Regional SOP Silent Alarm and Emergency Talk Call Response

Regional AVL Project

SOP

Silent Alarm and Emergency Talk Call Response

Section:

RAVL

Document #:

Subsection:

Total Pages:

Issued By:

Regional AVL Operations

Committee

Issue Date:

12/16/09

Prepared By

Christine Kuennen, Manager TCC, Metro Transit

Revision No:

Approved By

Christy Bailly, Director Bus Transportation, Metro Transit

Note

Revised 12/1/20 to note MVTA uses Avail CAD and will monitor alarms on their CAD, and contact TCC for police response as needed.

Revision Date:

12/1/20

Purpose

To ensure proper response to Regional Transit emergency calls received by the Metro Transit Police Dispatch at the TCC. To ensure the safety and security of Regional Transit Operators and customers.

Definitions

Silent Alarm: Synonymous with “Covert Alarm”. A button devise /alarm installed in hidden location in the Driver’s area of a bus.

Pressing the button triggers an emergency message to all TM Bus Operations users. If installed, a covert mic may be opened for purpose of listening to bus activity.

Emergency Talk: Synonymous with “Overt Alarm”: A small round red button in the upper left corner of the MDT. Pressing the buttons triggers an emergency message to all TM Bus Operations users.

MVTA Alarms:

User

Requirements

Metro Transit TCC will act on all emergency calls received. The TCC and providers should establish communication to verify alarm status response.

Individual providers have the responsibility to determine whether to install and use the Silent Alarm and Emergency Talk features of the system.

Procedure

When a Silent Alarm or Emergency Talk call is received, an audible alarm sounds and an “Emergency” icon flashes on the screen within TransitMaster. The AVL map display will center on and track the vehicle.

Note: MVTA Avail CAD has its own alarms that MVTA will address and contact TCC for police response as needed. The TCC may be alerted of an MVTA alarm by the Avail CAD located in the TCC – in this case, the TCC will contact MVTA to check if a response is needed.

Dispatch may silence an alarm tone from any source by left clicking once on the Emergency Icon on the upper righthand corner of the Bus Ops Screen.

Dispatch protocol:

TCC Police Dispatcher will dispatch call to the Transit Police Squad in the patrol area and coordinate response, providing the following information:

Bus Number, Route Number, Service Provider, location and direction of travel.
TCC will monitor bus movement and provide updates to MTPD. TCC may use MVTA’s Avail CAD to monitor MVTA buses involved in security incidents and update responding emergency services.

Once squads are en route, the TCC will contact Provider’s dispatch to notify of MTPD response, provide ETA, and gather any known details of the emergency.

If there is any uncertainty about the location of the bus, responders will be dispatched to the scheduled location of the bus according to its assignment.
If there is any uncertainty of the assignment or location, dispatch will need to confirm the assignment through any means possible, to include dispatching a supervisor and/or contacting other buses in the scheduled area to report on bus status.
Continue to monitor screen for any changes in status of bus, including a downgrade of the silent alarm.

Dispatch should downgrade a Silent Alarm and call the driver only if:

The driver has downgraded the alarm.
The Police or Street Supervisor reports that the situation is clear.
All other avenues have been exhausted and dispatch is unable to determine the status of the bus. In this circumstance, the individual provider will be responsible to determine the appropriateness of this approach.

**MVTA will monitor and handle their own alarms and associated protocols.

Individual Providers are responsible to contact local Police/Fire/EMS and/or private security for their own emergencies.

Providers who are unable to staff their dispatch desk at all times of service must provide their staffing schedule to the TCC. TCC will contact local Police/Fire/EMS and/or private security on the provider’s behalf during such times. Once the dispatch desk is back on-line and able to once again monitor their system, TCC must again be notified. The details of this arrangement will be maintained under separate agreement.

Individual Provider dispatch will update TCC on details and status of the emergency, as known, including local PD/Emergency, and/or private security response.

Individual providers are responsible to dispatch supervisory and other operational response to emergencies. Upon request, providers may be contacted to provide additional operational support under separate mutual aid agreement.

Notifications

Individual providers are responsible to provide notification of emergencies per their own chain of command structure.

Individual providers will provide TCC with dispatch phone #’s during all hours of service.

Reports

1. TCC Supervisor managing call will complete a Special Situation Report documenting the alarm received and the response.

2. If alarm is False, TCC will complete and forward an Electronic Radio

Defect Report.

Each Provider will complete a report for their agency per their own protocol.
Upon request, TCC will provide a copy of Metro Transit’s SSR to the provider involved.

References

TCC SMARTCoM Guide pages 5, 7.

Regional Provider Vehicle Identification list

Instructions- Downgrading and Clearing Covert Alarms from Dispatch

TCC’s Frequently Asked Questions for Incident Calls