Ensuring Critical Communications for 13 Agencies Across Los Angeles County With Computer Aided Dispatch Upgrade

Press Release from the City of Glendale Fire Department 
Media Contact: Anita Shandi
Office: (818) 550-5613
Email: [email protected]

Glendale, CA (May 11, 2020) – The Verdugo Fire Communications (VFCC) center operates out of the Glendale Fire Department and is owned by the cities of Glendale, Burbank and Pasadena, the Tri-Cities. Just last year, the dispatch center answered almost 180,000 calls for 13 agencies, including Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, Alhambra, Arcadia, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena and the Hollywood Burbank Airport.

At 5:00 a.m., May 12, the Verdugo Fire Communications Center will ‘Go Live’ with a new state of the art computer aided dispatch (CAD) software system. The complex project involved the coordinated participation of all thirteen agencies and guidance from the Tri-Cities. The new Northrup Grumman, Command Point CAD will replace a system that is 30 years old and will provide an increased level of service to the communities we serve while improving the safety of our first responders. “The enhancements and improvements that this state of the art, Computer Aided Dispatch system brings to the 13 agencies and over 1 million people served through Verdugo Fire Communications center each day, will continue to make use the leading multi-agency Fire and EMS dispatch center in Los Angeles County” said Silvio Lanzas, the Glendale Fire Chief who oversees the Verdugo Fire Communications Center.

The new CAD upgrade is a mission-critical command and control system that enables emergency communications center personnel to manage calls and resources. It provides all relevant information in a feature-rich user interface which efficiently supports dispatching operations of public safety agencies. The system allows personnel to make informed decisions and meet high performance demands for fire and emergency medical services.

For over 40 years, the VFCC has served as the first point of contact for those seeking immediate assistance during an emergency in our area and they currently serve the Glendale Fire Department and 12 other jurisdictions. During a CAL OES, 9-1-1 Branch audit, Verdugo was recognized for being an industry leader in 9-1-1 call answering. California has adopted a standard of answering 9-1-1 calls 95% of the time in less than 15 seconds. The Verdugo Fire Communications Center exceeds this standard by answering 9-1-1 calls within 15 seconds 99.58% of the time.

The Glendale Fire Department and the 12 other jurisdictions who are served each day by the VFCC are grateful to the Verdugo Fire Communication Center staff, and all the telecommunication professionals across the country for their commitment to the safety and well-being of first responders and the citizens of the communities we serve.