New Britain Fire using automated voice dispatch

[PhillyPhoto]

I heard over the weekend New Britain fire is now using automated voice dispatch for both fire and EMS. The dispatchers still talk to the units, including asking if a medic is available for a call, but the actual dispatch call is a computer. I think it's the first in the capitol region as far as I can tell.

 

[TJX400]

Sounds like Locution's fire station alerting system based on the voice.

 

[n1chu]

Interesting URL is Locution.Com. Thanks TJX400.

 

[Reconrider]

I think they’re only testing it. I noticed the other day they had been using it and then all of a sudden its not being used.

 

[cg]

Back in 2020 they contracted for an upgrade for the system. I would guess that is the update being heard. Here is the Whereas and Therefore from the meeting...

35091 RE: UPGRADES OF THE PRIME ALERT RADIO AND COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR THE NEW BRITAIN FIRE DEPARTMENT To Her Honor, the Mayor, and the Common Council of the City of New Britain: the undersigned beg leave to recommend the adoption of the following:
WHEREAS, in accordance with City Code of Ordinances, Chapter 2, Article VIII, Division 1, Section 2- 541, a purchase order was requested for the following by the New Britain Fire Department: Supplier Description Price Locution System, Inc. Golden, CO. Prime Alert Hardware and Software Upgrades $24,818.00
WHEREAS, The New Britain Fire Department requested the purchase of new Software and Hardware Upgrades for their Prime Alert Fire Station Alerting System; and
WHEREAS, The existing Fire Department’s, Locution System, Inc. Prime Alert Fire Station Alerting System is eight (8) years old and needs to be upgraded. The current software has reached its end of life and is not consistently alerting and announcing emergency calls. Fire Stations are occasionally missing their own calls for service, or other notifications for emergency situations in other areas of the City they may have to respond to; and
WHEREAS, Locution System, Inc. is the developer and sole source supplier of the Software and Hardware that the New Britain Fire Department has now. Bid solicitation for the purchase of the new Software and Hardware Upgrades would not be beneficial to the City; and
WHEREAS, The total cost of the Software and Hardware Upgrades is $44,818.00. CROCG (Capital Regional Council of Governments) has agreed to help the New Britain Fire Department with this purchase and pay Locution Systems, Inc. $20,000.00 of the total cost; and
WHEREAS, Funding for this purchase for the Software and Hardware Upgrades are available within the New Britain Fire Department’s account number 001212002-5337, Fire Operations Training and Conferences for $12,409.00 and available within the New Britain Public Safety Telecommunications Center’s account number 001213001-5434, Telecommunications, Maintenance Contracts for $12,409.00; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED That the Purchasing Agent is hereby authorized to issue a purchase order for $24,818.00 to Locution System, Inc of Golden, CO. for the purchase of Hardware and Software Upgrades of the Prime Alert Radio and Computer System for the New Britain Fire Department.

 

[KE4ZNR]

Sounds like Locution's fire station alerting system based on the voice.

If it is indeed Locution then it should work well. Locution has been used here in Central NC for many years and works well and speeds up dispatch times.

 

[Reconrider]

If it is indeed Locution then it should work well. Locution has been used here in Central NC for many years and works well and speeds up dispatch times.

at least the robot dispatches the address like 3 times and doesn't mumble like most dispatchers do /talk so fast lol

 

[steve9570]

Its spreading. Here in Mass a lot of departments are using it Boston Fire for station dispatch and other cities and towns . Framingham Fire the next city to me is using it now too. So far not here in Natick. Steve

 

[MFCJR]

It is not the first time they tried using it. When they first switched to their old P25 system they were using it for a while. They were using is briefly maybe a few years ago. They also used it for a few days several months ago as well.

 

[Reconrider]

It is not the first time they tried using it. When they first switched to their old P25 system they were using it for a while. They were using is briefly maybe a few years ago. They also used it for a few days several months ago as well.

I've notice over the past few months they've been using it on and off.

Do you have any idea why they are only using it sporadically?

 

[n1chu]

Probably working all the bugs out? Just a guess…

 

[MFCJR]

They did notify all companies the other day that they were testing on it.

 

[n1chu]

They did notify all companies the other day that they were testing on it.

Should have led with that…

 

[firebuff17]

I don’t typically monitor NB. Their system signal does not migrate into meriden very often.
There is a lot of customization that CAN go into Locution. It is a very capable and expandable system if set up for it. I would assume that they were testing it, taking it offline, making changes, adding components, etc then testing again.

My career dept uses it. I have mixed feelings on it. They seem to have done the bare minimum to implement it. And getting someone to make changes based on suggestions from the floor does not really happen.

 

[Reconrider]

I don’t typically monitor NB. Their system signal does not migrate into meriden very often.
There is a lot of customization that CAN go into Locution. It is a very capable and expandable system if set up for it. I would assume that they were testing it, taking it offline, making changes, adding components, etc then testing again.

My career dept uses it. I have mixed feelings on it. They seem to have done the bare minimum to implement it. And getting someone to make changes based on suggestions from the floor does not really happen.

Are you referring to NB doing a bad job at it?
I'm not near the town myself so I can't always listen to it except for on bcalls, but when I do listen to older audio clips, the robot seems very quiet and speaks to slow to me

 

[firebuff17]

I am NOT saying they are doing a bad job.
I am just saying it can be customized in every way possible. So that could take time. And can involve a lot of testing before implementing.

The robot voice does talk slow. And that is not a bad thing. The volume level of it over the radio system has to do with the radio system settings I assume.

On our system we get the dispatch over the station speakers. It gets repeated twice. About a second after the station starts to get alerted, a secondary “notification” goes out over the radio system for all on air units to hear the dispatch. That notification is slightly different than what gets put out over the station.
Again, I assume NB does the same notification process. I did hear 1 NB dispatch today while I was in Berlin and it sounded just like our locution.

 

[MFCJR]

Should have led with that…

One step at a time n1chu. lol

 

[MarkB513]

At least

I heard over the weekend New Britain fire is now using automated voice dispatch for both fire and EMS. The dispatchers still talk to the units, including asking if a medic is available for a call, but the actual dispatch call is a computer. I think it's the first in the capitol region as far as I can tell.

Waterbury fire has been using automated dispatching for a while now.

Not only is it clearly spoken and repeated, it's also at a similar audio level as the mobile/portable units. I don't know if it's cheap equipment or dispatchers aren't wearing their headsets properly (or both), but there are so many departments that tone out loud and announce the call sounding as if they're speaking from the back of the room!!! So, of course you raise the volume and get blown away when the first mobile signs on. I hate that!!! Bloomfield fire is a great example of this.

 

[n1chu]

I believe individual dispatchers use a personal headset, assigned only to them, with audio level settings adjusted to compare to all other dispatchers so when a dispatcher is replaced there should be no volume level differences between one soft spoken dispatcher and another booming voice dispatcher.

 

[MarkB513]

I believe individual dispatchers use a personal headset, assigned only to them, with audio level settings adjusted to compare to all other dispatchers so when a dispatcher is replaced there should be no volume level differences between one soft spoken dispatcher and another booming voice dispatcher.

I hear you, that's the way it's supposed to be which makes sense. And maybe all the dispatchers are all the same, but a lot of times they are much lower than the mobile units. I don't remember similar issues when it was just console or desktop mics, but I could be wrong.