Every agency in the county, with the exception of Oxnard Fire Department, is dispatched by the VFCC (Ventura Fire Communications Center). This also includes the three ALS transport providers: AMR, Gold Coast Ambulance and Lifeline Ambulance, as well as the the Ventura County Sheriff's Department air squads and copters. At this point in time, everything in the county basically has an MDT and GPS tracker in it, including the ambulance companies.
Everybody monitors VNC 1 (154.0100) for their calls. Each unit in the system is assigned a Quick-Call II tones and receives these tones anytime they are assigned a call or a move-up. If any unit on the ticket is available on air or out of quarters, then the QC-II tones are followed by the three single tones. After listening for awhile, you begin to pick up on the tones. Most people who work in the county, can tell you what kind of call is coming out based on the tones and resources being assigned before the actual voice dispatch is given. Once the call is dispatched, all of the units are assigned a "command" and "tactical" frequency for the incident. Command channels are repeated while tac channels are for simplex-fireground use. All communication with FCC for your call takes place on the command channel and not VNC-1, including status changes (en route, on scene, transporting, etc) should the computer not work. This is similar to how LA County operates with Blue-8 and the response channel plan. These command/tac pairs are based on the sector and location in the county. Therefore, the same units will typically always utilize the same command/tac pairs.
The majority of the system isn't repeated and therefore, most mobiles can't hear each other and rely on FCC for relay of information. VNC 4-repeat is an interesting story. A "temporary" site was placed up there during the Day Fire a few years ago and left there (almost by accident). Recently, FCC decided to make this a repeated site for the Piru area to help VCFD Station 28 get out over there. Historically, communications have always been really bad at the lake.
There have been talks for a long time (getting more serious recently) about assigning the ambulances to their own dispatch channel. If you notice, the majority of traffic on VNC-1 is ambulance move-ups. For us fire guys, it can get annoying -- especially with all of the tones. Which is why most people still carry a Minitor or use the Silent setting on the HT. Prior to the new MDT system, ambulances would be given their move-up assignment over the air: "Medic 422, move-up, 126 and Hallock." Now all you hear is "Medic 422 move-up," and the post is sent via MDT. They have also experimented with pre-alerts in the past: "Medical, 91's" followed by full voice dispatch. The latest thing is the 3-beep for units out of quarters. The philosophy is trying to use the QC-II's for alert only when in quarters. So if a unit is available by voice, they won't get their QC-II tones anymore, just the "beep beep beep."
Let me know if you guys have any more questions!
