Lower Merion Fire Dispatch Change?

[Septa3371CSX1]

Last week I caught a dispatch for Montco Station 22 (one of the Lower Merion Companies) on 158.355. Has dispatch for Lower Merion Fire Companies changed over to 158.355?

 

[cdavisjr]

After about a week of county testing new tones, they have been like that for a few weeks now. I am glad to see the whole county under one channel now. Was long overdue for years. All the Lower Merion stations have changed. I don't know if they still simulcast on the LM F-1 although at this point I would see no reason to. I have already changed my voice pager accordingly. When your dispatch channel is no longer your operating channel fighting to keep it doesn't make sense and just makes the dispatchers job harder.

 

[MotoSystemsTech]

They rent all the vhf/uhf channels i was told. They are saving money by going to the county wide dispatch channel.

 

[union28]

The changes to Lower Merion:

New LM-5 tone added to all dispatches within Lower Merion Township.
New LM-5 tone dispatched on 158.355.
No new tones have been developed for the individual companies.
The township continues to rent the dispatch & fireground frequencies.
All 7 companies continue to use the Lower Merion Dispatch Frequency.

In summary - LM Dispatches can be heard on 158.355 but the tones heard are only for LM-5 (FMs) and any dispatch not within Lower Merion is not simulcast (For instance 1st due area out of township for stations 22 & 23)

 

[union28]

An update:

All LMFD companies are now dispatched on the county 158.355. LM-5 tone continues to accompany dispatches.

Further, there has been a "Confirmed Working Fire Procedure" added where all 7 companies are dispatched when a fire is confirmed.