no action has been taken on it.

[Richard B the EMT]

Nice thing about a Computer Assisted Dispatch system. When the dispatcher sends the unit and it's crew the assignment via the MDT (Mobile Data Terminal, basically, a computer monitor screen), the crew can read the job on the ambulance's screen. Not only that, but if a crew has to call their station, nobody else has to know (at the time), when their supervisor sends them a message. Also, any station offering overtime, with a quick code for the CAD, can send the O/T offer to every ambulance in the system, and screens of the call takers and dispatchers.

[aussiephil]

Yea... why send text messages (and have people get fees) when you can just as easily use alpha-numeric pagers.

I havent seen a pager for years. It is old, outdated technology.

We dont use texts for main calls, however supervisers are allerted to major incidents via text.

Lets use the latest technology & move forward with it.