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Martin County discontinues Emergency Fire Dispatch; proclaims Telecommunicators Week
Summary
After a review found EFD slowed some responses and caused caller confusion in the county's rural context, the board unanimously ended Emergency Fire Dispatch service and will pursue localized dispatcher training; the board also adopted a resolution recognizing National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and highlighted 2018 call/dispatch volumes.
Martin County commissioners on April 10 voted unanimously to discontinue Emergency Fire Dispatch (EFD) service after a review and recommendation from local fire chiefs and the Communications Advisory Board.
Communications Manager Jason Steward said EFD, implemented in 2016, was designed for larger municipalities and that prescribed scene questions sometimes slowed fire dispatches and confused callers in Martin County’s rural environment. The program had been suspended February 19, 2019 for review. Local chiefs and the advisory board recommended ceasing EFD and providing localized training for telecommunicators instead; Martin County will continue Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), which Steward credited with multiple positive outcomes.
Separately, the board adopted a resolution declaring April 14–20, 2019 National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. Steward reported Martin County Communications answered 40,803 calls and performed 35,188 dispatches in 2018; board members posed for a photo with Communications staff.
The board directed Communications staff to pursue training tailored to rural fire/EMS incidents and to continue EMD protocols.
