M2ZTF

30/3/2016      Thornton Control closed and control of all appliances in the legacy Fife Fire and Rescue Service area moved to the new combined Control Centre in Edinburgh for the East Service Delivery Area M2FY.

M2ZTF is the Home Office allocated Radio Call Sign for Fife Fire and Rescue Service's Control Room. Over the radio control call themselves "Foxtrot" on all transmissions. Call signs for appliances are station code plus a third digit indicating which appliance from that particular station as follows:-

1    First Water Tender Ladder
2    Second Water Tender Ladder
3    Aerials (Aerial Ladder Platform)
4    Specials (Emergency Tender, Emergency Support Unit or Foam Tender)

Locations

1948 to 1972                               Kirkcaldy Fire Station. Dunnikier Road, KIRKCALDY. KY1 2RU                           Photo

30/6/1972 to 30/3/2016               FF&RS Headquarters. Strathore Road, Thornton, KIRKCALDY. KY1 4DF            Photo        Photos inside Control

Establishment 1972

                                            1 Assistant Group Officer

                                            3 Leading Firewomen

                                            7 Firewomen

                                            1 Fireman

In 1996/97 the Rank structure changed in the Control Room by upgrading 4 Fire Control Operators to Leading Fire Control Operators ensuring a fully qualified rank is on duty at all times.

Establishment 1997

                                            1 Fire Control Officer

                                            4 Senior Fire Control Operators

                                            8 Leading Fire Control Operators

                                            8 Fire Control Operators

The staff are split into four watches working 2 days, 2 nights and 4 days off.

Notes

AMPLIFIERS RELIEVE FIFE CONTROL ROOM STAFF

It is thought that GPO loudspeaking telephones operated by new No. 5 telephone amplifiers have been used for the first time in Britain by Fife Fire Brigade in its new area control. The amplifiers relieve operators for other duties while awaiting replies from retained stations.
The operator’s attention is attracted by the amplified telephonic speech. Telephone switches permit adjustment to normal volume after receipt of DX message.
All 999 calls in Fife are now directed to area control at Kirkcaldy and calls are also automatically tape recorded.
To obviate the possibility of DX inoperation through mains failure a transverter has been incorporated which takes over automatically and can operate for several hours. To overcome complete power failure a large diesel generator is provided to take over all station power needs automatically.
The console combines up to date operational switchgear and equipment, including the latest F.P.O. switchboard No. 5/25A providing facilities for administrative exchange lines and private wires to various industries in the county.
Direct communication by private wires has also been connected to whole-time stations, thus centralising call out arrangements at area control and releasing firemen previously held for watchroom duties. Running call facilities at wholetime stations are offered by external wall telephones linked through direct lines to area control.
Radio and public address equipment on the console is of the latest transistorised type with instant changeover facilities fitted integral to bring in standby sets by simply pressing a switch.
The map of the Area, on a scale of 2½ ins to the mile, provides an interesting feature in the lighting which is provided by fluorescent tube on each side through the perspex panel covering it. Chinagraph notation on the perspex thus becomes illuminated at any point where applied and is easily seen. The disposition board is magnetised.
(Fire Magazine, February, 1965. Page 463.)

January 2003? An Automatic Vehicle Location System utilising Global Positioning System ensures the resources are sent to an incident.

2003 two way communication between Control and the Vehicle Mounted Data System.

30/6/2016    Thornton Control closed and all call are now handled by the East Operations Centre at Tollcross, Edinburgh.

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