E Dispatches

[ZombieEMT]

I am looking on information on electronic dispatches via text message/email to smart phones. The volunteer department I work with has been using codemessaging but I was wondering if anybody knew a cheaper but similar service. The company I am employed with is looking to do the electronic dispatches for cheap. We do not currently use a CAD system and dispatched for the rescue squad only.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

What is the price range you are looking at?

Here's what I know:

BackUPager is a recording system that basically records the dispatch and sends out the dispatch via an MMS. The quality on it was ok, but there was a pretty significant delay due to downloading the audio file. To me, having a Minitor with recording capability would be just as well. A lot of our run district is very rural and has crappy cell service so the radio towers work better, but if you are in a more populated area, then this shouldn't be an issue. My understanding was that it was a one time purchase (not a subscription) and with all of the county's departments going in on it together (10 stations) the cost to each department wasn't more than a couple hundred bucks if even that.

Alert PSS is the current one that we're using I think. I know less about this one since we just started using it last week. But it's all text based. I like it because I can read the important things and it allows for comments to be written into the dispatch. IDK how much this costs as I think we're still in the trial period and no one has said anything about cost.

This new system is very much like what I'm used to in the OLD Style MDT dispatches (text only). Of course at my other department that has the new style with the graphics and GPS and bells and whistles (literally bells and whistles) I'm kinda spoiled now!

 

[DrParasite]

eDispatches is an annoying system. good in theory, but that's about it. the stored voice systems are mostly slow and hard to understand (if your dispatchers can be understood).

the better systems that allow email and text notifications have it built into the CAD. if you don't have a cad, you are pretty much SOL for an easy system that sends texts or emails.

 

[Medic Tim]

I will look into what we used not sure the name or company......The dispatchers had our cell numbers and they had a way of entering it into the cad so it would auto text us the address, what other services were going and cc. We would get the text withing seconds or before the verbal call out.

it was all voluntary and was just a matter of calling dispatch to start and or stop the text alerts.

 

[Mariemt]

We are getting a service called I am responding. It pages out on a pager and or cell and then we can confirm our response to dispatch and a monitor at the garage by speed dialing a number.

 

[DrParasite]

I am responding is great in theory, but my current FD and former FD both had it and got rid of it. the EMS squad sorta uses it.

problem with it:

1) if you don't have your phone, you can't text that you are responding

2) most people are calling as they are driving to the station, increasing the chances of problems

3) if your phone sucks (and mine does), it can cause endless frustrations, esp when the damn thing won't dial

4) most dispatchers don't want to be bothered with IAR. so while they will watch it to see if a crew is getting assembled, they still need to follow their protocols as to when to call mutual aid.

5) if I have a crew, I don't care if you are responding, I am leaving. even if you are the only one who signed on as responding.