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"What'd she say?"

THE MOBILE, ALABAMA, FIRE DEPARTMENT is phasing in a dispatch system where the radio dispatch transmissions are being broadcast by an automated digital voice.

The new system has been utilized on a trial basis for the past month and is now being brought online for full operation.  The call-takers and dispatchers still function as always with the call-taker entering the info. into the computer, sending it to the fire dispatcher who reviews the call and initiates the proper response.  What's different is that instead of the dispatcher following up with a vocal over the radio, an automated voice takes over and announces the dispatch.

Fire Chief Stephen Dean indicates on this video report that the procedure does not eliminate any jobs, but instead assures a consistent tone and diction to the "radio voice."  Watch WALA-TV Ch. 10's report:

 

Firegeezer says:  Always cynical, especially when major expenditures are committed without any savings, I am wondering out loud.

1)  If the dispatchers' diction and "accents" are a problem, wouldn't hiring a tutor be a lot cheaper than purchasing this equipment and new software? 
2)  Is the City admitting that they are employing people to talk on the radio who are not qualified to talk on the radio?
3)  Surely a department with a dispatch system this sophisticated has computer terminals in the cabs of the apparatus that display the address and details in printed format.  If that's the case, then the "accent" problem is overriden.
4)  Saves time?  Come on…..
5)  I'll bet you that the vendor who sold Mobile on this system convinced them that this could lead to eventually eliminating positions and relying on the computer for more and more phases of the call-taking and dispatch functions.

There's probably more to this story that we haven't been told yet.

Mobile Fire and Rescue Department WEBSITE.

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Posted by on April 12, 2011 • Filed under: communications, dispatch, Fire Rescue Topics, Videos • Tagged: ,
  • JoeB-retired IBM

    Wow, another new system that will have to have constant software updates, and staff to handle that. What about issues that arise when the operating system gets updated, with a certain software vendor this happens monthly on “Patch Day”. What about viability of the vendor, what do they do when they fold, or are acquired by another company.

    We have all seen this happen, replace people with automation requiring more technical staff at higher costs to “save money” and “improve efficiency”. If you change something for something newer if it does not improve the process all it does is degrade what you have.

    From someone who has been there a multitude of times. I agree with all of Fire Geezer’s points 100 percent.

  • Anonymous

    On a slightly more cynical note (and agreeing with FG and JoeB), I remember when NOAA first phased in their artificial voice, which had its OWN accent (sounded Indian or Pakistani). With certain words, it was almost impossible to understand what the radio was saying (of course, the ultra-low-fidelity speakers didn’t help any either, but fire radios are better: they just have low fidelity).

    Part of the “problem” MAY be people from outside Alabama settling in the South and not being able to understand the drawl, but I suspect part of it is also the fact that you’re not going to get professional radio people — think HV Kaltenboorn, Walter Winchell, or even Don Imus — for what a city FD dispatch center can pay these days… you’ll get an interesting yet incomprehensible mixture of southern drawl and unintelligble mushmouth.

  • j2brown

    Such a nice way to mark National Public Safety Telecommunications Week.

  • Emt2be2000

    Ya Orlando Fire tried this exact system about 5 years ago- lasted 3 days- was horrible to understand- which was why they installed it- and it has no “common sense” as it is a computer- it would not understand abbreviations, ect- Haz Mat 1 would be read out by letter- H A Z M A T 1
    To say the least Good riddens- and I hope Mobile finds the same result- our Dispatchers are trained to do the job so let them do it! Thanks for all you do!