UC Davis Fire Dispatching

[W6SAE]

I live in Woodland and was recently monitoring Woodland FD dispatch (160.065). To my surprise, I heard Station 34 (UC Davis Fire) being dispatched on that channel. For the last several years they were essentially integrated operationally with Davis City Fire, as well as dispatched by them. Does anyone know the reason for the change? Was there some sort of falling-out?

 

[mcjones2013]

If I remember correctly, UCDFD switched from being dispatched by the City of Davis to Yolo Emergency Communications Agency (YECA) in the summer of 2018. I don't know the exact reason, but I'm guessing the cost of dispatching had something to do with it.

Being dispatched by YECA, the UCDFD tone-outs go out on GOLD, but all other unit-dispatcher communications go over the UC Davis 800 MHz radio system (until UCDFD switches over to SRRCS this summer).

UCDFD still has daily automatic-aid calls into the DFD jurisdiction daily. They switch over to the City of Davis 800 MHz radio system during these runs (again, also, until the City of Davis switches over to SRRCS this summer).

I could see City of Davis FD switching to YECA for dispatch services at some point. They are the last holdouts. Davis PD will likely stay with their own dispatching.

 

[W6SAE]

Thanks for the information! I have the UCD 800 MHz system programmed into my scanner but locked it out because I only ever heard them on Davis FD's channels. I guess I'll have to unlock it.

I understand the reasoning you give for the change, but it seems like it makes things a little more cumbersome for them, as Station 34 has been virtually operating as Davis FD's fourth fire station.

 

[officer_415]

Another reason for UCDFD switching to YECA was that the City of Davis dispatchers are not Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) certified, so they cannot give CPR instructions to callers, etc.

 

[W6SAE]

Another reason for UCDFD switching to YECA was that the City of Davis dispatchers are not Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) certified, so they cannot give CPR instructions to callers, etc.

That's interesting (and surprising). Thanks for the additional information.