Toronto EMS changes

[EJB]

I had a chance to monitor Toronto EMS today. There has been a few threads in the past regarding changes to the talkgroup usage and computer generated dispatch here in the past.

Today I heard the term 'EPC' mentioned. I think this is the term for electric page, i.e. computer generated dispatch.

I also heard calls in what is (or isnt anymore) on NW for units well outside the normal jurisdications. One example: I heard a downtown car on NW mentioning that he did not get a page for two calls, one at Spadina and Dundas and another on Front Street. There were a few other instances of calls of this nature

I cant monitor T.O. EMS from my home base and I have limited access to my scanner at work.

nyone in the 'know' regarding the end of the 4 quandrant dispatch method? It wouldIIRC that a call for any EMS unit will be dispatched on any one of the 4 t/gs?

 

[exkalibur]

Yup, the quadrant system is no more. There are now 5 Districts. 1 through 4 are the old quadrant districts and #5 is Special Ops.

The A1-A4 channels (old quadrant channels) aren't going to be used for that purpose much longer. They're going to be assigned upon dispatch, so it's possible on a slow night, the entire city would run on A1.

EPC stands for Enhanced Private Call. The system calls the radio privately. Fortunately, new scanners can handle these without issue.

The 'missed page' is likely his pager, not their radio.

 

[EJB]

Yup, the quadrant system is no more. There are now 5 Districts. 1 through 4 are the old quadrant districts and #5 is Special Ops.

The A1-A4 channels (old quadrant channels) aren't going to be used for that purpose much longer. They're going to be assigned upon dispatch, so it's possible on a slow night, the entire city would run on A1.

EPC stands for Enhanced Private Call. The system calls the radio privately. Fortunately, new scanners can handle these without issue.

The 'missed page' is likely his pager, not their radio.

Shoot, I dont think my scanner can do i-calls, its an HP and is suported by this sites database.

Thanks Mike.

 

[exkalibur]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9700/5.0.0.862 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/332)

I don't see why it wouldn't - seems odd they'd take out features they used to have.

Who knows mind you.

 

[Jay911]

EDIT: My bad, exkalibur answered this eons before I even posted it. Damn my blurry, sleepy eyes! I'll leave these details up anyway as it's an interesting technology.

Are you sure that the term heard wasn't "ePCR"?

A lot of places out west here are employing a new electronic Patient Care Report - the documentation that must be filled out for every interaction with a "customer" - which runs on a tablet PC that the crew carries with them. I think it even links to CAD, so they might see a call show up on its screen when they are dispatched, getting a new "page" for each incident...

 

[exkalibur]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9700/5.0.0.862 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/332)

Well, DAS is starting to use ePCRs these days too, so it still applies

 

[Forge75]

EPC is EPCR
Quadrant Dispatch will be around for another couple months

 

[exkalibur]

They weren't referring to EPCR. A Delta PI came over as an EPC (Private Call) at Cherry and Unwin. 30 seconds later, the unit on A4 (old South/East) came up and said "copy the EPC, Delta PI".

The time line that I've seen for Quadrant Dispatching to go away (in favour of the new "follower" system) is by year end.