Synthetic voice on DC fire dispatch

[ChiefPlanning]

Our department is researching the IP based dispatch systems and I would like any feedback on what others have found. We are lookin at Locution, Purvis, Phoenix G2 and First In.

[DickH]

Originally Posted by ChiefPlanning

Our department is researching the IP based dispatch systems and I would like any feedback on what others have found. We are lookin at Locution, Purvis, Phoenix G2 and First In.

First, I have heard the Locution system in Seattle, then recently the Locution system in Vancouver, WA. I think the newer Vancouver system is less "robotic" than the Seattle system and is more natural sounding. I base my opinions on having monitored radios
since 1951 when I was a monitor in the Korean War and I have monitored police and fire radios ever since.

While some cite cost savings and time savings as the primary reasons for using an automated voice dispatch system, there is another very important reason for implementing such a system. That is understandability. Most dispatchers do quite well, but there is a great variability in pronunciations, volume level and clarity. If a dispatch is not perfectly understandable it results in confusion and lost time. Especially in the Fire Service, clear, understandable dispatching is essential.