Emergency service crews welcome rollout of new computer-aided dispatch system

Emergency crews are seeing more minutes shaved off their response times to triple-0 calls, thanks to a new computer-aided dispatch system.

Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Tilyard (second from left) shows off the new emergency dispatch system to (L-R standing Mike Foster, CEO of Fijitsu Australia, Tasmania Fire Service Chief Officer Chris Arnol and Ambulance Tasmania CEO Neil Kirby. Picture: Luke Bowden

EMERGENCY service crews are seeing more minutes shaved off their response times to triple-0 calls, thanks to a new computer-aided dispatch system.

The Emergency Service Computer Aided Dispatch (ESCAD) system which had its final stage rolled out last June is the program emergency services use to convey information following calls from the public.

Deputy Tasmania Police Commissioner Scott Tilyard said the state was “in a great position” as the only state or jurisdiction with access to the ESCAD system.

“Because the system is a shared common system that allows all our radio rooms to know exactly what is going on, wee can share information without having to pick up a phone,” he said.

“They’re the systems we use to manage our resources and provide safety information to our frontline responders to aid them in responding. They are mission critical to all the work we do.”

In 2016 a $6.5 million contract to the emergency services dispatch system was awarded to Fujitsu Australia.

An extra $8.8 million was announced to Fujitsu for support and maintenance of ESCAD over the five years once

Tasmania Fire Service Chief Chris Arnol said the dispatch system aided emergency crews in the destructive Pelham Rd bushfire which broke out last month.

“With the Pelham response, when we have a bad bushfire day our consoles light up. We needed to overflow and use police facilities, so it was perfect for us to put our people in there as we did,” he said.

Ambulance Tasmania’s Neil Kirby said ESCAD ensured that appropriate resources were on-hand for patients.

“Quite often cases today aren’t specific to one emergency service body. Needs might in fact need to be met by both police, ambulance or whoever, so the fact that we’re working together means that, holistically, your needs are met,” he said.

“We gain a lot of minutes in an automated system so to immediately access calls across all agency just in itself saves time. Now we know and have assurance everyone has the same message.”