For too many people, the way that fire engines are dispatched is a mystery. The majority of complaints faced by fire departments are based on misconceptions from the general public, and thus complaints are filed even when there is little to no need. Understanding how these systems work is crucial to helping fire departments to become more efficient, and to ensure that civilians understand why the decisions are made. A brief description of this simple phone service process may help alleviate some of those problems.

 

The system starts when the fire department receives the call. This call may be a 911 call, based either from someone on the site or a security service. In some cases dispatch center may receive an automated call that also has to be dealt with. If the calls are received individually then the dispatch puts out a call to fire department and the fire department sends out an appropriate force. Should multiple calls come in at the same time, then the dispatcher needs to communicate with fire department in order to establish which emergency is greater, and then send out engines based on that information.

 

This is the most difficult time to be a dispatcher, as it requires knowing a number of specifics relative to the situation. The fire engine dispatch system is set up to handle a number of different emergencies at once, but not all emergencies are weighted the same. A fire at a hospital will receive a higher priority than a private residence will. Ironically, a fire in a poor section of town will be considered a bigger emergency than a richer residence; the fire in the poorer section may be in an area that can easily spread whereas the rich residence is more likely to have fire suppression systems and be built of more fire-resistant materials. Where the fire engines get sent depends on where they will do the most good, not necessarily where they get the best press.

 

No matter the technology in use the procedure is essentially the same. The calls may or may not go into a general emergency dispatcher service, and some principalities may not respond as quickly due to budgetary and equipment constraints. Some remote areas may be problematical to respond to, but overall fire engine dispatch systems are able to handle almost any fire. Not every fire may be caught, but it is not for a lack of trying.