ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell firefighters have made what they call a significant improvement in their response times.
The department’s average response time is one minute, three seconds faster than it was a year ago. That brings the average response time to five minutes and 46 seconds.
Fire officials tell Channel 2′s Bryan Mims it’s a significant improvement.
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The fire officials told Channel 2 Action News the improved response times were thanks to new technology the department is using, as well as better communication.
Every time the trucks roll, there’s a clock ticking, and now those trucks are rolling faster.
Speaking with the fire crews in Roswell, Mims was at Station 21, one of the busiest fire stations in the city.
They never have to wait long before a call comes in and the trucks roll out.
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“Not only is it huge in the outcome, we also recognize that it’s huge in the psyche of the individual that’s waiting for a responder to show up,” Deputy Chief Pabel Troche said. “Seconds feel like minutes.”
Troche says new technology has been a game changer. The RFD trucks are equipped with an automatic vehicle location dispatch, a.k.a. AVL.
Using GPS data, AVL’s help find which fire trucks can get to a call the fastest, and that’s not always the closest vehicle.
According to Thompson, the AVL uses a few different factors to see who can respond fastest.
“What are the posted speed limits to get there? What are the road conditions,” Troche said. “As in, one way, do you have to make a U-turn? Is it two-lane? So, it takes all that data and in milliseconds, it’s creating a response.”
He said clearer and more concise communication among first responders has also contributed to a faster response time.
“Technology by itself is exactly that – just technology,” Troche said. “The whole entire team has rallied around that to make sure we can make that improvement.”
The system does not give traffic conditions, but Troche said he hopes it can be added in the near future.
Shaving more than a minute off the average response times is a big deal, Troche said.
“What we like to tell people is hold your breath for 30 seconds and see that impact,” according to the deputy chief.
Battalion Chief Danny Thompson said in a medical call, one minute can mean the difference between life and death.
“If you can get first responders to them in less than five minutes, the chances of survivability increase, whereas if you go over that five minute mark, the chances of survivability go down every minute,” Thompson said.
Response times have been trending down for a couple of years. The average time is now one minute, 38 seconds faster than it was in June 2021.
“This accomplishment is a testament to our team’s hard work and dedication, the effective use of technology, and our robust monitoring and feedback systems,” said Chief Joe Pennino.
The Roswell Fire Department said they’ll continue to improve response times.
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