Some tools of our trade: Our telephone system, including E911, our radio network, and our Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) network.  Most importantly is the information we receive and convey using these systems.

We use the E911 system and the public telephone system to receive calls. 
We have four E911 trunks and 4 emergency 7-digit telephone lines.  An additional 4 non-emergency telephone lines are used for administrative business.  We also have direct dedicated lines to Abbott Ambulance and several private institutions.

Our radio network includes six transmitters, and 8 receivers.  We control these radios using the TELEX NexusIP console.  One of our four dispatch consoles:

We currently use a CAD system developed by Global Software.  Each of our four dispatch positions is equipped with four 19 inch LCD monitors, three for CAD and one for our in-house network.

Our CAD Screens
Call Management Screen

Unit Status Screen

Map Screen

Each firehouse we dispatch is equipped with a printer on our CAD network.  When a fire truck or ambulance is dispatched vital information is sent to the printer.  Included on the printout is the address of the call, directions to the address, the caller's phone number, and any patient or other important information.