https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookie Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

content


SoCal fire study says consolidate 911 centers, put volunteers on a stipend

SoCal fire study says consolidate 911 centers, put volunteers on a stipend

Citygate Associates regional fire-deployment study came after a rash of fast-burning, acreage-charring fires hit the county.
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 12th August 2010

Earlier this year, San Diego County officials hired Citygate Associates to conduct a regional fire-deployment study that would assess the county’s fire-service resources, fire-suppression capabilities and shortcomings. The study came after a rash of fast-burning, acreage-charring fires hit the county — including the Station Fire — said Stewart Gary, Citygate’s fire-practice principal. Gary said the six-month-long, standards-of-response-coverage study unearthed coverage gaps and highlighted volunteer personnel shortages in rural areas and then recommended consolidating five 911 centers into two, among other cost-cutting measures.

The study looked at 54 Southern California fire-service based agencies. Gary said in general, researchers found the county fire system to be robust. For example, tough to control wildfire ignitions were being stomped out in two hours and kept to a modest amount of acreage. In addition, the study “reinforced the reality that in not all, but most, of the suburban and urban areas, the deployment system was fairly robust,” he said.

However, fire personnel numbers are down nationwide. And to make it worse, today’s economy means dedicated volunteers are less likely to step away from their 40-hour-a-week jobs to respond to an incident. Gary said the report recognized the issue and recommended that the county place volunteers on a stipend. It also said it should staff each fire station with a minimum amount of people “so that even for a basic EMS call there is a response within an appropriate response time,” he said.

“So we identified some additional staffing strategies, such as more career stations in some communities, and an enhanced volunteer/paid-call firefighter program in the rural communities,” Gary added.

His team also gathered data on the cost of personnel, station building costs and apparatus purchasing. After an analysis of resources and budget, the report recommended improving efficiency by collapsing the counties five regional communications centers into two. Gary said two communication centers easily could handle the entire daily workload if shared 50/50.

“But in the event of a disaster, one comm center could be the backup for the other and in a flick of a switch take over,” he said.

Gary warns that politics within the 54 agencies could stop the consolidation, since some feel they are losing control over their local jurisdictions. However, regional communications centers dispatching separate agencies must reach standardization to make it work, so the report recommends the county establish a coordination council with representative voting from each fire agency. The council then would direct the standardization of policy and resource deployment across the agencies with the help of an executive board — comprised of seven fire chiefs — who would determine the final deployment and catastrophic response polices for the region.

“It wouldn’t be a political consolidation, but it would affect and force policy consolidation operations,” he said.

Gary said chiefs need to improve the data they gather to help measure their effectiveness and the importance of services. They also need to do a better job of articulating the fire service business case to the community, such as resources and monies needed to provide quality services.

“The business case also needs to present cost-effective ways to improve fire services,” he added.

View the report.

Tags: PSAP content Public Safety

Most Recent


  • Researchers uncover RaaS affiliate distributing multiple ransomware strains
    A new threat group is leveraging a relatively large network of malicious servers to distribute and manage multiple ransomware families including prolific ones such as ALPHV, Quantum, and Nokoyawa. The group has been active since at least June 2022 and appears to have links to the operators of Cl0p, Play, Royal, and Cactus ransomware families […]
  • Sean McDevitt appointed to FirstNet Authority board
    U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo today announced the appointment of commercial communications veteran Sean McDevitt as the latest board member for the FirstNet Authority, which oversees the development of the FirstNet nationwide public-safety broadband network. “It is with great pleasure that I announce the selection of Mr. Sean McDevitt to serve on the FirstNet […]
  • Cisco drops $28 billion on Splunk acquisition
    Cisco plans to bring on data mining and cybersecurity company Splunk for $28 billion, according to an announcement today. This is Cisco’s largest-ever acquisition and the latest in a string of cybersecurity-related acquisitions, according to CNBC. Splunk monitors and analyzes enterprise customer data to reduce the threat of security breaches and remediate threats. Cisco said the acquisition […]
  • FAA approves Zipline drones for long-distance deliveries
    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved another company to fly delivery drones longer distances without visual observers.  Zipline International received FAA approval to deliver commercial packages in Salt Lake City, Utah and Bentonville, Arkansas beyond visual line of sight.  Zipline’s Sparrow drone will release the packages using a parachute. Known as Zips, the drones […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Cyber is the new Cold War, and AI is the arms race
  • Private wireless networks in the US start going public
  • Microsoft patches 6 zero-day vulnerabilities under active attack
  • U.S. must redefine critical infrastructure for the digital era

Commentary


Better technology can help solve the public-safety staffing crisis

26th June 2023

Updated: How ‘sidelink’ peer-to-peer communications can enhance public-safety operations

  • 1
27th February 2023

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

24th February 2023
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.