as far as I know, all fire departments in Ohio are dispatched from PSAPs. A fellow co worker and I were discussing the past use of fire phones, and she told me that there are some depts that still have them in operation. To my knowledge all depts in Ohio had organized dispatch centers... Am I right or are there still depts that use the fire phones in the residents of firefighters?
Fire phones (non dispatched FDs)
- Thread starter Firefox89
- Start date
- Status
gtaman
Member
Most firefighters have a pager or a state/county radio assigned to them. Or they are contacted via cellular phone. I don't think direct wireline is used anymore.
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2011
- Messages
- 1,401
I don't know of any personally but I bet there's still some out there. Your question reminded me of this thread, http://forums.radioreference.com/industry-discussion/63827-relm-rpv3600a-opinions.html It's from three years ago but the last post the chief is talking about their lack of radios and how they use cell phones for dispatch. I was really surprised when I read it.
W8RMH
Feed Provider Since 2012
I was involved in the volunteer fire services as far back as 1970 and was never aware of anything like a fire phone to each members home. We were notified over a Plectron radio in our homes, the siren on the roof of the firehouse, members could by their own pagers, and some used scanners to listen for alerts. We were self dispatched from a base radio in the station, using remote dispatchers who received emergency phone calls (pre-911) and dispatched from their homes. In the late 1970s the county took over dispatching after the base radio burned out one day.
I know there is a smartphone app, don't recall the name, now being used for dispatching where each member can confirm their response.
I know there is a smartphone app, don't recall the name, now being used for dispatching where each member can confirm their response.
Back in the day, many small departments and ambulance squads had them here in upstate and western New York. They faded away as dispatch and paging technologies improved and expanded.
ecps92
Member
New Hampshire as well.
The old RED PHONE, some were at homes, others were at the Place of Business/Chiefs (or other) work place, who would then go to the Station and sound the Siren
as well as Call-down to the 4-5 others (Phone Tree)
http://www.kingstonnh.org/sites/kingstonnh/files/u73/chronicles_-_kingston_fire_department.pdf
The old RED PHONE, some were at homes, others were at the Place of Business/Chiefs (or other) work place, who would then go to the Station and sound the Siren
as well as Call-down to the 4-5 others (Phone Tree)http://www.kingstonnh.org/sites/kingstonnh/files/u73/chronicles_-_kingston_fire_department.pdf
stetsonbob
Member
Are you thinking about "On my way" I read that a local FD here in Ohio was looking into it.
Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk
W8RMH
Feed Provider Since 2012
eDispatches | Dispatch Text Messages, Phone Calls, App Notifications | eDispatches
Some of the OH departments using this system and recorded dispatches - http://www.edispatches.com/features/dispatch-to-cell-phone/call-log/
I thought I'd seen an app where the member could confirm their response over the phone but I don't think this service has that.
This service is not intended to replace your voice pager, but, is intended to function as a secondary notification method.
Some of the OH departments using this system and recorded dispatches - http://www.edispatches.com/features/dispatch-to-cell-phone/call-log/
I thought I'd seen an app where the member could confirm their response over the phone but I don't think this service has that.
This service is not intended to replace your voice pager, but, is intended to function as a secondary notification method.
Last edited:
Another similar system is Active911. We're running a trial on it right now. Biggest problem is that it's not getting good data from our dispatch so their mapping doesn't kick in correctly. Obviously a local problem and one that any of these services would have.
W8RMH
Feed Provider Since 2012
I think Active911 was the one I saw.
Ross County fire departments use the I am responding app. They can receive runs, messages, training/event reminders and see who is responding on a run. Dispatch can also see who is responding.
kayn1n32008
ØÆSØ
My department VFD uses radioand text messaging to alert members. In the last 2 months we have started using I Am Responding as well.
I Am Responding is a pretty slick app, and is very well supported. Lots of options when responding like going to hall or going directly to scene, plus how long it will take to get to the hall. Makes knowing when to go or wait to fill a truck easier. Plus we can notify each other when we are not available/out of area.
santafe2016
Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2016
- Messages
- 111
Fire Phones
being age 64 now I can recall a older neighbor who is now gone being on the local Clark County Twp Fire twp and he had a hard wired Ohio Bell telephone in his house that was only a fire phone. . Not knowing then how it worked never asked much about it, but he would get a call as did the other members who would respond and someone close by set off the siren.So this was over 50 years ago this technology was used.
being age 64 now I can recall a older neighbor who is now gone being on the local Clark County Twp Fire twp and he had a hard wired Ohio Bell telephone in his house that was only a fire phone. . Not knowing then how it worked never asked much about it, but he would get a call as did the other members who would respond and someone close by set off the siren.So this was over 50 years ago this technology was used.
The local fire department where I grew up in WV used a combination of fire phones, pagers, and a siren until the mid-1990s when a county 911 center was established, removing the need for the fire phones. The siren and pagers remain in use along with cell phone alerting.
DJ11DLN
Member
My department used the fire conference phones until the mid 1990s as well. Once E911 was in place, Central Dispatch aka the SD did not want these independent notifications happening, even though they also rang into Dispatch. So the plug got pulled and we became dependent on 2-tone paging. We do have a voice-message cellular notification system, which is operated independently by one of our FF's...our Central Dispatch will not even discuss having anything of that nature installed.
Pagers are an improvement of course...but there are times when actually getting to speak to the RP as with the old fire conference would be invaluable.
Pagers are an improvement of course...but there are times when actually getting to speak to the RP as with the old fire conference would be invaluable.
- Status
Similar threads
