There is certainly a way to do this, though VOIP, while an option, you will have issues if there are outages. Of course, there can be outages of all types, that will effect everything, no matter what you set up.
I am familiar with a large organization that operates just like you would like to. They have multiple dispatch locations. The phones are not 911 phones. This is a private, volunteer organization, and they have three emergency phone numbers. Each location has 3 phone lines (and numbers, I think all different, but you can check with your local POTS to see if you can have several phone lines with the same "emergency" numbers) They use POTS. All lines roll over to the next if the line is busy. When a new dispatcher comes on shift, they "pull the lines", essentially, they dial the phone company number, and enter code/codes to have the calls forwarded to the dispatchers location phones. As for dispatching, that really depends on many factors, at least in my mind it does. What type of system are you using, repeater, simplex. You may even be able to use a tone remote over a POTS line to the radio system. Will you be paging units, and if so, what units? Do your firefighters carry plectrons or two way radios? How will/do you initate a call out? There are a lot of unknowns in your post. Now adays, while there is some difference of opinion regarding the technology and radios, MOTOTRBO might be a choice for a system. There are dispatching softwares that utilize a mobile/base radio to control the system and the individual units. And, you can have a data/command time slot, and an emergency time slot, in a single frequency (assuming you have/can get a frequency) Michael --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, "Jed Barton" <j...@...> wrote: > > Hey guys, > I am working on a project and am wondering if anyone has done this. > Here's the proposal, to setup a dispatch center for an FD, where the > dispatchers can sit at home and work the entire thing. > This is not a very busy department, that's why they thought it would be good > to do it. > I've done a lot of research, and it can certainly be done. > This obviously brings up a lot of debate for a number of reasons. In > looking at it though, the relyability of the net is very good compared to a > verizon phone line. > Curious if anyone has done something like this before. > For the phone system, we'reusing a virtual phone system that has proven > relyability. > > Thanks, > Jed >
