9-1-1 COMMUNICATIONS Emergency Services celebrated 71 new hires across six training classes with its first New Hire Academic Graduation Ceremony in August. The hires were the result of 15 mega hiring events, participation in the first Allegheny County Virtual Job Fair, as well as testing sessions and training classes for lead and shift commanders and lead telecommunications officers (TCOs). The professional development team conducted 18 CPR training classes for new personnel and TCOs and a Stop the Bleed class for ACES administration. Call center personnel received 14 hours of continuing education, and the department’s Quality Assurance and Training Program received certification. Emergency Services organized for a mass distribution of new state of the art mobile and portable radios for each public safety agency in Allegheny County. The department procured and programmed 2,861 new portable and mobile public safety radios for 326 fire, police and EMS agencies. The project will greatly improve public safety radio communications with each agency receiving up to eight new radios. The department also conducted in-depth reviews of all hardware at each of its 47 radio tower sites. Hardware, battery backup systems, and antennas have been improved or replaced. These projects will continue into 2023 to further system improvements. Emergency Services Program Spotlights
FIRE MARSHAL The Allegheny Fire Marshal’s accelerant detection K-9 Bailey retired in October 2022. Bailey and his handler assisted with the investigation of 603 fires in Allegheny County and the tri-state region since April 2015. In November, K-9 Pluto, a 17-month-old yellow English Labrador Retriever and his handler graduated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Canine Division’s accelerant detection canine handler course. Pluto and his handler are one of 65 ATF Accelerant Detection teams throughout the United States, and Pluto is one of five ATF dogs located in Pennsylvania. They are part of the ATF
National Response Team and may be called to assist in large-scale investigations throughout the United States and its territories. Pluto is the fire marshal’s fifth accelerant detection canine, and its fourth to receive ATF certification. FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT The training academy hosted Paratech Academy, one of the nation’s premiere technical rescue training providers, which drew 25 local, regional and out-of-state rescue practitioners, to receive instruction and hands-on training with the company’s latest technical rescue tools. A new multistory prop building has added a new level of real-life feel to live fire training rotations since its installation last year. Students and testing candidates have praised the great work by instructional staff to aid in the design of the prop and improve instruction.
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