San Brickardo Fire Rescue uses a variety of systems to get firefighters to calls as fast as they can. As of right now SBFRs maximum response time to downtown locations is 3 minutes, and in suburbs (at a maximum of) 4 and a half minutes.
Computer Aided Dispatch
SBFR is able to dispatch calls extremely quickly with the assistance of Computer Aided Dispatch, or CAD.
CIDS
Example
Box Alarms
History
SBFR has used Box Alarms since its very early days, and continue to use them to this day. In the past (before 911) box alarms were one of the main ways civilians could notify firefighters of a fire. Originally, Box Alarms used a complex underground rope system that ended up ringing a bell a the respective firehouse it was closest too, but this system was changed as it limited the distance Box Alarms could be from their fire stations. When SBFR was officially created (then called SBFD), the Box Alarm system was unified all across the city, and used a new system featuring an electrical circuit that was broken when one activated the alarm. sending a coded message to the dispatch system.
Now, 911 is the primary method SBFR receives its calls, but what happens if your phone is broken/missing or you don't have a phone? What happens if you are a tourist in this city and don't know the emergency number? What happens if the 911 system fails? Lucky for you Box Alarms still exist in San Brickardo, being located outside many Points of Interest or on busy street corners. These box alarms still use the electrical circuit system, but were updated around 2001 to feature a means of communicating vocally with the dispatcher in order to provide them with more details on an emergency.
Now, 911 is the primary method SBFR receives its calls, but what happens if your phone is broken/missing or you don't have a phone? What happens if you are a tourist in this city and don't know the emergency number? What happens if the 911 system fails? Lucky for you Box Alarms still exist in San Brickardo, being located outside many Points of Interest or on busy street corners. These box alarms still use the electrical circuit system, but were updated around 2001 to feature a means of communicating vocally with the dispatcher in order to provide them with more details on an emergency.
Call Locations
If one was to activate a Box Alarm (a very easy sequence, just lift the cover and press the button), the nearest x3 Engine Companies, nearest Truck Company, Medic and Battalion Chief would respond to the Box's location, and the call is initially dispatched as a "Box Alarm". This isn't the only use for Box Alarms, Every Engineer and Captain knows the locations of all the Box Alarms "belonging" to their station, and so Box Alarms are used to tell the Engineer and Captain the relative location of the call even if it was called in via 911. That's why under "Location" section of SBFR Computer Aided Dispatch System you will always find (when applicable) a line stating the nearest Alarm Box to the callers location, to aid crews in getting to the scene quickly.
Example: Crews may not know exactly where 425 Elm Ave is, but they may know the general location where Box 254 is, this basic info lets the Engineer starting driving in the right direction while the Captain can figure out in more detail exactly where the call location is.
Example: Crews may not know exactly where 425 Elm Ave is, but they may know the general location where Box 254 is, this basic info lets the Engineer starting driving in the right direction while the Captain can figure out in more detail exactly where the call location is.
Numbering
How does a Box Alarm "Belong" to a station? Every Box Alarm has a fire station its closest too, this fire station will at minimum have the Box Alarms first due Engine. Every Box Alarm has a 3 or 4 digit number its identified as in the CAD. Lets take Box Alarm # 254 as an example. The first digit is the Battalion the box is located in, always 1 thru to 9. This box is located in Battalion 2. The second digit is the box alarms First Due Engine (the station its closest to), so for this example its Station 5. The third number is how far away from the station the box is (lower = closer to station). Every station has a box outside of it in case somebody runs to the station in an emergency but finds all the crews out at a call. This box is always box #0 (so for Station 5 it would be box 250, Battalion 2, Station 5, Box 0), and one is located immediately outside every fire station in SBFR.
Box Alarm Map
A more detailed box alarm map is coming soon.