From the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District website:
The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) Board of Trustees, at its December 21st meeting, approved a resolution to negotiate a contract for emergency dispatch services with nationally-accredited Northwest Central Dispatch Services (NWCDS). The unanimous vote reflects District officials’ ongoing efforts to improve service to residents.
The decision follows an in-depth analysis completed by BCFPD officers that confirmed NWCDS’ operations and its use of the advanced STARCOM radio system. This will improve communication between firefighter/paramedics and dispatchers, particularly in areas of Barrington Hills, Inverness, South Barrington, Lake Barrington, and unincorporated areas served by the District.
If approved by the NWCDS Board of Directors, NWCDS would begin providing dispatch services to BCFPD in early 2017. The District’s agreement with its current dispatch provider, Round Lake Beach-based CenCom E9-1-1, requires a 12-month notice before the existing contract can be cancelled.
Established in 1972, NWCDS is a regional dispatch center based in Arlington Heights that serves 12 area communities and public service departments – including several that have automatic aid agreements with the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District. It was the first dispatch center in Illinois to earn accreditation as an EMD Dispatch Center of Excellence by the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch.