The County of Los Angeles Fire Department (LACoFD) is spotlighting the Command and Control Division (CCD) for its vital role in daily emergency operations.
In 1989, the LACoFD hired civilian dispatchers with public safety telecommunications skills to begin the transition from badge to professional staff. At the time, the Department operated from three communications centers – Los Angeles, San Gabriel Valley, and Antelope Valley. In early 1991, a state-of-the-art Fire Command and Control Facility (FCCF) was constructed, and personnel from all three centers unified in one central location at LACoFD headquarters to perform the essential and critical functions required of dispatchers. The FCCF is equipped with “base isolators” to minimize any damage from earthquakes and two diesel generators in addition to an uninterrupted battery power supply to provide backup power.
Today, the CCD, known as “Dispatch,” is one of three divisions within the LACoFD’s Special Services Bureau and is led by an assistant fire chief. The Dispatch team is comprised of three battalion chiefs and three fire captains, 14 supervising fire dispatchers, four fire dispatch specialists (coordinators assigned to Training, Quality Improvement, Geo-file, and Radio Inventory), and 86 dispatchers who serve as the first point of contact each day when members of the public dial 9-1-1 for help.
In 2023, more than 450,000 phone calls were received by dispatchers, including a daily total of over 1,230 incidents. The CCD is one of the busiest dispatch centers in the nation.
Using a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, 9-1-1 emergency calls for service are processed in a “horizontal dispatch” method. The dispatch call-taker enters the request for service after receiving the necessary information. After the incident is entered for dispatch, following a set of LACoFD protocols, the call-taker provides pre-arrival instructions for the victim as required for those requiring medical assistance. Simultaneously, the request/call is electronically sent to a “Dispatch Point,” where units are assigned, and the call is routed to one of several geographical Telephone Radio Operators (TRO). All voice traffic between field units and dispatch is conducted on the TRO channel. The “Dispatch Point” is from dispatch to field units ONLY. No units are permitted to conduct radio traffic on this frequency to ensure that all calls are dispatched without delay.
In addition to the routine activities performed, the CCD also serves as the Region I Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) as part of the State of California’s Office of Emergency Services. LACoFD Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone serves as the Region I Coordinator and, as such, provides resource allocation coordination under the California Mutual-Aid Plan for five counties, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange, and Los Angeles.
Scan Here!
All LACoFD personnel and international delegations are invited to come and meet the CCD team and get an inside look at the daily operations of our outstanding dispatch team.
Please click here or scan the QR code to register for an in-person visit.
