911 Communications Center
PBCFR’s Communications Center is the largest secondary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) in Palm Beach County. The Communications Center is a multi-agency operation that handles fire and medical emergency communications for PBCFR, including eight municipal Fire-Rescue Departments. PBCFR is an all-hazards fire rescue department resulting in its Communications Center processing over 400,000 phone calls, annually.
The Communications Center and Management Team report to the Division Chief of Emergency Management. They are managed by the Alarm Office Manager, two Quality Assurance Managers, one Training Supervisor and supported by a GIS/CAD Specialist. Additionally, The Fire Operations Officer (FOO) provides a crucial link between the Communications Center and the Operations crews in the field. They monitor every significant call to aid the on-scene commander with getting additional resources.
The Communications Center employs 61 Communicator-III’s under the supervision of four Communicator Supervisors. PBCFR Communicators are certified by the State of Florida as 911 Public Safety Telecommunicators. They are also nationally certified in CPR, Emergency Medical Dispatch, and Fire Service Communications. This training allows them to locate and provide rapid service to 911 callers, provide them with life-saving instruction when needed, and assist emergency personnel in the field. PBCFR Communicators operate complex radio and a Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system that allows them to dispatch, monitor, and communicate with emergency personnel from local law enforcement, fire rescue agencies, hospitals, and aeromedical teams.
Public Information Office
The Public Information and Media Services Team ensures that community members are informed, engaged and connected with PBCFR. The Public Information Office is the official line of communication with citizens and the media; delivering information about emergency incidents, public safety, fire rescue services, outreach programs, and more. The goal of the Public Information Office is to get the “right information to the right people at the right time to make the right decisions.”
The Public Information Office is responsible for:
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Media interviews & press conferences
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Communications & publications
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Incident response
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Social media management
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Department traditions, ceremonies & awards
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Public outreach campaign
Media Services
Through decades of service, PBCFR’s award-winning Media section is instrumental in producing live and public events, creative media and communications, while also educating and training personnel. With more than 49 fire stations across an 1800 square mile coverage area, virtual training is an important component in making sure all firefighter/paramedic personnel are up-to-date on the latest medical science, equipment, and department advancements.
Media services is responsible for:
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Video production for training & communications
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Public safety messages
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Social media content
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Photography
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Graphic design & publication
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Live events & live streaming
Radio Shop
The Radio Shop Communications Coordinator and five Electronics Technicians are responsible for 49 PBCFR stations and 29 municipal stations, available 24 hours a day. It supports the Communications Center, Palm Beach International Airport Station 81, Special Operations, the Tactical Command Unit, Trauma Hawk, Public Safety, and special events using radio and other wireless communications equipment. Duties include budgeting, procuring, installing, repairing, and maintaining an estimated 1,900 radios, 1,200 pagers, ten 800Mhz repeater sites, eight pager repeater sites, two very high frequency (VHF) repeater sites, fire station alerting system (Locution), station and mobile data computers (MDCs), and other wireless communications equipment.
Information Technology Services
Information Technology Services (ITS) supports over 1,700 PBCFR employees across 49 fire stations, the Airport, the Communications Center, Support Services, and Headquarters. ITS ensures the continual operation of PBCFR's applications, servers, computers, and mobile devices. ITS also services eight municipal fire departments, supporting their in-vehicle hardware and system integrations with the PBCFR Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. Other responsibilities include application development and evaluation, web administration, network security, domain administration, mobile device management, and inventory control for approximately 750 desktop computers, 250 mobile computers, 150 tablets, 300 rugged laptops, and 350 cellular devices.
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