1/24/2010

Vying for Fire Dispatch

Posted by Anonymous

The Buffalo News reporting that both the LPD and the County sheriff's office both want the fire dispatch.

Police Chief Lawrence M. Eggert urged the Common Council last week to turn Fire Department dispatching duties over to the Police Department. “For you to hand it to us now would be extremely simple. We could do it tomorrow,” Eggert said Wednesday. “I’m kind of hoping you give it to us. It’s easy. . . . We could do it for no cost.”
But Niagara County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Beatty said much the same thing Friday, adding that the city would not be charged for dispatching services. “The phone connection we put in a couple of years ago, waiting to see how the legal thing came out, we’ve been maintaining at our cost,” Beatty said...

Two agencies vying for more work at no costs?

6 comments:

Concerned said...

If the county can truly be used at no cost why not use them for BOTH fire and police calls and then eliminate the police dispatcher position?
If the statement is true that there isn't a charge for the service seems like a no-brainer!

Black Phillip said...

We'd still need someone available at the police station, and they do both jobs at the same time (manning the station desk and dispatch) (or at least to the best of my knowledge), so I don't see the need to move it all up to the county.

Concerned said...

I agree if it is one job, but with the amount of calls they say they take it seems like it would be a specific job just dispatching.
Kudo's to the police dept though if it is one job!

wrightontime said...

So there are 2 groups looking to take over fire dispatching duties at no additional cost. That being true and in the slim chance of removing political bs from the equation it would only make sence to send fire dispatch to the group that is best trained in that field and has the most experience in that profession. Are there state requirments in the field of dispatching and are either of these groups qualified to that level?

wrightontime said...

Went to US&J website and did a search of " City of Lockport, central dispatch, fire department" It brought up articles dating back to Jan 2006. Found it interesting how some of our elected people have changed their tune on this. I was not aware that there were dropped calls or response delays in the past with this. I dont know what has changed for the better but I wish the council would put some honest research into this for the sake of public safety.

Anonymous said...

screw that the county would never do it for free!!!!!! ncsd will bill us in a year ..... dont trust ncsd

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