NCJ Number
61574
Date Published
1976
Length
3 pages
Annotation
THE STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS OF THE COMPUTERIZED COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEM OF THE SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE DESCRIBED.
Abstract
THE SYSTEM FOR ASSIGNMENT OF FIRE EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES (SAFER) RECEIVES AN AVERAGE OF 16,000 TELEPHONED FIRE ALARMS PER YEAR PLUS ANOTHER 13,000 FROM FIRE ALARM BOXES. SAFER'S MAIN FUNCTION IS TO COORDINATE THESE ALARMS EFFICENTLY WITH APPROPRIATELY LOCATED AND AVAILABLE FIREFIGHTING APPARATUS. ITS SECONDARY FUNCTION IS TO MAINTAIN A CONTINUING HISTORICAL RECORD. THIS INFORMATION WILL BE PERIODICALLY ANALYZED TO IMPROVE FUTURE FIREFIGHTING RESOURCE PLANNING INVOLVING FIREHOUSE LOCATION, APPARATUS ASSIGNMENT, RESPONSE PROCEDURES, AND FIRE PREVENTION POLICY. OPERATING AS A CLOSED-LOOP COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM, SAFER RECEIVES THE ALARMS, ASSIGNS THE RESPONDING APPARATUS, AND CONTINUALLY MONITORS EACH INCIDENT'S STATUS VIA RADIO COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE SCENE. MOST OF THE SAFER SYSTEM IS LOCATED AT THE CENTRAL FIRE ALARM STATION. THERE ARE SEVEN RADIO CONSOLES, EACH EQUIPPED WITH RADIO AND VOICE CIRCUIT CONTROLS, A MICROFICHE UNIT, A VIDEO DISPLAY COMPUTER TERMINAL, AND A SPECIALLY DESIGNED KEYBOARD. THE ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF SAFER INCLUDE (1) FASTER RESPONSE TIME; (2) BETTER OPERATIONAL CONTROL DURING MULTIPLE MAJOR FIRES; (3) MORE ACCURATE, TAILORED RESPONSES TO SPECIFIC INCIDENTS; (4) SELECTIVE SIGNALING TO DISPATCHED UNITS, REPLACING THE PRESENT CITYWIDE ALARM SYSTEM; (5) MORE ACCURATE AND TIMELY INFORMATION TO THE FIELD; AND (6) SUPPORT FOR UNIFORM REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE SYSTEM ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)