FDNY Gets GPS

[tbendick 27]

Well it's here and everyone is getting it. FDNY tested GPS out sometime back on EMS units and some Engines, they tracked the movments of the units to check the reception. Well it worked and the installed GPS in all EMS units on Staten Island and now are going citywide. Well now they are doing it on all fire units.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PR- 121-06

April 19, 2006

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND FIRE COMMISSIONER SCOPPETTA ANNOUNCE IMPLEMENTATION OF AUTOMATIC VEHICLE LOCATION SYSTEM IN ALL AMBULANCES AND FDNY APPARATUS

High-Tech System Will Allow for More Accurate Dispatching of EMS and Fire Resources using Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Technology to Track Real-Time Movement of Ambulances, Engines, Ladder Trucks, Rescue Companies and Battalion Vehicles

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta today announced that all New York City ambulances and Fire Department apparatus including engines, ladder trucks, rescue companies and battalion vehicles will be equipped with the Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system by the end of the summer. AVL utilizes Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology to track the real-time movements of any equipped vehicle, helping dispatchers more accurately deploy emergency resources. AVL began in September 2005 as a pilot program with five engine companies on Staten Island and FDNY EMS units on Staten Island and in Southern Brooklyn. Under the system, EMS response times to the most serious medical emergencies (Segments 1-3) were reduced by 33 seconds. By June 30, all City ambulances participating in the 911 system will be fully equipped with AVL. Implementation of the system in all fire apparatus will be completed by the end of the summer. In total, 1,565 Fire and EMS vehicles throughout the City will be equipped with AVL at a cost of nearly $50 million.

“In an emergency, every second counts,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “That’s why the AVL technology we’ve piloted on Fire Department vehicles is so promising. In ambulances alone, response times to the most serious medical emergencies have decreased by more than half a minute – a lifetime if you’re experiencing a heart attack or other serious condition. By providing our dispatchers with a real-time ‘picture’ of where resources are located, we’ll get help where it’s needed more quickly and efficiently. This is a great investment in the health and safety of all New Yorkers.”

“As a result of this new technology we have already experienced a 33-second decrease in response times to the most serious calls within the initial AVL areas,” said Commissioner Scoppetta. “In an emergency, seconds can mean the difference between life and death. We are confident that this new technology will provide our dispatchers with the most accurate unit location information, even as ambulances travel through tunnels, under highways and

between skyscrapers.”

Currently, EMS Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) recommends the best EMS unit to deploy based on where ambulances are assigned throughout the City. However, because ambulances are not dispatched from a central location and are able to move within their response areas – AVL is invaluable in providing a real-time update of where resources are actually located. Combined with CAD, AVL is a powerful tool that creates a visual map of where emergency resources are located and their movements. Using a constellation of 24 satellites orbiting the earth, the AVL system combines GPS technology and street-level mapping to pinpoint the longitude, latitude and course direction of any equipped vehicle.

Improvements in EMS response times under AVL have been significant. Prior to AVL, during an average four-month period the response time to the most serious life-threatening emergencies (Segment 1-3) was 6 minutes and 55 seconds. After the implementation of AVL, during the same four-month period in the same response areas, the average response time was reduced to 6 minutes and 22 seconds – a 33 second decrease.

Implementation of AVL on fire apparatus began on Monday will be completed by the end of the summer. All engine, ladder and rescue companies and battalion vehicles throughout the five boroughs will be equipped with the system by the end of the summer. By June 30, 798 ambulances citywide – including voluntary hospital ambulances – will be dispatched under the new system. AVL is currently installed on 277 ambulances in Staten Island, Brooklyn and parts of Queens.

[Porsha911gt3 8]

I really can't be one to talk about this, but all I can say is that it's amazing how quickly they plan to do this, when the entire department still doesn't even have the bail out ropes.

[JBE 328]

Looks like assignment cards will be used for when everyone is in quarters. Any other time, they're out the window.

[grumpyff 1,159]

Just have to wait and see how well the system works in midtown Manhattan, with all the tall buildings.

[Guest aussiegeorge]

Looks like assignment cards will be used for when everyone is in quarters. Any other time, they're out the window.

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jbe do you still use cards to determine responces,does't your CAD have a pre determined responce built into it ,god we got rid of assignment cards in 1977.

[tbendick 27]

As far as the Midtown issues with GPS, they have all that worked out. The new system is AVL not just GPS based. Once you tell the computer where the rig is, it can figure out the rest even without the GPS working. It has a connection to the rigs speed and a compass, so the computer will do the math and track when you make turns and how far you go. So even in dead spots it will still work, not a 100%, but you will have an idea. So driving under a elevated roadway the computer will use the speed to determine how far along you are.

The are moving fast with the hardware installs. A buch of units in my Battalion already have the units, however they told us that they will be coming back in the future to update the MDT software.

[JBE 328]

jbe do you still use cards to determine responces,does't your CAD have a pre determined responce built into it ,god we got rid of assignment cards in 1977.

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The CAD has pre determined assignment cards for each box in the city. We have the paper cards as a back up when the computer crashes. We have a computerized back up with assignment cards, but they aren't completely accurate. Please understand George, FDNY fire dispatch is working with a CAD system developed in the 1970's. For all its faults, the damn thing works.

[Guest]

Correct me if I am wrong but I heard that it will be mandatory for all units to have the AVL systems up and running by Aug. 1st this year.

[fac911 33]

Correct me if I am wrong but I heard that it will be mandatory for all units to have the AVL systems up and running by Aug. 1st this year.

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As of Friday 5/27/06 all EMS units in the Bronx will have the GPS units online. I work for OLM*EMS my boss recieved a call on Friday 5/19/06 from the Fire Dept req all of our units be online by May 27. we have 5 units & 3 Spares all must have GPS/ New MDT's installed.

[tbendick 27]

As far as the date of Aug 1, this is for the completion of the installs.

By Aug 1. All EMS units should have the AVL installed and online. Not sure if they are also adding for all the spares by this date or just the dedicated units.

All Fire units should have the AVL installed. However the Fireside will not be online for sometime. They will be using the MDT's to link back to displays, The MDT link is not up and working yet and is still being designed.