Pulse Point Removing Dispatched Calls

[matters]

Over the last couple weeks/months, I have noticed that calls are being removed from Contra Costa Fire and East Contra Costa Fire on Pulse Point. I have notifications turned on for all event types in case I want to listen on my scanner. Big events like fires, but not just fires, will show up and are deleted a few moments after; however, the notification remains on my phone so I know that it was dispatched. It's not like the call was canceled, because those will still show on the app, it happens to all structure fires and most vegetation fires, and I will listen to the TAC channels so I know there is an active fire.

I have been pondering over this recently and decided to ask here about after this morning. I woke up and saw an aircraft emergency in my notifications, so I opened the app and the call was gone. I could not tell who/how many units were dispatched or how long they were on the call for. If I remember correctly, the address was in the middle of Walnut Creek away from the airport which would be concerning. Nothing is in the news so I doubt anything serious happened.

My guess is the FD got tired of lookie loos getting too close, interfering, and potentially blocking the way for fire engines. Anyone else have ideas as to why dispatch would be removing calls? Are any other agencies doing this too?

 

[daniel18522]

I've been noticing that too. Also ConFire has recently been assigning a Tac and a Command channel with a dedicated dispatcher for the IC. Before it would just be a Tac channel and the BC would reach Dispatch on the main channel. Don't know why they started doing this. As for calls disappearing, your guess is as good as mine. Could possibly be the dispatcher hitting the wrong button on the board by accident.

 

[Oakland_Tower]

I follow three departments on Pulse Point, Fremont, Alameda County and Clackamas County (Oregon) and they all have been operating normally.

 

[ibagli]

I've noticed the deletions too, but I think I've seen more than one aircraft emergency notification (I think I saw the same one you mention) that was actually quickly changed to an activated fire alarm. (I have no idea how the dispatchers' consoles work, but my guess is that it's an error resulting from the fact that "alarm" is very close alphabetically to either "alert" or "aircraft".)

 

[Jay911]

I've noticed the deletions too, but I think I've seen more than one aircraft emergency notification (I think I saw the same one you mention) that was actually quickly changed to an activated fire alarm. (I have no idea how the dispatchers' consoles work, but my guess is that it's an error resulting from the fact that "alarm" is very close alphabetically to either "alert" or "aircraft".)

If the agency uses Priority Dispatch's Emergency Fire Dispatch protocol, Aircraft Incident is protocol 51, and Alarms is protocol 52.

 

[matters]

Also ConFire has recently been assigning a Tac and a Command channel with a dedicated dispatcher for the IC. Before it would just be a Tac channel and the BC would reach Dispatch on the main channel.

I also noticed that ConFire started assigning tac and command channels during the dispatch. They must be trying something new. Once they are dispatched, they are switching over immediately for role call (I believe they called it that before).

I've noticed the deletions too, but I think I've seen more than one aircraft emergency notification (I think I saw the same one you mention) that was actually quickly changed to an activated fire alarm. (I have no idea how the dispatchers' consoles work, but my guess is that it's an error resulting from the fact that "alarm" is very close alphabetically to either "alert" or "aircraft".)

It is possible that some are mistakes or updates, but fires are being removed altogether. I am sure ConFire has their reasons, but it's interesting why it seems to be only them doing it.

 

[ko6jw_2]

First of all notifications are phone settings. You can choose various options in the Settings menu on an iPhone. The screen shot shown above is a phone function not a PulsePoint function.

If the app still shows the calls then check your phone settings.

PulsePoint is a subscription service for public agencies and it costs them a considerable amount of money (based on population and call volume). Here in Santa Barbara County they dropped it for budget concerns, but after much outcry they reinstated it.

The original concept of PulsePoint was to notify CPR trained individuals of emergencies in their immediate vicinity. The fact that it now notifies us of all types of calls is a valuable bonus. It was not intended to be a sort of text based scanner. I am happy that it does this and I have notifications set for vegetation and structure fires in addition to cardiac emergencies.

As for the bogus aircraft emergencies, I have noticed this on rare occasions. I think that it is just a case of bad coding as has been suggested above.

One issue we have in this county is that calls that show up on PulsePoint are rarely not radio dispatched. This is the result of dispatchers relying on the CAD system and forgetting to dispatch the call on the radio. Fire equipment here have MDT's so they (usually) get the call anyway. However, there have been cases where MDT's are off line and units just monitoring the radio are not aware of the call.

Another peculiarity is that major incidents trigger notifications multiple times. This seems to happen with vegetations fires that may go on for hours or days. Probably has to due with updates to the CAD system.

Also rarely there notifications of calls that are not actually dispatched. May be determined to be false alarms or in locations that are not in the county response area. Local cities here do not use PulsePoint.

 

[ResQguy]

One issue we have in this county is that calls that show up on PulsePoint are rarely not radio dispatched. This is the result of dispatchers relying on the CAD system and forgetting to dispatch the call on the radio. Fire equipment here have MDT's so they (usually) get the call anyway. However, there have been cases where MDT's are off line and units just monitoring the radio are not aware of the call.

Seriously? Instant corrective action followed by termination for a repeat occurrence. How the hell do you "forget to dispatch" a call?
We've been using CAD for 30 years and MDTs for 12 or so. We've never ever considered not using voice as our primary method of dispatch. Everything else, (station alerting, printouts, MDTs, paging etc) is secondary.

 

[W8RMH]

Even if the runs are dispatched by automation such as Locution, a unit has to respond enroute either by radio voice, GPS, or by pressing a button on the MDT console. For any dispatch operation to not monitor / confirm a response is downright criminal and they are open for civil liability.

 

[ko6jw_2]

Seriously? Instant corrective action followed by termination for a repeat occurrence. How the hell do you "forget to dispatch" a call?
We've been using CAD for 30 years and MDTs for 12 or so. We've never ever considered not using voice as our primary method of dispatch. Everything else, (station alerting, printouts, MDTs, paging etc) is secondary.

Several years ago a second alarm was requested at a working house fire. There was a water supply problem. A considerable period of time went by and the battalion chief in charge radioed dispatch and asked where his second alarm was. The reply was, "We've been busy."

We have also had instances where equipment was toned out, but no dispatch was broadcast. Several times I've heard, "Station X to control - do you have an alarm for us?"

As far as I know no one has been fired even though they should have been.

None of this has to do with PulsePoint per se.

 

[matters]

We have also had instances where equipment was toned out, but no dispatch was broadcast. Several times I've heard, "Station X to control - do you have an alarm for us?"

I have never heard this before, but this could be prevented with ConFire's new (current) procedures of immediately assigning tac and command channels for fires. Responding units change their channel/talkgroup and check in. Occasionally, I will hear the dispatch confirm over the radio whether or not a station got the dispatch.

Also ConFire has recently been assigning a Tac and a Command channel with a dedicated dispatcher for the IC.

Another thought I just had was that this will eliminate a step and prevent miscommunication. If everyone is on the same channel from the start, they wont miss any transmissions. I often heard responding units ask what tac channel they should be on when it had been stated multiple times. This will also help reduce radio traffic on the primary dispatch channel.

 

[ko6jw_2]

I have never heard this before, but this could be prevented with ConFire's new (current) procedures of immediately assigning tac and command channels for fires. Responding units change their channel/talkgroup and check in. Occasionally, I will hear the dispatch confirm over the radio whether or not a station got the dispatch.

I was not talking about Contra Costa. Talking about Santa Barbara County.

 

[matters]

I was referring to example you stated and said that those instances could be prevented.