DEC to close Ray Brook Dispatch (in the ADKs)

[Tom Rankin]

Discussion started on ADKHPs.

 

[Puma concolor]

Well, with all due respect to everything, I seriously doubt there are a whole lot of hikers and climbers out there who have Ray Brook DEC dispatch speed-dialed into their cell phones. I'm not sure this is going to have a whole lot of effect on, well, much of anything.

Consolidation of dispatch centers is certainly the trend NY and there have been previous threads on this BB as to the advantages of having one high tech PSAP as opposed to multiple locations that rely on the knowledge of the person answering the phone. The technology out there these days in terms of pinging cell phones and so forth is amazing. Local knowledge, of course, is always good, but not nearly as important as it once was. Remember, there are 62 counties in NYS and they all have their own 911 centers. Also rememeber that it seems the actual dispatchers in Ray Brook are being offered jobs in Albany ... so it will likely be the same people answering different phones.

Additionally, I'm not sure of the capabilites of Essex and Franklin Counties (high peaks region), but 98 percent of the calls for help aren't going to be going into DEC/Ranger dispatch in the first place. More than likely, folks are going to be calling 911 with the NYSP and DEC as a far distant second ... if in fact they have cell phone service where they are. DEC contact is step 2 in the process, so to speak.

I doubt that this cost-cutting measure will result in much of an actual change in SAR operations. It will still be the Rangers (boots on the ground) who will be bear the lions' share of the responsibility. Let's keep this in perspective.

 

[adktyler]

Well, with all due respect to everything, I seriously doubt there are a whole lot of hikers and climbers out there who have Ray Brook DEC dispatch speed-dialed into their cell phones.

Hahahaha, I do actually. Number 8. This post made me laugh.

 

[Puma concolor]

Hahahaha, I do actually. Number 8. This post made me laugh.

Glad I could be there for ya.'

 

[Nessmuk]

It sucks for those poor dispatchers who may have little choice in whether to continue to live in the Ray Brook area, or be forced to move to the city life of Albany to keep their job and retirement.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

The article that I read indicated that most of the dispatchers declined to move to Albany, and I can't blame them for preferring the Adirondacks to a place like Albany.