Hernando Today
City Set To Install Locater Technology
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Published: May 16, 2008
BROOKSVILLE - "Automatic vehicle locator" sounds like a fancy gadget, but Hollywood has already simplified the concept.
Think of the doodad on the car bumper that allows the cops to track the bad guy and you get a picture of what lies ahead for the city of Brooksville.
By the end of the day Friday, Brooksville Fire Chief Tim Mossgrove and dispatch had the technology to monitor the movements of the city's fire engines and other apparatus using AVLs.
It's one of the perks that accompany moving Brooksville's dispatch over to the sheriff's office a month ago.
"It's a new era for us in Brooksville," Mossgrove said.
Mounting AVLs on the vehicles is the first move towards outfitting fire vehicles with similar technology to what's found in police cruisers.
Just like law enforcement, dispatchers will see emblems representing an ambulance and fire engine in real time on a map. When a call comes in, they immediately know which unit is closer to the emergency.
Next on the list is to install laptop computers in the vehicles so firefighters can access detailed, topographical maps. Instead of a simple map book page, first responders will see not just the house or business, but nearby structures and the lay of the land around it.
"It's another tool in our tool box," the chief said.
Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com.
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