Fire chiefs in two departments northwest of Denver, Westminster and Arvada, say gaps in emergency dispatch technology between neighboring departments can slow response times and, in some cases, limit how quickly help arrives.
The discussion comes months after a Jan. 13 fire at a home on North Marshall Court that killed a father and his 9-year-old son. The house is now boarded up and fenced off, with a faded Christmas wreath still hanging on the door, a reminder of the life left behind.
Just after midnight that morning, Westminster dispatchers answered 911 calls reporting a structure fire. Crews from Westminster and Adams County were dispatched and arrived within six minutes, officials said. But Arvada Fire Protection District crews, including a station less than a mile from the home, were not notified, even after a second alarm was issued.
Fire officials say the reason highlights a broader issue: Westminster’s computer-aided dispatch system, commonly known as CAD, does not connect with Arvada’s…