Area chiefs warn of risks from proposed switch to county dispatch

At a Division 20 chiefs meeting on June 17, a visiting Maywood captain and several chiefs warned that plans to move some local dispatch functions to a county center could hamper local response, create "silos" among neighboring departments and leave smaller communities at a disadvantage.

"They're violating, the span of control," said Captain Wade, the Maywood Fire Department shift commander, arguing during public comment that consolidating to county dispatch would disrupt how local responders hear tones and learn about incidents. Wade added he had asked county officials about costs and been told "nothing," calling that lack of information "unbelievable." He characterized the proposed changes on the fire side as "a recipe for disaster." (Captain Wade first speaks at SEG 024.)

The concern centers on two related developments: six Division 20 communities have signed agreements to move at least some dispatch functions to county systems, and county upgrades may include new Starcom talk groups and different talk‑group programming. The Division 20 president described a letter he sent to county officials asking that the county handle only MABUS-designated box alarms for now and preserve the division's existing frequency for local communications. "We're not locked in for any specific amount of time," he said, and warned that if county performance is inadequate, chiefs would return to the table to seek alternatives.

Chiefs at the meeting stressed why local radio awareness matters on the ground: quick water application and coordinated search and rescue during residential fires, and the ability to hear a chase or other evolving incidents as vehicles move block to block. One chief said he was "not a proponent of moving to county," citing the risk of creating operational silos and the potential that larger jurisdictions could deprioritize the needs of smaller or minority communities.

Speakers also raised practical questions about how calls would be routed and how talk groups would be programmed. Captain Wade warned that, under the county approach discussed, some in‑house toning and notifications would not be audible to local crews until apparatus were placed in service, and he flagged the possibility of routing calls through a distant center (he mentioned Des Plaines) and displays behind locked doors that local leaders could not directly access.

Meeting participants asked for clarity on costs and on technical solutions that would preserve interop. "They said they were going to give us an intercom," the Division 20 president said, describing an idea for a push‑button connection TCOs could use to query county dispatch about nearby resources. Participants asked staff to keep the topic on old business and to report back with programming and cost details.

Votes at the meeting included approval of the Wednesday, June 17, 2026 minutes (motion by Chief Mills; second by Chief Martin) and approval of a payment of $418.50 to MPC Communications and Lighting for the Maywood Fire Department; both motions were carried by roll call. A motion to adjourn (mover: Chief Martin; second: Chief Meehl) passed and the meeting ended at 10:36 a.m.

Next steps identified in the meeting: follow up with county and the Ike Center on talk‑group programming and estimated costs, and continue the discussion as an old business item at upcoming meetings. Attorneys and mayors were reported to be involved in parallel conversations about long‑term arrangements.