SHAMOKIN DAM — When the Shamokin Dam Fire Company received an emergency call, no one knew for sure which volunteers would respond.
Those at the station would actually wait several precious minutes to see who would show up before their trucks rolled out toward the scene.
But the fire company has become the first in the Valley to take advantage of a new form of technology that will increase the effectiveness of communication among emergency volunteers — and reduce response times.
“It allows us to kind of maximize our manpower,” fire Chief Chad Gavason said of the Internet-based software, IamResponding.com.
According to Deputy Chief Jon Gray, when a firefighter’s pager activates, he uses his phone to dial a 1-800 number, which is preprogrammed into his phone, and then he presses only one button: No. 1, if responding in fewer than five minutes; No. 2, if greater than five minutes, and; No. 3, if he is going to the scene.
“The goal is to get everybody’s work schedule in there,” Gavason added, pointing to the large, flat-screen monitor on the firehouse wall that displayed updates of the firefighters’ statuses right before his eyes.
The updates are also instantly displayed on any Internet- connected computer or mobile phone.
The members are encouraged to update their availability regularly. Hit No. 5, and that means you’re available for the day. And No. 6 means you’re not.
Previously, during an emer gency call, the members would “just kind of wait and sit here,” Gavason said. “Now, we know there’s no one else coming.”
“It’s better accountability and tracking of who’s available,” Gray added.
By knowing who is and is not responding to the station, officials will know if they need to page additional personnel to meet apparatus requirements.
And if they know they will have enough, they can leave the station and get to the scene quicker than before, knowing they are not leaving any of their firefighters behind.
“It actually lessens communication,” Gavason said.
The day of Nextel phones being used by firefighters to communicate, has “gone by the wayside,” he said.
Now that there are smart phones and other technology, the fire company needs to change with the times.
“In our business, if you don’t grow and change with technology, you’re going to be left behind in many ways,” Gavason said.
“As the times change, I need to change with it.”
The Shamokin Dam Fire Company has active members from Sunbury, Northumberland, Selinsgrove, Monroe Township, as well as Middleburg, Shamokin, Winfield, and other municipalities.
“This makes so much sense for us to buy,” Gavason said.
As far as he knows, the closest departments that are using this technology are Montoursville and stations in Dauphin County.
The cost for a contract for the software is $700 per year. The Shamokin Dam Fire Company has signed a five-year contract.
As a volunteer fire service, he said, “You have to market yourself.
For us, it’s just another tool to keep our members happy.”
The system can also be used to track the date and place for ongoing training classes or fire company events, and who will be attending.
— E-mail comments to tpursell@ dailyitem.com
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