Somers May Switch To 60 Control For Dispatching

[x635 4,066]

From a very reliable source, Somers FD has begun the initial steps for switching to 60 control for dispatching as approved by the Board of Fire Commissioners to seek an alternative means.

[shfirefighter 19]

60 control is a great dispatcher. I feel every department should use them, its makes things a lot easier.

[x4093k 654]

60 control is a great dispatcher.

Whose that?

[billwiegelman 1]

wow..you mean we might actually get trucks at our fires..since cc will send mutual aid after Somers never responds

[ks1980 36]

Whose that?

Oh that's simple it's the big voice that comes out of the radio.

[Remember585 815]

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...

[38ff 250]

No more dispatching out of the Amawalk firehouse anymore???????

[velcroMedic1987 330]

Rumors. Rumors. Rumors.

I hear that 60-Control is going to take over dispatching for the International Space Station too.

[Jybehofd 85]

I heard not until June 2014. But it's all rumors and needs salt or sugar on top... Whatever your prefer

[spin_the_wheel 460]

Good luck to the 60 Control dispatchers. As evidenced by some of the above posts this is not something that is unanimous. If this is something that the Board of Fire Commissioners have decided on their own and did not involve the membership to a certain degree it's going to be a bumpy road indeed.

From experience there will be a portion of people not in favor of the move, probably the majority that will be looking for any reason to slam 60 and go back to self dispatch. "The procedures were not followed correctly, half the departments pagers did not go off, the transmissions are very low, we never get answered, etc...."

Maybe not. But I'm sure 60 control dispatchers have experienced this before. The thing that sucks is that the dispatcher is caught in the middle of this BS.

[x635 4,066]

Rumors. Rumors. Rumors.

I hear that 60-Control is going to take over dispatching for the International Space Station too.

The initial steps are happening, or else I wouldn't have posted it. There are some legal, "political", and other issues to take care of first, complicated by the fact that a commercial ambulance service is currently contracted in house to dispatch for Somers and the terms of that contract. They also dispatch their ambulance operations from the Somers Dispatch Office as well.

I will say, with no offense to SFD, that Somers FD and their commissioners can be somewhat unpredictable and can change things on a whim at times.

[ems-buff 81]

So what's going to happen to WEMS?

[x635 4,066]

So what's going to happen to WEMS?

All I know is that Stellaris, their parent company, was dissolved. Stellaris was a partnership between White Plains Hospital, Lawrence Hospital, Phelps Hospital, and Northern Westchester Hospital, and also operated WEMS. I *think* that made the contracts for each hospital up for grabs again. They continue provide EMT's to Somers FD VAC, and the three Northern Westchester 45-M flycars. I figure they will become a stand alone company and provisions for continued operations have been made already, since I still have seen their ambulances out and about in Westchester.

[JM15 386]

Rumors. Rumors. Rumors.

I hear that 60-Control is going to take over dispatching for the International Space Station too.

According to the public October minutes of the Somers board of Commissioners you are wrong.. Wrong wrong wrong...

[WAS967 97]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the communication system in Westchester sucks. Love the dispatchers (most of em anyway) but they are overwhelmingly busy and understaffed, the policies in place suck and bind their hands in many ways, and the radio "system" is a patchwork of stupidity. If Dutchess had a trunked radio system it would be my Nirvana. </rant>

[38ff 250]

You think you got it bad? Come over to Ulster County, we are still on lowband as far as fire operations. A countywide radio system is "good idea", but no $$ has been allocated for it.

[Bnechis 3,961]

Rumors. Rumors. Rumors.

I hear that 60-Control is going to take over dispatching for the International Space Station too.

According to the public October minutes of the Somers board of Commissioners you are wrong.. Wrong wrong wrong...

Why would the Somers BOC vote on dispatch for the International Space Station?

[v85 212]

I have seen countywide dispatch go one of two ways:

Really, really good (i.e. the system I was involved with in Maryland and most of the others).

Really, really bad (i.e. the system I am in here in New York, unfortunately) (low pay, high turnover, forcing their own policies on participating agencies without their consent, just really questionable dispatching like not listening when officers tell them to standby on sensitive data, mis-assigning calls and I can go on)

[velcroMedic1987 330]

Until an inter-municipal agreement is executed and all the procedures established it is just a rumor. They may be negotiating/discussing but until they reach an agreement all this does is get people fired up for nothing.

How many times have we heard rumors like this? County DPS is taking over DES, departments are merging, etc.etc.etc.

[velcroMedic1987 330]

Good luck to the 60 Control dispatchers. As evidenced by some of the above posts this is not something that is unanimous. If this is something that the Board of Fire Commissioners have decided on their own and did not involve the membership to a certain degree it's going to be a bumpy road indeed.

From experience there will be a portion of people not in favor of the move, probably the majority that will be looking for any reason to slam 60 and go back to self dispatch. "The procedures were not followed correctly, half the departments pagers did not go off, the transmissions are very low, we never get answered, etc...."

Maybe not. But I'm sure 60 control dispatchers have experienced this before. The thing that sucks is that the dispatcher is caught in the middle of this BS.

Just curious but why would this have to be unanimous or require a decision by anyone other than the Board of Fire Commissioners? That's their job and very often to do your job right you have to make unpopular decisions.

The only problem is that Westchester County talks out of both sides of their mouth. They take on more and more responsibilities while cutting positions. How many people have been added to the radio room to accommodate the increased volume over the past 5 years?

[AFS1970 504]

"The procedures were not followed correctly, half the departments pagers did not go off, the transmissions are very low, we never get answered, etc...."

Our last two self dispatching agencies gave that up in the late 1980's (before I came to work) and we still get the same complaints. Of course some of the complaints are justified others are just trouble makers on one or another side of the microphone. Some are caused by agencies that should not be involved getting involved. To a very large extent this is the nature of the beast and there is no way around such complaints.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

Just curious but why would this have to be unanimous or require a decision by anyone other than the Board of Fire Commissioners? That's their job and very often to do your job right you have to make unpopular decisions.

The only problem is that Westchester County talks out of both sides of their mouth. They take on more and more responsibilities while cutting positions. How many people have been added to the radio room to accommodate the increased volume over the past 5 years?

Few things are ever unanimous. Look at the posts in this thread. Clearly people have strong feelings for both sides of the topic of switching. In the end it will be the board of fire commissioners call as to switch or not. How they do it will make a world of difference. Management 101 never make a major change without including lower management (Chiefs, Officers) and even some of your workers (back step firefighters) in explaining your decisions and thought process as to why the change needs to be made. It makes everyone on the "team" feel as if they are part of the process in deciding the course and future of the organization or buisness. You need to back up a decision like this with facts. In the end you do what you have to do but doing this without feedback from the ranks is wrong. JMO

[Medibart 55]

All I know is that Stellaris, their parent company, was dissolved. Stellaris was a partnership between White Plains Hospital, Lawrence Hospital, Phelps Hospital, and Northern Westchester Hospital, and also operated WEMS. I *think* that made the contracts for each hospital up for grabs again. They continue provide EMT's to Somers FD VAC, and the three Northern Westchester 45-M flycars. I figure they will become a stand alone company and provisions for continued operations have been made already, since I still have seen their ambulances out and about in Westchester.

Stellaris has not been dissolved, it is still in place as a shared services entity, rather than a parent corporation, for the four Stellaris hospitals. Westchester EMS remains one of those shared services. The four hospitals have committed to continue utilizing WEMS as their transport provider and transfer call center. That commitment will continue whether WEMS is part of Stellaris, or if it becomes a stand-alone company in the future.

WEMS is working with Somers FD on their transition to 60-Control and will continue to serve the FD and citizens of the Town of Somers as long as needed. WEMS will then move our dispatch operations to our headquarters in Mt. Kisco.

Scott T. Glaessgen, EMT-P

Operations Supervisor

Westchester EMS

[x635 4,066]

Thank you Scott for the facts. Much appreciated.

[EJS1810 7]

Does the Fire District post the minutes online?

[JM15 386]

Does the Fire District post the minutes online?

Not that I have ever seen... They are posted outside the district office for "public viewing"

[JM15 386]

On the update starting Monday morning at 8Am 60 Control will begin "direct dispatching" any calls that they receive for Somers fire and EMS.

[Bottom of Da Hill 76]

what abt skip?

[velcroMedic1987 330]

Does the Fire District post the minutes online?

Meeting minutes? They didn't even post the election info or candidates names for the election yesterday.

[38ff 250]

According to state law, the must post the election info (time/date/place) in a conspicuous place viewable by the public. Most places put it on the front door of the station. If a district has a DISTRICT signboard and/ or a website, the info must be posted there also. There is no requirement to post candidate names.

The letter of the law is:

§3:10.2 LEGAL NOTICE OF ANNUAL ELECTION

The qualified electors in the fire district must be notified of the date of the annual election by an appropriate legal notice. Town Law §175 (1). This notice must clearly state the date of the election and the place where the election will be held. It must also specify the offices to be filled, the term of such offices and the hours during which the polls will be open. In addition, if the board of fire commissioners requires a petition to be filed to have a name placed on the ballot, the legal notice must so state (See Form 3-1).

§3:10.3 dates for PUBLICATION OF THE NOTICE OF ELECTIONS

The legal notice must be published once in the official newspaper of the Fire District not less than 27 days and not more than 34 days before the second Tuesday in December. To determine the correct dates for this publication, you must first determine the Election Day, which occurs annually on the second Tuesday in December. For example, in 2011, the second Tuesday is December 13th. Then begin counting back 27 days starting with December 12th. Twenty-seven days before December 13th is November 16th and 34 days before December 13th is November 9th. The legal notice for the 2011 annual fire district election must be published no earlier than November 9th and no later than November 16th. Only one publication is required. There are now requirements that the legal notice must also be posted. Town Law §175 (1).

§3:10.4 POSTING OF THE NOTICE OF ELECTION

§3:10.4.1 WEBSITE POSTING

In addition to the publication requirement, the Fire District Secretary must post the notice of any upcoming general or special election on the fire district website, if one exists. This notice of election must be posted on the website for at least 15 days prior to, and no sooner than 20 days before, such election.

§3:10.4.2 SIGNBOARD POSTING

A further posting requirement exists if the fire district maintains a signboard. If one is maintained, a copy of the notice of election must also be posted on the signboard. Town Law §175-c (1).

§3:10.4.3 POSTING ON THE TOWN OR VILLAGE WEBSITE

The Fire District Secretary is also required to send the notice of election to the Town or Village Clerk for posting on the website of any town or village located within the geographic boundaries of the district, or any town or fire district with which the district contracts. This website posting is only required if such a website exists. This posting must occur at least 15 days prior to, but no sooner than 20 days before, the election.

§3:10.4.4 POSTING ON THE TOWN CLERK’S SIGNBOARD—TOWN LAW §30(6)

The Town Clerk is now required to post a copy of the notice of election on the Town Clerk’s bulletin board in his or her office, and on the Town signboard maintained according to Town Law §30 (6). The Town Clerk shall cooperate with the fire district to ensure the timely notification of the upcoming hearing or election.