By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Automatic vehicle location is important to reducing response times in both the police and fire departments in Hutchinson.
"At the police department, we've been using it for some time," said chief Jeff Hooper. "We have mapping through our CAD system, our dispatch system. We can track and dispatchers also can see where all the emergency apparatus are in the community and obviously, dispatch the closest available unit."
Fire chief Steve Beer gave a recent example.
"We had an example, engine seven up on 30th Street here last week was headed down to city garage for some maintenance," Beer said. "On the way down there and on the way back, they picked off three emergency responses and it wasn't even in their territory, for the most part."
When seconds count in emergency situations, both departments are trained to respond instantly.
"When we get the call from the dispatch center, the standard for us on an EMS call is 60 seconds," Beer said. "They have to be out the door and responding in their fire truck. On a fire call, it's a minute and twenty seconds."
Part of the purpose of building the new fire station farther north on Main is to have more apparatus up that direction to reduce response times.