Opelika FD Switch to Automated Dispatch?

[IcomIcR20]

Just heard a call come across the Opelika FD TG using an automated "robot" dispatcher. That is the first time I have heard a non-human dispatch for any agency in Lee County (excluding Auburn FD as they are encrypted). Does anyone know if Opelika is simply testing automated dispatch, or if they have decided to make the switch?

An example recording can be found here: Dropbox

 

[Irishfireguy3622]

Just heard a call come across the Opelika FD TG using an automated "robot" dispatcher. That is the first time I have heard a non-human dispatch for any agency in Lee County (excluding Auburn FD as they are encrypted). Does anyone know if Opelika is simply testing automated dispatch, or if they have decided to make the switch?

An example recording can be found here: Dropbox

It's being used more and more all the time, just not around the Southeast as much from what I've found. Birmingham Fire was supposed to start using it back in 2017 when we upgraded all the station alerting hardware from MOSCAD, but here we are years later with no changes. I traveled back to my hometown in Ohio last week and there's hardly any FDs that aren't using that automated system.

 

[wsp44]

I highly doubt they are just testing it out, they have probably been implementing it at dispatch, and fire stations over the past months and I would guess it's mach alert. If mach alert is like Westnet it's very scalable, you can have just the computer automated dispatch all the way up to tones/lights that slowly ramp up, turn out time clocks, and specific color lights for call types. It is very neat, I do know that Phenix City FD implemented mach alert a few months ago, and the guys that I have spoke with said that it half way works right.