Copyright 2006 Chattanooga Publishing Company
By IAN BERRY
Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)
Dispatchers will know the exact location of all of Hamilton County’s operating ambulances once new equipment approved Wednesday is implemented.
The Hamilton County Commission on Wednesday approved the purchase of 21 Motorola vehicle locator radio modems for a total cost of $50,410. Hamilton County Emergency Management Services officials said the equipment will be placed in ambulances and work with mapping software to signal to the dispatch center the vehicles’ location.
Dispatchers then will be able to determine the closest ambulance to a particular scene, and the shortest route to get there, they said.
“It’s going to expedite calls, ease confusion, prevent long delays in responses,” said Don Allen, director of Hamilton County EMS. “When this process is completed, and this is a big portion of that, we will be able to plot the movement of our trucks in the field.”
Ken Wilkerson, EMS chief, said the improvements are unrelated to the 911 system and recent problems with dropped 911 calls. This equipment will aid those who dispatch the calls, not those taking the calls.
Officials said it was the first step, but also the most significant step, in ensuring ambulances promptly are sent to the correct addresses.
Mr. Allen said it will take 60 days to 90 days to get the equipment operating. He said a second phase for the improvements will provide laptops and electronic maps inside the ambulances and will allow ambulance operators to signal through the laptops that they have arrived at a scene.
Mr. Allen said the Chattanooga Police Department has purchased the equipment but hasn’t put it in use. He said he expects all public safety agencies eventually will use the technology.