Changing 911 Alert Infrastructure

[shedges1]

We are in the process of building a new fire station and this particular station houses our 911 center. The current Alert Infrastructure for 911 to the other fire stations cannot be transferrd to the new station. I am looking for a very simple structure to implement in our new station for 911 to alert other stations for a response.

Our current system allows the 911 dispatcher to send an alarm tone to the particular station that will be responding, and after the alert tone, it is followed by voice instructions(of the dispatcher) on where the call is and the nature of the call. The station will then press a button on the wall to indicate acknowedgement. It is a very simple PA system.

Does anyone know of a product for VHF/UHF system capatability? So far, I have located Motorola Fire Alerting System (which seems to be a trunk system) and Zetron Model 6/26.

Also, if anyone is using any of these products, please let me know you opinion.

[Jay911]

How about a system using an existing (or new) radio frequency, with QuikCallII tones with appropriate receivers in each station.. you could trip off several relays, for example for apparatus floor/bunkroom lighting, stove cut-off relay, plus maybe a steady lamp at the dispatch console, which is extinguished by the crew at the station pressing a 'reset' switch.. this accomplishes 'acknowledgement'. If you got enough tone pairs set up you could have one for each station. The downside of that is, if you need to alert several stations, you'll have to tone them out in order (think of how it sounded on Emergency! back in the 70s). The upside is, it would be carried on a radio signal and immune to the occasional trackhoe digging a new playground next to the station, cutting through all the alerting lines (oops).

The center I work at uses a Zetron 6/26 system but it seems to have a number of faults, though they may be caused by our new CAD system not behaving. We often have to reset the main control board at Dispatch in order to be able to use it again (i.e. once a day, or so).

Just my 2.14 cents...

--j.

[MrJim911]

I would speak with the 911 centers Director. He should know what the technological options are. That seems like a simple request. Not being able to do what you did at the old location seems silly, it's 2003.. no reason why you can't sop the same thing.

[shedges1]

When you say '911 centers Director', do you mean anyone in particular? I am located in Canada but yet this type of infrastructure is all over North America. I have tried many different 911 supervisors, etc.. from other departments in other provinces but I am getting the same response, either Zetron or Motorola Fire Alerting System (or one that was custom made just for them). For our number of stations (7), it just seems like we are buying the cadillac when all we need is the chev (nothing against chevs!).

[MrJim911]

Speak with whoever is in charge of your 911 center. Hopefully it's not a firefighter or police officer.... If it is one of them, then speak with the IT person that works on the technology in the center.