New Britain FD dispatch practices

[n1chu]

New Britain is using a computer generated dispatch radio broadcast (for lack of the proper terminology). Today I monitored an FD dispatch for a MVA, and while the computer generated dispatch isn’t new, it’s the first time I heard them refer to the location of the MVA with “Refer to MDT (Mobile Data Terminal) for the location.) I suspect this is a deterrent, aimed at reducing public attendance… which includes the independent news photogs.

This referral to the MDT’s for incident location may also not be new, I can’t say, as I rarely listen to NBFD. It causes me to wonder if they are dispatching locations as they relate to ONLY MVA’s, or only MVA’s on the interstate highways (where the state police might have a concern with additional vehicles being parked at the scene… Or are they using the MDT’s for ALL locations, both fire and MVA FD calls?

 

[Reconrider]

“Refer to MDT" (Mobile Data Terminal) for the location.)

I've noticed it's depending on what type of incident it is. People ask for address to not be paged over the scanner as they know it's public info. Or if it's not any of those, the robot cannot pronounce words clear enough for everyone to hear. Usually happens with words that are not "english" or can't be pronounced where it would make sense. I used to have a few words on recordings where the robot was so bad they had to ask dispatch to repeat the street lol

 

[a417]

I can think of a couple of streets in the 089 that would give a robot a conniption.

 

[n1chu]

I've noticed it's depending on what type of incident it is. People ask for address to not be paged over the scanner as they know it's public info. Or if it's not any of those, the robot cannot pronounce words clear enough for everyone to hear. Usually happens with words that are not "english" or can't be pronounced where it would make sense. I used to have a few words on recordings where the robot was so bad they had to ask dispatch to repeat the street lol

👍 Thanks!

 

[Firebuff66]

New Britain is using a computer generated dispatch radio broadcast (for lack of the proper terminology). Today I monitored an FD dispatch for a MVA, and while the computer generated dispatch isn’t new, it’s the first time I heard them refer to the location of the MVA with “Refer to MDT (Mobile Data Terminal) for the location.) I suspect this is a deterrent, aimed at reducing public attendance… which includes the independent news photogs.

This referral to the MDT’s for incident location may also not be new, I can’t say, as I rarely listen to NBFD. It causes me to wonder if they are dispatching locations as they relate to ONLY MVA’s, or only MVA’s on the interstate highways (where the state police might have a concern with additional vehicles being parked at the scene… Or are they using the MDT’s for ALL locations, both fire and MVA FD calls?

While they could do this if they wanted, 95% of the time it is because the street or intersection is not in the talk alarms database and won't announce it, or the location has no information in the database for it
You can set it up different ways, Milfords just defaults to saying "Cross St is, Cross st, and Cross St" if it does not have one in the database.

 

[Photo3]

The highway has no addresses. So it cannot geolocate a location. Other times it is just a station test. When it is on the highway the dispatcher will usually give the location.

 

[ems170]

Generally premisses locations can be programmed for not validated or geocoded locations, such as programming span addresses or assigning a name to a GPS point. It's all a matter of how important it is and the resources to build out.

Highway data is typically geocoded as a mid point between exits or at a mile marker.