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Mission Statement
The mission of the Fire Department Communications Division is:
To ensure the safety of the citizens of El Paso and its police and fire
personnel by using diligence, speed, accuracy, and professionalism when
gathering information and dispatching calls.
To never forget that we dispatchers represent the City of El Paso, especially
its firefighters, to the majority of the public, and that their opinion
of the city's entire emergency service may hinge on how they are treated
by us.
To treat all those who call us for assistance with courtesy and compassion,
always keeping in mind that they are often under stress and completely
unaware of the information we need from them, why we need it, and how
busy we may be when they call.
To always remember that what may seem routine for us as emergency service
professionals, may be an emergency to the caller, and to treat the situation
accordingly.
To accept the Fire Chief's Challenge to Excel.
Introduction to the Enhanced 911 System
The El Paso County Enhanced 911 System is a cooperative effort of the El Paso County 911 District, City of El Paso, and County of El Paso. The 911 Center is located at the Emergency Communication Center at 200 N. Kansas, in Downtown El Paso. The 911 Call-Takers, El Paso Fire Department Call-Takers/Dispatchers, and El Paso Police Department Dispatchers are located in this facility. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office currently maintains their communications facility at the Jail Annex on Montana Street.
The El Paso County 911 District provides the 911 Center telephone switching equipment, software, Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) hardware, and assists in funding other associated projects. The City of El Paso and the County of El Paso provide the staffing for the 911 Center and all radio equipment and some software.
The purpose of the El Paso Fire Department Communications Division is to receive emergency calls, determine the appropriate response of emergency resources, dispatch resources, and provide updated information to the responding resources.
How the Basic E911 System Works
As soon as you dial 9-1-1, a computer at the 911 Center detects your phone
number and the location of that phone. A 911 Call-taker will answer the
call, by standard, in less than 30 seconds and state "911, what is your
emergency?" They will ask for your address and phone number to confirm
and in case there is an interruption in the call. If your emergency is
of a law enforcement nature in the City of El Paso, the 911 Call-taker
will take your information and build a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) computer
card for the event. A separate Police Department Dispatcher views the
CAD card and will determine the appropriate response to the incident.
If the call is for law enforcement for the County of El Paso, the call
will be transferred to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
If the call is for a Fire or Medical Emergency in the City or County your
call is transferred to the El Paso Fire Department. The EPFD Call-Taker
will ask the nature of your emergency, reconfirm the address and phone
number, and determine the type and priority of your call. But, don't hang
up yet!!! A Fire Department Dispatcher has been watching the building
of the CAD card and as soon as the type and priority is determined, they
determine the appropriate resources and dispatch them. The Call-Taker
will still ask many questions, but don't worry; the response units and
personnel are already on their way. The remaining questions are asked
in order to provide more detailed information to the responding personnel,
so that they can be thinking of what to look for and how to deal with
your particular emergency. The Call-Taker will also provide "Pre-Arrival
Instructions". For a fire, this might include getting out of the building,
flagging down the responding units, and dealing with other occupants.
If it is a medical emergency, pre-arrival instructions might include CPR
instructions, unlocking the door for the responders, or how to control
bleeding. These instructions are based on a nationally recognized source
that has been approved by the El Paso Fire Department Medical Director.
As stated, when the Fire Department Call-taker is asking all those questions,
a Fire Dispatcher is busy getting you the help you need. When the address
has been verified and the call prioritized by the Fire Call-taker, the
Dispatcher uses the CAD computer to recommend the closest unit(s) according
to the AVL system, for that call type. They immediately tone out over
a radio frequency to the Fire Stations and the units that are available
by radio in the field. The Dispatch is given and repeated by giving the
Fire Unit numbers, address, call type, and radio channel the incident
is assigned to. When the units respond on the assigned radio channel,
a separate Dispatcher monitors the reports and documents all communications
regarding the incident.
Communications Equipment
1) Radios
The El Paso Fire Department utilizes mobile and portable radios in the 800 MHz range. We are currently in the process upgrading our radio system to provide compliance with APCO Project 25 recommendations of moving from an Analog to a Digital system. This will provide us with better quality communications and greater security of the system. In the future we are working on increasing our interoperability capabilities. This means being able to talk on the radio with the different agencies that respond in our area. The Federal Government is looking at re-banding radio spectrums so that Public Safety Agencies can relocate to the 700 MHz range. The radios which are being purchased for the APCO Project 25 project will also be capable of being programmed to the 700 MHz frequency. Every vehicle on the Department has at least one mobile radio and every individual on duty has a personally assigned portable radio.
2) Mobile Computer Terminals (MCT)
Every emergency vehicle on the fire department has an MCT. The Communications personnel can send response data, via a radio signal, to these MCTs. We are currently loading new software that will allow the ambulance crews the ability to do patient reports on the MCT's. In the future, we will also have on board mapping and the ability to fill out fire departmental forms in the field on the MCTs. For example, each commercial business and public building receives a fire inspection each year. Soon, the Fire Company Officer will be able to complete the inspection forms on the MCT and they will be forwarded to a common database. We are also currently doing testing on a new system that will allow us the ability to access the internet through a wireless system. Through the internet we will have the ability to access a greater range of information such as hazardous materials site information, as well as general haz-mat databases.
3) Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL)
This is the newest tool in the Fire Department's technological toolbox.
AVL consists of a radio and a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver/transceiver
on each fire department unit and a series of computer equipment at the
Communications Center. A signal from the GPS unit is transmitted to a
satellite, the signal bounces back to earth and the radio system tells
the computer system exactly where that unit is on a map all within 1 meter
of accuracy. The AVL computer then talks with the CAD (Computer Aided
Dispatch) computer and tells us which is the closest unit to any given
call for help. The department previously dispatched units based on the
closest Fire Station to an incident, now with this technology; we are
able to send the closest unit that is available to take the call.
4) Texas Department of Transportation Camera system
The TXDot camera system is a state-wide project which enhances traffic management. It allows the Texas Department of Transportation (through a contractor) to monitor the Texas highway system. This allows them the ability to monitor traffic trends and problems. This information is also available to the general public through the internet. Drivers are notified of lane closures or traffic congestion so that they can take alternate routes if necessary. Public Safety agencies also have the added benefit of being able to utilize the cameras to find the exact location of traffic accidents.
5) EMSystem
The EMSystem is a internet based system for reporting and monitoring hospital status in the region. It enhances preparedness, communication, and response to medical emergencies, mass casualty events and public health incidents. It allows us, the emergency responders the ability to note the emergency department status of all hospitals and allows us to better route patients
How to Become an El Paso Fire Department Dispatcher
The job of a Dispatcher for the El Paso Fire Department is a demanding
and often-stressful one, and not suited for everyone. But if you seek
a position that is challenging rewarding, and never mundane, we have a
place for you. The minimum qualifications are a high school diploma or
G.E.D.; at least two years work experience, preferably dealing with the
public and with telephone experience. If you are interested, go to the
City Personnel Office on the third floor of City Hall, #2 Civic Center
Plaza and fill-out a Job Interest Card. The entrance examinations are
given approximately every 18 months. The Personnel Department will contact
you for the next exam. That exam is a general aptitude type of exam and
also tests your ability to follow map directions. When the hire list from
that exam is compiled and your name comes up, you will be given a pass/fail
typing test of 35 words per minute or better and a test in basic proficiency
in Spanish. Employees work on an assigned shift and are subject to mandatory
overtime and mandatory recall.
Future of Communications
1) Regional Consolidated Communications Center
The City of El Paso, County of El Paso, and El Paso County 911 District
are in the planning stages for developing a Consolidated Communications
Center. The present planning calls for the consolidation of the Call-Taking
function. The current system, the 911 Call-Taker begins the process, but
if the call is for the County of El Paso law enforcement, fire or medical,
the caller is transferred to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office or the
El Paso Fire Department. This is an automatic delay in the process, a
process where seconds count. The proposal for the new Center is that all
Call-Taking is performed by one group who are trained in the functions
and needs of all of the representative agencies. Each agency would still
supply their Dispatchers. A combined Center would also enhance communications
between the officers in the field between the City and County; who currently
are on two different radio and MCT systems. The City and County Public
Safety agencies are looking at sharing various data systems to be more
responsive to the public and to reduce costs to the taxpayer.
2) Wireless ALI Phase I and II
When you call 911 from a regular phone, a computer in our phone system
determines the address for your phone. This system is known as "ALI" or
Automatic Location Indicator. The difficulty that most 911 systems have
been experiencing lately is with cellular phone calls, or "wireless".
Originally, we did not receive ALI for cellular phones and upwards of
60% of our calls are coming in on cellular phones now. If we don't have
ALI and lose connection with the caller before we have determined their
location, we can't send help. The Federal Communication Commission (FCC)
has mandated "Wireless ALI" in two phases.
The wireless E911 program is divided into two parts - Phase I and Phase
II. Each phase has deadlines defined by the FCC. Phase I requires carriers,
upon appropriate request by a local Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP),
to report the telephone number of a wireless 911 caller and the location
of the antenna that received the call. Phase II requires wireless carriers
to provide far more precise location information, within 50 to 100 meters
in most cases.
3) Motomesh Project
The City of El Paso is in the initial phase of implementation of an internet motomesh project. This will give public safety units the ability to access a secured internet connection from their vehicles. This will allow us to do field reporting, which saves time and money in the long run. Units will be able to conduct field inpections on vehicle mounted mobile computers. They will then be docked in the vehicle and when a strong signal is sensed, it will be able to upload the information. Each unit is able to serve as a receiver and transmitter of the internet signal-this reduces the amount of hardware required on the streets.
4) Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)
The City of El Paso and the El Paso County 911 district are in the process of preparing to request proposals for a new Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. This is the basic computer system which takes the activity type and recommeds the closest appropriate unit to the location of the call. The current system is over 15 years old. The technology deveoloped during this time will provide many more features that will enhance our ability to intake information and send the most approprite response in the quickest time.
Fire Communications Division Staff:
Chris Celaya, Division Chief
200 N. Kansas
El Paso, Texas 79901
Telephone: 915-832-6840
Fax: 915-832-6860
CelayaCD@elpasotexas.gov
Chris A. Johnson, Administrative Lieutenant
Telephone: 915-832-6841
JohnsonCA@elpasotexas.gov
Shift Supervisors
Lieutenant M. Burke
Lieutenant R. Patterson
Lieutenant R. Candelaria
Lieutenant E. Kleinhans
Telephone: 915-832-4432 (24-hours)
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