EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
Danbury, Connecticut, has joined hundreds of others around the country that have installed new firehouse alarm systems that aim to reduce firefighters’ stress when calls come in.
The city of more than 80,000 people along the New York border rolled out the new system in September with softer initial volumes that gradually increase, warm red lighting, display screens and a computerized, clear voice. Officials say it replaces an old system that instantly blared out loud tones that city firefighters found jarring.
The Phoenix G2 system by Honeywell subsidiary US Digital Designs also immediately alerts fire stations and the units needed after a call comes in, seconds faster than dispatchers can. Honeywell says the system is in nearly 6,000 firehouses around the U.S. Several other companies make similar alerting systems that are in many other stations nationwide.
Fire department leaders point to a study that links gradually increasing alert volume to smaller heart-rate increases.
___
READ AP'S STORY
Jarring alarms out, quieter alerts in. New firehouse dispatch systems aim to ease stress
___
CONSIDER THESE REPORTING THREADS
— Ask local fire departments if they are using a new alerting system with quieter tones or planning to install one. If so, why? Did firefighters complain about the older, louder alerts? How did they pay for the system, and was finding funding a challenge? In stations using the new systems, do firefighters think they're better than the old ones, and why? Visit a firehouse to see how the systems work.
— Talk to manufacturers, who can describe details of their systems as well as where they are installed. Among these companies are US Digital Designs, Purvis Systems, APS Firehouse Alerting, Motorola Solutions and EaseAlert.
— Many fire departments have doctors and other medical professionals who advise them on health and safety. Ask to speak with those advisers about how firefighter health is affected by alerting systems and if new systems are reducing stress.
— Industry groups and labor unions can discuss standards and recommendations for firehouse alerting. The National Fire Protection Association and International Association of Fire Fighters are national groups. Find the local firefighters union. See if there are statewide guidelines, regulations or laws on alerting.
___
RESEARCH ON STATION ALERTING AND FIREFIGHTER HEART RATES
— https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27171596/
___
Localize It is a resource produced regularly by The Associated Press for its customers’ use. Questions can be directed to the Local News Success team at localizeit@ap.org. View guides published in the last 30 days here.
