Fire Dispatch
Fire dispatching is provided through a combined Police and Fire Communications Center serving the entire City.
Fire Dispatchers are thoroughly trained in Fire Department procedures, communications systems, Computer Assisted Dispatch (CAD), 911 answering and caller interrogation. The typical new Public Safety Dispatcher undergoes about 28 weeks of training before being allowed to dispatch independently. There are currently 17 Dispatchers and 4 Supervisors used to staff the center 24 hours per day.
The level of response for every type of emergency is pre-established. A Standard Response Plan is built into the CAD system. The system tracks the availability of resources and makes recommendations to the dispatcher regarding the closest resources of the proper type. The intent is that the first alarm resources will mitigate the particular type of emergency at least 98% of the time.
All dispatch and communications systems have multiple layers of redundancy to help assure that emergency dispatching of fire stations or mobile resources are not interrupted. The Fire Department primary radio system operates in the 400 mhz UHF band. There are two dispatch frequencies and four tactical frequencies. All mutual aid communication is in VHF high band. The Department has full dispatch, mobile and portable radio capabilities in this band.
Calling 9-1-1
The 9-1-1 number is for emergencies only. If you have an emergency, use a regular phone if possible. This gives the Dispatcher additional information such as the address and phone number you are calling from. Cellular 9-1-1 calls within the city are all routed through the California Highway Patrol Dispatch Center which may cause time to be lost. In the future, cellular calls will be routed to the Dispatch Center that will provide the emergency services.
The Dispatcher will answer the line "9-1-1. What is your emergency?" You should be prepared to tell them what type of emergency you are reporting such as a fire, traffic collision, or medical emergency. They will also want to know the location of the emergency. A street address and name is best.
The Dispatcher will immediately send the appropriate fire, police, emergency medical help you need. Depending on the type of emergency, the Dispatcher may ask you if there are any weapons present that might be a danger to emergency responders.
Some Dispatchers are bi-lingual and all have quick access to translation services. TDD is also available at 895-4925. In the unlikely event that 9-1-1 phone lines are not available, the alternate phone number for emergencies only is 897-4911.
If you are reporting a medical emergency, you may be given pre-arrival instructions for actions you can take before the arrival of medical personnel.