Birmingham Fire & Rescue - Station10/22 First Run Territories

[smithw14]

Regarding Birmingham Fire & Rescue Service, does anyone know if after station 10 and 22 were combined in that new station at 4439 5th Avenue South – was their first run territories changed or are they still operating off their first run territories they had prior to combining stations.

The reason I ask is that I seem to hear all too often Engine 22 and Rescue 22 dispatched to locations that clearly should be in station 3’s first run territory because their station is closer to the address (and their response would be quicker). I’m not sure how they designate territories – if it’s simply address radius from the station (straight line from the station to the address) or if routes one would have to take to get to the destination address are taken into consideration (as in the station might be closer if you travel a straight line - but you have to take into consideration where there are roads leading to the address) to determine which station is the first run.

But It just seems I’ve heard over the last few years too many calls given to 22 that I’ve mapped out myself and seen that both the radius and the travel time from 22 is longer than that of station 3. Too many to rule out station 3 being out of service or on another assignment. So I was just wondering if anyone had any insight as to whether communications is still running these now ”conjoined” stations (10/22) off of old response data from their previous station locations. Hope that makes sense.

-William

 

[scanrfan]

I think the MAJOR consideration for coverage areas for the different stations and apparatus is based on the response time to any given address/location. There may be other factors that are included in the assignments, but if there are, I'm not aware of them. I'll ask someone I know that is a firefighter if they know or can explain how they are assigned.

 

[EMS-1]

When I worked at Fire Alarm (left in 2000) the addresses were Pre-Loaded into the CAD computer by Station Reference and Proximity to Caller's Addresses, a Routing System with Pre-Determined Traffic Signal changes assured that response times were minimal even if call was bordering another Station's area. The calls were always dispatched to the correct coverage, according to the CAD assignment excepting that crews were on another call or fire assignment, then the next nearest available company got the call. As far as 10/22 I never heard if they did it.

 

[redbob]

Work Loads

It may have also had to do with relieving some of 3's workload. About the same time that 10/22 came together, 3's Truck moved to Station 2 and 2's Haz Mat and the EMS Supervisor moved to Station 3. Often if it did not affect response times to a major degree, territory lines would shift to balance station's work loads.

 

[smithw14]

Thanks for the responses. EMS-1 – I would assume how you are describing the CAD system when your worked there is most likely the way they are doing it today – at least that would make sense. I am just very suspicious though that they are using the old station locations as the proximity reference point when making coverage assignments. If that’s true, that’s just not good at all for those who would be faster served by another station. I guess really we are only talking about station 3 since the station 10/22 is not that far from the old station 10. Station 10’s first run territory has not really been affected that much.

On a slightly different note, from BFRS’s website page, BFRS: Birmingham Fire & Rescues Service : Communications Division, “The Fire Communications Bureau is equipped with mapping software that permits them to display the position and status of BFRS units on a computer map. This allows them to dispatch a unit that might happen to be closer to an incident than the unit that would normally be dispatched, reducing the response time and potentially resulting in less fire damage to a structure or a better outcome for a patient.”

To me this almost seems to imply real-time GPS tracking of the apparatus, which I know can’t possibly be the case because you will constantly hear units giving each other (and Fire Alarm) their current locations when picking up/swapping calls. You certainly wouldn’t hear any of that if Fire Alarm had real-time GPS locations of the apparatus. I’m assuming the CAD system merely shows on mapping software where the units are currently, are en route to, or were last located according to where the units reported they were over the radio to Fire Alarm.

It may have also had to do with relieving some of 3's workload. About the same time that 10/22 came together, 3's Truck moved to Station 2 and 2's Haz Mat and the EMS Supervisor moved to Station 3. Often if it did not affect response times to a major degree, territory lines would shift to balance station's work loads.

Interesting point but I certainly hope that’s not the case. IMHO I don’t think workload should be factored into the equation when you are talking about getting the closest help to people the fastest – especially in situations where minutes and even seconds count. Re-allocate resources, personnel, or build more stations. Now that I remember wasn’t 3’s Truck supposed to go to 10/22 but they made the grade too steep so it couldn’t get in the bays?!

-William

 

[KJ4TDM]

You can now listen to them here: Birmingham Fire Live Scanner Audio Feed

 

[medic9351301]

i have heard that when the new "bronto" truck2 came in service it was suppose to go to 3 but the bay floor at 3 had issues about the weight of the truck. so thats why it went to station 2. they only station i can think of with extra man power would be one. since they have a eng company, rescue, truck co, and heavy rescue, but i think when a heavy call comes in all the eng. peeps take the eng out of service and jump on the heavy