Raytheon to Upgrade Dispatch Consoles for Sheriff, Fire Dept.

Raytheon announced Wednesday that it signed a $12.5 million contract to upgrade Los Angeles County's dispatching system, which should help sheriff's deputies and firefighters reduce response times in emergencies.

When new twin-screen consoles are installed, dispatchers will be able see which units are available for assignments, enabling them to send the closest one.

Improved dispatching should also improve cooperation between law and enforcement and fire jurisdictions, Susan van Barneveld of Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon said.

Fire dispatchers will have the ability to communicate directly with neighboring agencies at the touch of a button, she said.

The state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or CalFire, and the counties Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange will be able to communicate directly for the first time, she said.

"This type of interoperability is exactly what first responders need in this era of multi-agency, multi-discipline response," Los Angeles County Battalion Chief John Lenihan said.

Raytheon is currently installing new mobile data laptop computers in more than 2,000 Sheriff's Department vehicles to increase safety and help deputies perform more efficiently.

- City News Service