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The Control Room
A centralised system for the receipt of emergency calls operates from the Control Room at Northallerton. This means that all 999 calls for the Fire Service, made from anywhere in North Yorkshire and York, will be connected to the one Control Room, not the local fire station. Supervisors (OIC's) Position Leading Fire Control Operator Jan Mills (pictured top right), in the supervisors position, has 4 monitors to keep a check on as well as receiving emergency calls, checking availability of appliances and keeping an overall control of the whole brigade. The present Fire Control was opened in 1997 and houses the Firecat computer assisted mobilising system, together with an elaborate communications network which enables the Service to deal quickly and efficiently with all emergency calls. It is staffed by trained personnel who are employed on a shift basis throughout the 24 hour period. The radio scheme gives countywide coverage through a network of transmitters and receivers.
Retained Firefighters carry alerters, which are activated when the appliance from the station at which they are based, is mobilised. Pictured right: Fire Control Operator Margaret McDade & Senior Fire Control Operator Keith Donnelly.
A mobile Incident Command Unit, equipped with communications facilities, is based at Northallerton and crewed jointly by Northallerton personnel and Control personnel. It attends large or protracted incidents. |
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In an emergency dial 999
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Telecommunications within the Control Room
Additionally, mobile telephones and pagers are used to communicate with officers, and hand-held radios are used by crews and officers.
Mobile Incident Command Unit