Fire Chief Christian told the council on Nov. 17 that the department is exploring station alerting systems that target alerts to a single station and use progressive, "heart-safe" tones, low-level red lighting and optional bed shakers to wake personnel without the sudden startle associated with traditional loud tones.

"Their heart rates will go up to about 160, 170," Chief Christian said of crews awakened by traditional alarm tones, arguing the technology aims to reduce those spikes and help responders maintain clearer judgment on calls. He described systems that can be configured to silence station speakers when not needed, automatically re-enable them for an active tone, and switch lights to low red levels to preserve night vision.

Christian said the department has collected several quotes and is focusing on a radio-operated system (rather than IP/Internet-based) that will continue to work if internet or IP systems go down. The chief said the system under consideration is a more basic, lower-cost option than high-end alerting packages and that they would install the alerting as part of station furnishings and fixtures funded from bond allocations rather than the station base contract.

Council members asked whether the system is included in Station 2 construction; Christian said it is not part of the base build but will be included in the furniture/fixtures portion paid from bond funds so it can be installed for both station 1 and station 2 and mirrored between them. No formal action or appropriation was taken at the meeting.

Next steps identified by the chief include finalizing vendor selection and returning to council if a budget appropriation or formal purchase authorization is required.